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| Destination Wedding in Nusa Lembongan |
My recent travels to Bali, Indonesia really have brought home to me, what a diverse Wedding Destination Bali and it's surrounding islands really are.
It Part 2 I will talk about Bali, but as my Destination Wedding adventure started in Nusa Lembongan, it's only right I start where the journey began.
Getting there
My flight arrived on time at 2:30PM at Denpasar Airport in Bali and after the usual shemozzels travellers face coming through Bali's international airport, my wife and I were finally in a cab and heading to the boat across to Nusa Lambongan.
Now 6 hours earlier I had left a very chilly Melbourne, Australia, so was appropriately dressed in a pair of jeans and a T-Shirt. On arriving at the boat however, it quickly dawned upon me that jeans may not be the most appropriate item of clothing for this adventure, since I had to wade into the sea in order to board my vessel, while incidentally my bags were chaotically whisked away by some seemingly random locals who carried them to one of the waiting speed boats. I took a deep breath, rolled up my jeans as best I could and plunged into the lapping waves, making my way to the waiting boat. Fortunately the day was a warm one, so I dried out quickly as we smashed across the angry sea for the 30 minute 'white knuckle' crossing to the Island of Nusa Lembongan.
On arrival we plunged back into the drink with some of our bags, while again, a group of seemingly random locals scurried off with rest of our luggage.
Despite all of the worry, confusion and somewhat scary boat crossing, the relief of feeling sand between my toes left me feeling happy to be alive. Whats more, all of my luggage was neatly piled up waiting with a friendly smiling driver. It was clear that my ordeal was over and my concerns unfounded, so I could now begin to explore just what Nusa Lembongan had to offer the would-be Bride and Groom considering a wedding on this peaceful Island, a stone throw from Bali, Indonesia.
Accomodation
Surprise!
Unbeknown to me, some friends who were meeting us in Lembongan, decided to throw an
impromptu wedding. Even more unbeknown to me, it was I that was getting married, AGAIN, renewing vows with my wife.
Don't ya just love surprises!
Getting married in Lembongan
Nusa Lembongan suits a particular kind of wedding to my mind and the small, intimate ceremony that we enjoyed with close friends, seemed to be just the ticket for this quiet and relaxing location.
Unlike Bali, wedding events are pretty limited by the services available on the island, such as catering, entertainment etc and when I say "limited", I mean you will not find the variety or top end quality that can be found in Bali. Yes, you can ship stuff across from the mainland, but you will see the price of your wedding soar if you try ferrying people and goods across the high seas. Whats more, it kind of defeats the purpose of choosing Lembongan for a Destination Wedding, for here a simple wedding can be held for just a fist full of dollars.
That aside though, we enjoyed an amazing dinner, served up by a local chef who cooked up an absolute storm in the Villa, worthy of even the more refined of wedding receptions.
The big day
With the aid of the amazing Donna who owns the Villa Nusa, we were able to throw our little wedding in paradise for...
wait for it...
...you might want to sit down...
Under $1000.
This included the daily rate on the villa, Celebrant, Drinks, Catering and Entertainment.
Even if we include the flights for 2 adults from Melbourne Australia, the Wedding does not crack $2000.
Admittedly, it was a very basic wedding with just 10 guests, but was nonetheless beautiful, warm and rather special.
Places to tie the knot
Having now experienced first hand the perfect Lembongan Wedding, I decide to go exploring in my Golf Buggy and check out some of the other Destination Wedding Hot Spots on the island.
Possibly the most popular wedding location is The Beach Club at Sandy Bay. This resort is well catered and boasts draw dropping sunsets. The entire location seems naturally sculptured to accommodate the perfect wedding venue, where beautiful beach ceremonies can be held followed by a fun dinner and reception.
Arguably next in line would be the Batu Karang Lembongan Resort and Day Spa. The big draw card for this venue is that you and your guests can hire the entire resort for your Wedding, should you have a wedding party nudging up to 48 people. Accommodation is top notch, the cliff side location for a wedding is stunning and you are just a 5 minute walk from the town and restaurants.
Other resorts offer Wedding packages and some pretty special locations, but I was impressed mostly by some of the Villa Wedding possibilities on this island.
Summary
Nusa Lembongan and Bali are very different animals. The quality of food and level of service on the island is not as can be found in Bali. There are no late night bars or disco's and shopping is minimal.
However, there is no hustle and bustle on Lembongan, so what it does exceptionally well, is discrete, civilised weddings for small wedding parties. What is more, such events can be achieved insanely cheap, yet still result in the happiest day of your life.
... Oh, one more thing though.
They really need to build some piers for those damn boats!
Watch this space for Part 2 where I will be exploring some very cool Destination Wedding locations on the Island of Bali.
You can find out more about getting married in Bali by visiting my friends at Wedsaway, the worlds largest Destination Wedding Directory.
www.wedsaway.com
