12 Best Things To Do in Lovina

On the north coast of Bali in the Singharaja district, the sleepy beach town of Lovina is famous for the hundreds of bottlenose dolphins that live just off its shore. It's these dolphins that most people come to see.

But during our many visits to Lovina, we've discovered that the area has much more to offer than just dolphin-spotting trips. From watersports to unusual temples, there are plenty more things to do in Lovina and its surroundings than you might realise.

Map of Lovina

Things To Do in Lovina

1. See wild dolphins in their natural habitat

It’s no secret that most people visit Lovina to see the dolphins swimming close to the town's shore. On a morning boat trip, you're pretty much guaranteed to see dozens of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins. We don't know anyone who hasn't seen at least a few.

Most boat trips leave in the morning, with many people choosing to head out early and be on the water for sunrise. We've been on three dolphin boat trips in Lovina. One started at 6am, one at 7:30am, and one at 8am - and we saw the same number of dolphins each time.

The highlight of the trip is getting into the water with your snorkel to swim alongside the pods of dolphins. Seeing them dive beneath you is truly an unforgettable experience.

However, the dolphins in Lovina have become so popular in recent years that it's becoming rather chaotic and ethically controversial. The main dolphin spot, not far from the shore, can have 100+ boats first thing in the morning.

We recently tried an alternative dolphin watching trip (here), which took us along the coast to another spot further away. While it took almost 1.5 hours to find any dolphins, when we did, there were only 7-8 other boats around, making it a much calmer and nicer experience.

We are pleased to hear that the local tourism body is looking to implement new rules to ensure the tours are ethical for the dolphins and safe for passengers.

2. Go snorkelling at Lovina Beach

Just off the coast of Lovina Beach is an area with small corals, which is great for snorkelling. To improve the corals and underwater life around Lovina Beach, a local project has seen over 250 people from the area building artificial coral nurseries using metal and concrete.

These artificial corals are a little further offshore, around 200m or so. Strong swimmers may be able to reach them from the shore, but you can easily hire a boat driver who can take you out and provide you with snorkelling gear.

3. Take a bioluminescent plankton tour

The water around Lovina has a high concentration of bioluminescent plankton. These are tiny creatures in the water that emit light when disturbed, effectively making the water glow all around you when you splash about.

Several companies, like MRX Lovina, offer bioluminescent plankton tours where you can go out onto the water on a fishing boat to see it. We booked a private boat trip for just 200,000 IDR ⓘ per person and headed out around 7:30pm.

Being out on the water at night was a unique experience in its own right - cruising along the coastline, watching the twinkling lights of Lovina, and listening to the faint sound of live music from local beach bars. But it was only 15 minutes or so before our driver spotted the plankton.

While we could see a little something from the boat (nothing like the edited professional photos you see only), the real magic happened underwater. We put on our snorkels and jumped in, watching the water glisten beneath us. So magical, but difficult to capture on camera. You'll just have to see it for yourself!

It's worth noting that seeing the plankton isn't a guarantee. Although we were lucky to find it quickly, our driver said it can sometimes take over an hour to find, or there's none at all. But if you want to try, it's worth the gamble.

4. Go jet skiing at Krisna Water Sports

Thanks to its calm water, Lovina is also a great place to enjoy a variety of exciting watersports. Krisna Water Sports is a large centre in West Lovina that offers jet skiing, parasailing, banana boating, donut boating, and more.

We booked a 15-minute jet skiing experience for 550,000 IDR ⓘ and whizzed up and down the empty coastline. There was also the option to go with an instructor if you're not confident driving yourself.

After our experience (much to our surprise), we were invited to use the centre's huge ocean-front swimming pool and climbing wall, which we had entirely to ourselves and was a fun way to spend the rest of the afternoon.

You can also visit the pool (without the watersports) for an entrance fee of 85,000 IDR ⓘ (foreigner price). We were told that they host a foam party here every Friday night, but we've yet to go ourselves!

5. Take the kids to Krisna Funtasticland

Krisna Funtasticland is a large funfair in Lovina that's a great evening activity with kids. The park is open every day from 4-10pm, with many rides and attractions for families, including a carousel, bumper cars, mini roller coasters, and a Ferris wheel that towers over the park.

There's also a full-sized decommissioned plane you can explore, a colourful lantern display with plenty of recognisable characters, and some classic fairground games, including bottle toss and tin can alley.

You need to buy a ticket at the door to visit. You can get standard entry for 75,000 IDR ⓘ (foreigner price) and buy tickets to each ride separately (roughly 25,000 IDR ⓘ each). Or you can purchase a wristband that includes all rides for 200,000 IDR ⓘ, working out better value for money.

It's not really worth paying the standard entry ticket if you're not planning to go on any of the rides - there's really not much else to do in the park for free.

6. Watch cultural dance at Spice Beach Club

Each Thursday, Spice Beach Club in Lovina hosts an evening cultural performance, with several traditional Balinese dances performed by local children.

While not quite as impressive as the cultural performances you'll find in the likes of Ubud and Uluwatu, it's still a lovely way to spend an evening in Lovina.

Come by for a sunset cocktail on the beach, then stick around for the performance at 7pm. It's free to watch as long as you buy drinks or food from the beach club.

