You wonder what to do in Lovina?
explore more!
Our top 14 Activities to do in Lovina and North Bali
The ultimate Lovina travel guide with ONLINE BOOKING
(booking link at the end of this site)
best things to do in Lovina - listed at the best Lovina travel guide
Lovina is the perfect destination for those who love to experience traditional culture in peaceful, rural surroundings of the tranquil northern Bali.
Away from the bubbly and touristy spots of the south, you find here the authentic way of Balinese life, breathtaking
landscape and loads of fun activities.
As North Bali natives, the team of Bali Surya Tours Lovina reveals our TOP 14 highlights you should not miss when visiting Lovina.
we know what to do in Lovina!
1. Getting in
The long drive to Lovina is perfect for sightseeing already! The rather long distance from South Bali or Ubud leads through stunning sceneries of rainforest mountains with breathtaking views and interesting stops at temples, waterfalls, a Buddhist monastery or vulcanic hot springs.
Starting from the South, >> three different routes are available heading north;
just perfect to use the arrival day already to explore Central Bali and the first spots at the North.
2. Lovina Beaches
Like almost all beaches at the north, Lovina area offers black sand beaches with easy access to the mellow Bali Sea. You do not find big waves,
crushing surf, or strong current here - ideal for relaxing and swimming also for families with younger kids. As all around Bali, make sure you have high tide when planning
to swim.
Please consider there is not much infrastructure directly on the beaches in Lovina thus you will not find sunbeds, beach bars or similar. You can buy food
and drinks at the local warungs nearby. For us, the most beautiful beach in Central Lovina is cosy Ganesha Beach at the end of Jalan Kartika.
3. Enjoy live music and fresh fish
All over Central Lovina, a village called Kalibukbuk, there are plenty of possibilities to have great dinner with fresh fish or seafood. In the afternoon, you can see the fisherman coming back with their catch - what immediately ends up on the grill.
Along with some cold beer or local wine and hand made mellow music you can enjoy your time in Central Lovina to the fullest.
>> Find here more detailed information about Lovina, why it is not a city but definitely worth visiting.
4. Meet culture and tradition
Balinese culture is shaped by a constant string of prayers, offerings, and ceremonies. Because Lovina area is very laid back and it is easy to connect with the
local community, don't be surprised to be invited to a family ceremony. Also the staff in your hotel or restaurant will let you know when some public ceremonies are taking
place. Don't be shy and accept these offers - it will be a colorful and memorable experience! You will easily find somebody who speaks good English and who will explain what's
going on...
Appropriate clothing (sometimes traditional sarong/sash/udeng) pay respect to your host thus are very recommended.
5. Must see: Sekumpul and Fiji Waterfalls
Sekumpul and Fiji Waterfalls are for sure the most beautiful waterfalls in northern (if not whole) Bali. About one hour east of Lovina and hidden in the
rainforest mountains you find untouched nature, stunning views and a picture-perfect idyll. Fully enjoy its peaceful atmosphere, as there is no rush of visitors at
all.
You like to spend an unforgettable time there, stay on top of a 95 meters high waterfall, and have 'the best day of your Bali vacation', as each and every of our guests
call it? Then come join us for our >> Lemukih Waterfall Trekking.
Don't miss the guest reviews at the end of the tour description, don't miss to make this amazing experience, and don't miss the best guides ever!
6. wild Dolphin Tours Lovina
Lovina is famous for its wild dolphins passing the coast every morning. Aboard a traditional fishing boat you have the chance to spend some time with this lovely
creatures. Feel the day waking up on our Wild Dolphin Sunrise Tour or take the chance to swim and snorkel with dolphins in open
water - an amazing experience!
We know the bad press about the tours, but please read our >> guest reviews to see: We are doing it a little bit
different!
Our captains are very experienced and stay away from the crowd, not chasing or stressing the animals. We guarantee a respectful interaction with 'our' dolphins.
+++ Continue reading, the best is yet to come.
And if you like to book one of these adventures: a booking link is waiting for you at the end of this post +++
______________________
7. Lovina Snorkeling and Diving
Directly off shore Central Lovina starts stunning Lovina Reef to recover, offering both, snorkeling and dive spots to discover
marine life. Many dive centers are located in the village for those who like to try or improve their skills.
