Lovina – North Bali

Information guide about Lovina North of Bali

For more activities and sightseeing around Lovina North Bali please download our complete “Travel Guide” (.pdf)

Introduction to Lovina

Officially Lovina does not exist, Lovina is the leftmost part of the map (in the yellow part). The region is called Buleleng and is marked in yellow, although the region extends far into the purple part, parts of the green part also belong to Buleleng, the largest region of Bali.

Lovina is an area located between the 2 large cities in the north Singaraja and Seririt, which is popularly called so, there is no Balinese who has Lovina as birth place.

The name Lovina originated from the Lovina Beach Hotel, the pioneer hotel built in 1953 by Anak Agung Pandji Tisna. It was the first hotel built in the area. When the Lovina Beach Hotel was handed over to his younger cousin in 1956, business declined and the Lovina Beach Hotel slowly lost popularity. The centre (Kalibukbuk) at the dolphin statue is also called Lovina or Lovina Beach.

In 1980 the provincial government of Bali built 2 beach houses for the Lovina Beach Hotel as support. When the area became more popular in tourism, the name Lovina also became more famous and so the 7 fishing villages located here became an area with the name Lovina. I understand that there are different versions of the origin of the name. The Lovina Beach Hotel still exists and is also listed in the hotels section.

As mentioned, Lovina originally consists of a row of fishing villages along the northern road in Bali, which have grown together under the influence of tourism. They are the following villages (from east to west) Pemaron, Tukad Mungga, Anturan, Banyualit, Kalibukbuk, Kaliasem and Temukus.

It is a quiet area with a black (lava sand) beach and it is a beautiful diving area, so don’t expect golden sandy beaches and beach hotels with sunbeds on the beach. There are restaurants, cafes, shops, diving schools and hotels.

The tourist centre is located in the village of Kalibukbuk, which also has a beach promenade. In the centre is the famous statue with a dolphin (this area is also known as Lovina Beach). Lovina is best known for its dolphins, which you can find early in the morning in groups at the nearby reef. In contrast to the south, you can swim anywhere here, because the current is calm and the sea is generally calm.

Lovina has grown in the last years into an area that has more to offer than a black beach and dolphins, Lovina itself is not really interesting from a tourist point of view, but the north of Bali is a beautiful area to discover and this is perfectly possible with staying in Lovina. The goal of this document is to share information which is hard to find, the information is from local people or is my own experience.

The north of Bali is underestimated, although it does not offer white beaches as in the south, but it does have beautiful nature, waterfalls, rice fields, countless temples, and mountains. Its reputation for being a backpackers village has faded as there are now a large number of hotels, ranging from cheap to very pricey. For the non-beach lover there are a lot of alternatives. In Lovina (and beyond) there are many beach villas that are offered for rent.

Explore the north of Bali

Lovina and it’s famous Dolphins

Lovina is famous for spotting dolphins, some people also say chasing dolphins and sometimes (in high season) it might be true, but it also has something spectacular to watch these dolphins swim around in the open sea. Dolphins are intelligent animals and if they don’t like it they would swim a different route,

I personally think that dolphins play more with the people than the other way around and spotting dolphins is so much better than having them in a bassin of salt water with a lot of chemicals or somewhere held in detention and trained to swim with people and to do tricks. That said, this “adventure” can also be arranged, as mentioned in the introduction, my neighbor has a boat that can take care of this and can accommodate a maximum of 5 people.

Get out of bed early because at half past six you have to be on the beach (at Starlight hotel) although it can also be later and it is also possible to be picked up at your hotel. The prices for spotting the dolphins and for snorkeling are in the table on the next page. It is wise to make an exact price agreement when you make the booking.

At 6 o’clock in the morning the sunrise can be described as spectacular, but it will also be busier with boats (especially in high season), and if you go later it is possible that you will not see any dolphins (never happened though to my experience) but it can also happen that you are almost alone and see a lot of dolphins, it is simply not predictable.

The dolphin trip can be combined with a snorkel trip, life jackets and snorkel goggles are available or just indicate in advance that they are needed. The prices for spotting the dolphins and for snorkeling are in the table on the next page.

Lovina North Bali – Snorkelling in and around Lovina

You can also do some snorkelling in Lovina, there are different locations where you can do this, and these pictures were taken in the coral reef in front of Adirama hotel. Recently there have been projects along the north coast where they put structures on the seafloor. It is the idea that this will attract the fish.

