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Lovina is a stretch of the North Bali coastline west of the city of Singaraja.

[edit] Understand

Lovina is a relatively new name coined in the 1950s by a local official with a good eye for future tourism based development. It essentially consists of six traditional villages on a ten kilometre stretch of the main road which hugs the north coast : Temukus, Kalibukbuk, Anturan, Pemaron, Tukad Mungga and Kaliasem. It is a quiet area of Bali although it can get busy in July and August. The narrow black sand beaches are generally safe for swimming.

[edit] Get in

By bus

Perama [1] offers transportation all around Bali to all major tourist destinations and has a local Lovina office in Anturan. They use small mini buses without air conditioning and the prices are reasonable.

Bemos are public transport buses. They are extremely cheap, however you need have some patience and they can be crowded. They are a challenge for the inexperienced traveler.

By car

You can hire a car and drive up from the south. Far better, given the relative costs and the roads/driving in Bali, hire a driver and car. You can travel from Kuta in less than 3 hrs and from the airport or Sanur in about 2 hrs 40 minutes. You will travel through the central highlands at Bedugul and you could go the pretty way through Munduk if you are not in a hurry. A pre-paid coupon taxi direct from the airport will cost you Rp 450,000.

[edit] Get around

The easiest way to visit the surroundings of Lovina is by renting a scooter. Expect to pay between Rp 50,000 and 90,000 per day. The roads are pretty good and are not as crowded as in south Bali.

This is a good area for walking as the roads are relatively quiet and the beaches long and easily passable.

[edit][add listing] See

Your hotel can (and will offer repeatedly to) arrange day tours to the nearby sights including waterfalls, hot springs and temples and the beautiful scenery of Munduk.

Banjar Hot Springs

• Banjar Hot Springs (Air Panas), (by road to Dencarik, then an ojek ride on rough paths). located west of Lovina, Air Panas is an enchanting hot springs with stone carved mouths gushing water in a lush garden setting. Changing rooms and lockers provided. This is not a straightforward place to get to and for that reason it is often way less crowded than you would expect for such a lovely spot. Rp 3,000.  edit

• Brahmavihara Arama. Bali's largest buddhist monastery located near the village of Dencarik about 10 km south west of the main Lovina strip. Donation..  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

A dolphin trip at dawn at Lovina

• Expect to be offered dolphin sighting trips every other minute. These trips leave each morning and have very mixed reviews as the boats tend to outnumber the dolphins, but it can still be an enjoyable ride. Prices are fixed and they are around Rp 50,000.

• Cockfights are held around Lovina. You will see many older people training the cocks and if you are interested, ask to tag along to the next fight.

[edit] Spas

Lovina is lucky to have several spa facilities. Whilst a little more low key than the spas in south Bali, the service is excellent and the prices, being much less than the opulent spas in the south, are excellent value and well worth it.

• Agung's Spa, (close to Damai Lovina Villas), ☎ +62 362 42018, [2]. Offers body scrubs, facials, massage, etc. The nicest spa facility in Lovina, though it is much smaller and basic than what you would find elsewhere on the island.  edit

• Bali Samdhi Spa, Jl Mawar, Lovina, ☎ +62 813 38558260, [3]. Offers a variety of massages. One is called rebalancing massage and is a very nice mixture between therapeutic and well-being massage. Mandi Lulur scrubs are available including the yogurt mask.  edit

[edit] Diving

There are several dive operators based out of Lovina that operate daily dive and snorkeling trips to Menjangan Island, Tulamben and Amed, as well as night dives from the local shore. Be careful as some hotels and counters try to sell unlicensed diving trips that may look official on paper). Do not pay before you have seen the dive centre and check that you will dive with certified divemasters/instructors.

• Bali Spice Dive, [4]. Based in Lovina and offer day trips to all of the dive spots on the northern coast of Bali. Guides are available in a variety of languages and multi-day discounts are available. US$ 55 to 75 per day.  edit

• Lovina Dive, Jalan Raya Banyualit, ☎ +62 812 3842415 (info@lovinadive.com), [5]. averages. US$ 55 to 75 per day.  edit

[edit] Cooking schools

• Adjani. Small family-run cooking school near the post office on the main road. [6] Tel: +62 81236232019

[edit][add listing] Eat

• Bali 9, Laviana street (first street left after the police station), ☎ +62 813 38925821. Very small family run restaurant (only 3 tables). Simple, cheap but very tasty Balinese food. Rp 10,000 - 40,000.  edit

• Kakatua, Kalibukuk. Popular with tourists and not without reason. The menu is varied, the staff friendly and you can see the food being prepared and cooked from fresh ingredients.  edit

• Kopi Bali, Kalibukuk (near the dolphin statue). *Sea Breeze, Kalibukuk (on the beach west of the dolphin statue). Very well known eatery on the beach in Kalibukuk. Been around for many years serving good value meals. Fish is especially recommended here.  edit  edit