Things To Do Around Lovina

7. Visit Bali’s largest Buddhist temple: Brahma Vihara Arama

Just a short distance from Lovina in the neighboring town of Banjar, Brahma Vihara Arama is Bali’s largest Buddhist temple and monastery.

Although less than 1% of Bali's population is Buddhist, the temple complex is very impressive. It offers a sense of peacefulness and tranquillity, unlike many other busier temples in Bali. You can see why Buddhists come from across Indonesia for meditation retreats here.

Upon entering, you’re immediately greeted by a tall standing Buddha statue in the middle of a lotus pond. There are several unique structures around the complex, including a circular three-tiered pagoda and a large bell-shaped pagoda.

Although this is a Buddhist temple, the influence of Balinese Hinduism can also be seen. Not least from the large Balinese-style gates at the top of the steps - a quieter alternative to the iconic Gates of Heaven.

Through these gates is a small replica of Borobudur, a Buddhist temple on the neighbouring island of Java which is believed to be the largest Buddhist temple in the world. The temple is even sometimes called Mini Borobudur.

Entry is 25,000 IDR ⓘ with a 5,000 IDR parking charge. A free sarong is provided to use during your visit.

8. Soak in Banjar Hot Springs

Air Panas Banjar (also known as Banjar Hot Springs) is a public bath that was first built by the Japanese but later turned into a tourist attraction.

There are two main pools, each lined with fountains shaped like Nagas, a mythical snake/dragon from Hindu mythology who protects springs, wells, and rivers. The spring water is warm but still comfortable in the hot weather and makes a great place to relax for an hour or so.

There is a slightly eggy smell in the air, but this is nothing to worry about. The smell comes from the high level of sulphur in the water which is common with natural hot springs. The minerals from the sulfur have been suggested to help with numerous skin and health conditions.

The entrance fee is 25,000 IDR ⓘ, plus extra fees for parking and locker hire. There’s an onsite restaurant plus free showers and changing rooms.

The hot springs and Brahma Vihara Arama are located very close to one another in Banjar district so we recommend visiting them at the same time.

9. Visit the waterfalls of northern Bali

Bali is home to some of the most impressive waterfalls we’ve seen in our many years of travel. It’s made us a little spoilt.

Some of the best waterfalls are found in the island’s mountainous north, especially around the area of Gitgit, which isn’t too far from Lovina. Here are a few to consider visiting:

There is another waterfall even closer to Lovina called Sing-Sing. However, when speaking to a local restaurant owner he advised us that this was not worth visiting and that we should choose one of the above instead.

10. Hang out at TopVibes Pool Club

Just south of Aling Aling Waterfall, TopVibes (what a name!) is the restaurant and pool club belonging to the luxurious Maha Hills Resort.

The hilltop restaurant has a huge infinity pool that overlooks the surrounding rice fields and over Lovina's coastline. There are plenty of tables, netted hammock beds, and cozy sofa areas where you can enjoy lunch or a few drinks with a view.

Non-hotel guests are welcome to use the pool area and restaurant. You'll just need to pay 125,000 IDR ⓘ per person to enter. 25,000 IDR is the entrance fee, while 100,000 IDR goes towards your food and drinks bill.

11. Explore the city of Singaraja

Just to the east of Lovina, Singaraja is Bali's second-largest city. Yet, much like Denpasar in the south, it's largely skipped by international tourists.

On our most recent stay in Lovina, we decided to spend a few hours driving around Singaraja and ended up discovering some amazing hidden gems. If you want to see a different side of Bali, a quick visit to Singaraja is definitely worth it!

12. Go wine tasting at Hatten vineyards

Did you know that the region to the west of Lovina is known for its many vineyards? These vineyards provide the grapes for several of Bali's top wine producers, including the well-established Hatten Winery.

If you're interested in Bali's up-and-coming wine industry, you can visit Hatten Wines Vineyards for a short vineyard tour and tasting of 3 of their wines for just 100,000 IDR ⓘ per person.

While the wine isn't actually produced here (the winery is in Sanur), the vineyard tour still provides a great introduction to Balinese wine and the chance to see where the local grapes are grown. It's also a lovely spot to sit outside by the vines and enjoy a few glasses of vino.

Getting To Lovina

Lovina is located on the north coast of Bali. It takes roughly 3 to 3.5 hours to drive to Lovina from the airport, depending on traffic. It's around a 2.5-hour drive from Ubud.

The most direct route from the south will take you via the regions of Begugul and Munduk, so we'd recommend combining these into one trip to break up the long journey.

How Long Do You Need In Lovina?

Most visitors don't spend long in Lovina, with the main attraction being the wild dolphins. If you are visiting for the dolphin trip, you'll only need one night and one morning.

However, we think Lovina has a few other cool hidden gems, so we'd recommend giving yourself a couple of nights and at least one full day so you can see what else the area has to offer.

Best Time To Visit Lovina

You can see dolphins in Lovina Bay all year round. However, occasional strong winds and heavy rain during rainy season (between January and April) can make the waters unsafe for boats to go out.

Boat trips still run most mornings during rainy season, but there is a slight chance your trip may be cancelled due to bad weather.

Where To Stay in Lovina

Where To Eat in Lovina