Lovina North Bali – The Holy Hot Springs or “Air Panas Banjar”

In the village Banjar, a 20 minute drive from Kalibukbuk, there are hot springs, they are located in the middle of a flowered garden and it is a nice place to relax. The volcanic spring water is 37C. The sulphurous, the healing for rheumatic disorders and skin complaints. Also if you are healthy of body and soul this is a good place to be.

The healing water throws herself out of the mouths of eight stone naga (mythical creatures) in the first bath. From there, it flows to a second bath to three meters high as a massage jet to come down in the third bath. There is a small entrance fee of 20.000 Rupiah, unfortunately as of November 2021 you also need to scan a QR code.

There are changing cabins and showers and there are lockers available. The water is nice and warm. Make sure that you do not have new swimwear, the water of the hot spring contains particles which can colour the swimsuit a little orange. (Don’t go there in the weekend because then it will be very busy with local people, unless you like that off course). There is also a restaurant where you can have a drink and something to eat.

Lovina North Bali – Banjar Buddha Temple

Not far from the hot spring is the largest Buddhist temple on Bali. In Bali they call it the “Brahma Vihara Ashmarama”, it was built in 1969 and it is located in the hills of the village of Tegehe, (Banjar area) about 25 minutes from Kalibukbuk. From the temple there is a beautiful view over coastal strip of Lovina. The temple is built according to Balinese architecture but by the many statues and details it is really a Buddhist Temple.

Recently, the renovation has been completed and there are new statues and temples. In the back of the complex is the small version of the Borobudur, where the real one is located in Yogyakarta area on Java and is used as a meditation room.

Because of this renovation there is a small entrance fee of 20.000 Rp, the sarong which is available free of charge, you must never enter a temple in shorts or with bare legs or bare shoulders, (this applies to all Balinese temples). There are new statues placed after the renovation of the temple, also the gate is new.

If you want to visit a temple compare it with a visit to a church where it is expected that one behaves normal. Both men and women can only enter a temple wearing a sarong. It is not allowed to enter a temple for women when they are having their period. Respect the Balinese and their culture, then this is also done with you.

It may be tolerated in the south, the north is not so affected by the tourism that the people here are ok with the fact that tourist will walk around not wearing a shirt, it is not appreciated. Also topless sunbathing is not appreciated, although the Balinese will never say something, they don’t think it is appropriate. Lovina North Bali

WATERFALLS

There are many waterfalls to visit in the north, the most well-known is probably GitGit, these falls are a popular destination for tourists and are well visited probably because all the tour operators will take the tourist there.,

Other very famous waterfalls are: Banyumala waterfall, Labuhan Kebo waterfall, Melanting waterfall, Banyu Wana Amertha waterfall, Pucak Manik waterfall, Sambangan waterfalls (Aling Aling), Jembong waterfall and Sekumpul waterfall.

Munduk Waterfall

About 30 minutes further, there is an village called Munduk, a nice trip through the mountains leads you to a beautiful waterfall, it is a walk of 500 meters down via a well accessible path, mostly easy to do. It is a nice walk through the jungle, all kinds of flowers are growing here. In short, a wonderful hike and also the beautiful flowers are very much worth the effort.
Entrance is 20.000 IDR

Labuhan Kebo waterfall

You may skip the Munduk waterfall and before you buy the ticket take the road on the left and take a walk to 2 other waterfalls, the Labuan Kebo and the Melanting waterfall, these two waterfalls are less known and therefore much quieter with visitors. The two waterfalls are located further in the village of Gobleg, from the Munduk waterfall it is a beautiful hike of +/- 25 minutes
through the green nature, the entrance is 10,000 rp at both waterfalls.

You will come across the Labuan Kebo first, the road to it is not too difficult and is doable, and if you
look around you can also see everything growing, cloves, coffee and nutmeg. Labuan Kebo has quite a few stairs down, on a path which is not very good and there is often no handrail, there is also 1 difficult point where you have to be careful but once down it is very worthwhile.