• Warung Bambu Pemoran, on the entrance road to the Puri Bagus resort, ☎ +62 362 27080. Balinese and other Indonesian food at excellent value prices. Often has live dance performances and also offer cookery courses.  edit

[edit][add listing] Drink

• Jax Bar, [7]. Live band every night, karaoke, pool room,darts board ,live sports including football on the biggest screen in lovina, dance floor, Chinese food and probably the most extensive cocktail list in Lovina. Watch the big game, sing karaoke, enjoy the band or just simply relax in Lovina's newest nightspot. There is even a bouncy castle to keep the kids amused!  edit

• Volcano Club, Banyualit (on the main road, can't miss it). The only disco in town. If you are around on Saturday and want to make some moves with locals, you should go here. Rp 25,000.  edit

• Waru Bali. cool place to get get a beer and watch the sun go down. One of the oldest warung in Kalibukbuk and still very popular. Stay late and you might enjoy a singalong with some of the locals.  edit

• Zigiz, Jalan Bina Ria, Kalibukuk, [8]. Live acoustic guitar nightly. Large cocktail selection.  edit

[edit][add listing] Sleep

There is a huge amount of budget and mid-range accommodation in Lovina and many visitors turn up without reservations. Options at the higher end are more limited but this is changing.

[edit] Budget

• Elsa II. A small but excellent new option in Kalibukbuk. Near the "Angsoka", in the middle of the village. Opened in June 2008. Offers nice rooms, hot water, with fan or aircon and breakfast is included. from Rp 70,000.  edit

• Gede Homestay Bungalow, Anturan, ☎ +62 362 41526 (gedehomestay@yahoo.com), [9]. The rooms are clean with aircon and hot water. A small family run homestay with a good restaurant and nice seats in front of the bungalows.  edit

• Rini Hotel, Kalibukuk, [10]. A good budget option and they actually take credit cards from Rp 150,000.  edit

• Sanders. Situated in central Lovina just next to the beach side. Rooms are clean with no hot water. It is one of the better backpacker places in town. Rp 50,000.  edit

• Ulam Segara, ☎ +62 361 8528521. Five room "luxury homestay". Pool, ocean views, mosquito nets.  edit

• Villa Agung Beach Inn, Anturan, close to the petrol station, ☎ +62 362 41527 (villaagung@hotmail.com), [11]. A splendid family run hotel right on the beach. Very quiet location. Offer a range of accommodation, some air conditioned.  edit

[edit] Mid-range

• Aditya Beach Resort, Kaliasem, ☎ +62 361 8528521, [12]. Variety of accommodation available in this large beach front resort from US$ 35.  edit

• Bali Paradise Hotel, ☎ +62 362 41432 (info@baliparadisehotel.com), [13]. Ocean and mountain view, huge swimming pool and large rooms. From US$ 50.  edit

• Bali Taman Lovina Resort and Spa, Jalan Raya Lovina, ☎ +62 362 41126 (balitamanlovina@telkom.net), [14]. Good value beachfront resort with large pool, restaurant and in-house spa.  edit

• Banjar Hills Retreat, Tegehe, ☎ +62 815 58083880 (info@balibanjarhills.com), [15]. Beautiful laid back hill resort close to the Banjar Hot Springs Rp 250,000.  edit

• Rambutan Beach Cottages, ☎ +62 362 41388, [16]. A fine family hotel near the beach at Kalibukbuk. It has two pools and a pleasant restaurant with a mix of excellent local and western food. This hotel has superb rooms and gardens and many amenities for children. The owners and staff are extremely helpful and friendly. from US$ 15 to 155.  edit

[edit] Splurge

• Damai Lovina Villas, ☎ +62 362 41008, [17]. Fourteen very charming villas in the hills 4 km inland from Lovina. US$ 160 to 699.  edit

• Puri Bagus Lovina, Tukad Mungga, (info@puribagus.net), [18]. Pleasant beach front seting in a very quiet part of Lovina. Mature gardens and a decent restaurant. Some of the individual cottages are much nicer than others. from US$ 85 to 280.  edit

• Villa Balinda, Kalibukuk, [19]. A 3 bedroom private villa with staff for weekly rental. € 395 per week.  edit

• Villa Santhi, Jl Pantai Segara Wangi 2, Tukad Mungga, Lovina, [20]. A private beachfront luxury home available for weekly rentals. € 1,000 per week.  edit

• Zen Resort Bali, Seririt, ☎ +62 365 93578 (contact@zenresortbali.com), [21]. A small boutique wellness resort offering integrated ayurveda, yoga, pranayama & meditation. Very quiet and beautiful location close to Seririt From € 75.  edit

[edit] Stay safe

Visitors to Lovina are often offered magic mushrooms. Although the Indonesian legal position on mushrooms is unclear, this is very much at your own risk and frankly, best avoided.

[edit] Get out

From Lovina you can continue your Bali trip westwards to Pemuteran and West Bali National Park or back to south Bali via Singaraja and Bedugul.