The Sand, Nusa Ceningan
We stumbled on The Sand in Nusa Ceningan by complete accident, and I have to say it was one of my favourite beach bars in the whole of Bali.
After exploring the smaller island between Nusa Lembonghan and Nusa Penida, by moped for the morning (it's absolutely beautiful by the way), it was approaching midday, and the sun was ferociously hot. The perfect time to find a stop with a beautiful view, somewhere we could grab a cold drink and some lunch. Originally we stopped at Le Pirate Beach Club, as it was the first place we found along the road that we were on. Having heard good things about the place via Instagram, we were intrigued to see what the beach club was all about. It was safe to say we were a little disappointed with first impressions of Le Pirate Beach Club. While it looked lovely with it's signature white and turquoise beach huts and inviting pool over looking the ocean, the service and atmosphere left little to be desired. We were told conflicting things about a minimum spend (which we were fine with, lots of these types of beach clubs in Bali have a minimum spend if you want to use their facilities) but then having sat down (we had to find our own seats) and waited a long time to even be awknoledged with a menu, we then decided that Le Pirate wasn't the place for us, so we left a little disappointed, and went to find somewhere else for lunch.
Back on the bike, about a 5 minute drive down the road, we spotted another little beach front bar (it looked so inviting from the road side, with its pretty white and blue wooden exterior), so we knew we had to check this one out, and hoped that it would be a good stop this time. (And it definitely was!)
Find The Sand,
Nusa Ceningan at:
Jalan Nusa Ceningan, Lembongan, Nusapenida
Sitting up on a quaint little cove, The Sand in Nusa Ceningan is one of those gems that you find, that you just have to tell people about. From the outside, you don't really see the extent of the beach, but once you wander on in, and head down the natural stone steps, there's a gorgeous little calm sandy bank, complete with hammocks, deck chairs and the most crystal clear turquoise water. Up in the restaurant it's all white washed wood, dreamcatchers, complete bohemian loveliness. There's even a couple of outdoor swings in the bar area, and the staff greeted us happily with welcoming smiles on our arrival.
When we visited we were pretty lucky as not only was it a stunning day weather wise, we managed to get a prime position down on the beach, with a shady spot, under a little white parasol. Our previous disappointment melted away, as we'd definitely found somewhere better for a lunch time spot and were then glad to have found The Sand.
We ended up spending most of the afternoon here, staying for much longer than just a lunch and a drink. (On the menu there's beach snacks, burgers and fries, plus delicious local Indonesian dishes - we also ordered a couple of cold beers, juices and a fresh coconut, which was massive!) The staff couldn't have been friendlier or more helpful too.
One of the team even rushed down from the restaurant to come to our rescue, when I lost one of my flip flops in a bank of sand. (That was me hopping home that night with only one shoe) It was super embarrassing but we laughed about it a lot, and everyone cheered when my flip flop was finally found.
Glenn and I relaxed on the deck chairs and hammocks and enjoyed the peaceful view for a few hours. It couldn't have been a better way to spend an afternoon in Nusa Ceningan, and the perfect setting to soak up those gorgeous views.
You could tell the staff at The Sand, loved their jobs and their guests, and couldn't do enough to make sure we were enjoying the place as much as they were. This feeling is often what those larger places or chain restaurants lack, and puts us off visiting anywhere that makes us feel like we don't belong, or are being an inconvenience, which we've experienced a few times, not just in Bali, but at home too, which I'm sure you have as well.
Who doesn't love a hammock?
There's definitely good vibes down at The Sand in Nusa Ceningan, and I cannot recommend it enough as a stop, so head on down there if you're ever there for a visit. It will honestly make your trip!
PRICE RANGE: Low - Mid
FOOD: International, Indonesian, bar snacks, fresh coconuts and cocktails - Happy Hour every day from 4pm - 10pm!
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Afternoon for pool or sunset
#thesandceningan
Visit The Sand, Nusa Ceningan online for more information
The Sand Nusa Ceningan Instagram for beautiful beachy snaps