You don’t have to cross the rickety bridge but you can stay on the left side of the water and walk towards the waterfall and if you want a refreshing shower you can do that as well. Lovina North Bali

Melanting Waterfall

When you come up again at the Labuan Kebo waterfall you can turn left and continue on the road, the road is already going down, then the stairs start and there are many of them. The Melanting waterfall is very tough one (especially when you go back up again) but also because the stairs are bad, sometimes they are very small or the height difference is just too big to make a normal step,

After a while you come to the place where you have to buy a ticket (if there is anyone) also here the entrance is 10.000 Rupiah and the further you go down the more beautiful it gets, you see the most beautiful flowers on the way and the nature is beautiful but there also the necessary natural obstacles.

Once you come down to the waterfall it is very worthwhile, and there are plenty of beautiful things to see along the way. What is also advisable to bring a bottle of water with you because only when you go back up to Munduk you will come across a warung and it is quite a bit of climbing and walking. Lovina North Bali

Golden Valley Waterfall

It is not a big waterfall but the walk to it is a challenge especially when you go back, but there is an Eco cafe here, so you can prepare well for the climb up. During the walk that goes straight down you see the most beautiful things.

After the stop with the waterfall in the background you have to go back and that way goes up steep so you have do some climbing. We then follow our way and eventually you arrive on the road that leads past the Twin lakes, then the road down towards Pancasari.

The long road to Bedegul you drive through Pancasari, close to the local market on the right you see
the sign Bali Bike Park, here you can rent bikes and make a bike ride in the area. When you drive in and follow the road to the end, you come to a camping / recreation area located at the shores of the lake, this is a famous area for the Balinese families and youth to camp there.

BALI’S 4 MOUNTAIN LAKES

Buyan & Tamblingan Mountain Lakes

Also referred to as the Twin Lakes, located close to Bedugul, this area is a tourist attraction (also for local tourism, many Balinese are going camping in the weekend), the road from Munduk gives a wonderful view of the two lakes and the surrounding mountains.

One can also do excellent trekking through the surrounding “jungle”, it’s not really a jungle more a forest. There are local organizations that can provide more information, please check the website. There are in this area is also comfortable hotels to stay in for example the Danau Buyan hotel.

Of course there are more hotels and hostels in the area. Depending on the time you can choose to have lunch in Bedugul, this area is famous for its strawberries and there are several restaurants serving all sorts of dishes where the strawberry is the
ingredient, think of strawberry milkshake or a pancake with strawberries.

The surrounding here is wonderful, you can choose to return back to Lovina, or take the road along the Gitgit waterfalls, you can also visit the Pura Ulun Danu Bratan (better known as the water temple) or the local fruit market in Bedugul.

Pura Ulun Danu Bratan

The Pura Ulun Danu Bratan is a Hindu temple located in Lake Bratan. It is a beautiful large park with many plants and flowers and a special immense tree. There are several temples. It has also become a tourist attraction, so it is best to go there early so that it is still quiet because when the buses are dropped full of tourists, the peace is over, entrance 50,000 rp. It lies at an altitude of 1200 meters and the climate is therefore cooler and it may be cloudy in the afternoon.

The park around it has now also been expanded because if you walk past the temple, a kind of
walking route has been made along the lake, there is also some catering.

The temple is dedicated to the goddess Dewi Danu, the goddess of the water, lakes and rivers. This lake plays an important role in the irrigation of the environment. The complex was built in 1633. It is spread over several islands. The Meru, with eleven roofs, is dedicated to Shiva and his consort Parvati. Buddha (as the reincarnation of Vishnu) also has a place in the Hindu temple of the gods. Lake Bratan is known as the “holy mountain lake”, the area is very fertile.

Bedugul Village & Botanical Garden (The Blooms Garden

A bit further away is the town Bedugul here you have a lot of local warungs and the local fruit market is also nice to visit, the area is known for growing strawberries which are on the market for sale, you can find all kinds of fresh fruit there.

The Flowers Garden is an attractive travel destination for tourists, especially domestic tourists who love flower gardens and that’s what it is a large flower garden and set up for the domestic tourist and school children with the aim of educating them about flowers, with many places where you can take selfies.

As far as the foreign tourist is concerned, this may seem a bit fake, there is a (failed) miniature of the Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore and there are 2 windmills. It is nicely laid out and nice to visit and have been there, but that is different for everyone. The entrance fee is currently approx. 40.000 IDR.