The most beautiful spots in terms of under water diversity are around Menjangan Island at North Bali National Park, about 1.5
hours drive from Lovina. Take the chance to spot sea turtles, clown fish, moray or small black tip reef sharks in crystal-clear 26 degrees
warm water! It is recommended to join a group tour to share costs and catch the good vibes of meeting other travelers.
Best deals for both, Lovina and Menjangan snorkeling, diving and test dive packages are listed at >> The ultimate Lovina snorkeling guide
8. Private cooking class with a local family
You love Indonesian and Balinese food and like to learn about how to prepare it? No problem at all!
Ibu Dewi invites you to her family home for a privat hand-on cooking class. Choose for the morning or afternoon class and prepare a
delicious 5 course traditional menu together with Ibu Dewi. It's your choice what dishes to cook, please find a variety in our >> cooking class menu. Before cooking, you go to the local market to find fresh ingredients for your meal.
An informative and super tasty half-day experience for all foodies!
9. Relax at Holy Hot Springs
A 20 minutes drive away from Central Lovina, the Holy Hot Springs or 'Air Panas' welcome guests in a beautiful tropical garden.
The sulfurous water in the three picturesque basins is of volcanic origin and has a pleasant warm temperature of 35 - 39 degrees Celcius. You will see lots of locals coming here to cure
rheumatic or other dis-eases.
Changing rooms, lockers and a restaurant are available.
Great to combine a visit at the nearby Buddhist Monastery Brahma Vihara.
10. Brahma Vihara Arama (Buddhist Monastery)
An absolute 'must see' or better 'must feel' place nearby Lovina is the only Buddhist monastery on Hindu Bali: Brahma Vihara Arama.
Located in the hills of Banjar, about 20 minutes away from Central Lovina and 5 minutes from Holy Hot Springs, this peaceful place invites you to see the prayer rooms,
Buddha statues, and beautiful gardens - as well as an impressive mini replica of the world's largest Buddhist archaeological site Borobudur on
its upper level. Its meditation areal spreads a very special energy and opens the view far over the hills to the ocean.
11. Banyumala Waterfall
Another hidden treasure in untouched nature is Banyumala Waterfall.
40 minutes away from Lovina, it guarantees spectacular views combined with the sounds of the jungle - and the perfect place for
swimming in the natural pool.
Perfect day tour in combination with the Holy Hot Springs in Banjar and the Buddhist Monastery Brahma Vihara Arama, we call it >> Lovina Tour, but also one spot on our sightseeing tour South Bali to Lovina.
12. Water and Fun Sports Lovina
Lovina has a separate beach section as a water sports area. The terrain is super nice and well maintained, so you can spend a lovely time here also in between the >> water and fun sports activities. In addition to jet ski, parasailing and banana boat, you also have the opportunity to try out crazy activities such as fly boards or flying fish.
My personal highlight: The climbing wall right by the pool. 😃
We are happy to organize a FREE SHUTTLE to and from your hotel in Lovina. Just spontaneous, no long lead times necessary (30 minutes are sufficient). You find contact details at the end of this post.
13. Feasting Es Campur
Es Campur or Es Buah are delicious iced fruits with different kinds of funny fruity gelly, crushed ice, and (mostly) strawberry milk - sometimes
topped with chocolate cream. Choose your fruits and definitely ask for Beluluk (fruits of the sugar palm), what is amazing in the mix!
My absolute favorite one in Central Lovina is from Warung Ibu Kadek right next to the pier.
Enjoy!! Or as we say: Selamat menikmati 😋
you wonder what to do in Lovina? We show you things to do in Lovin, Bali
14. Meet your alltime favourite Tour Operator
Did we make you curious? Or already convinced you to visit the north of Bali? Then we are here with open arms waiting your visit! 😃
Check out our TOURS AND ACTIVITIES OVERVIEW for detailed information,
prices and online booking, or drop us a line at any time.
See you soon here in Lovina!
Om shanti, shanti, shanti
or chat and book with Komang on Whatsapp:
Best things to do in Lovina
some of our Guest's Feedbacks
Please do not place tour inquiries here - use the contact form or WhatsApp instead. Thank you!
Jimmy R. (on Tripadvisor) (Sunday, 18 September 2022 01:59)
Amazing tour and wonderful hosts
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
We had only 1 day in Lovina and Komang and his team made our day! We asked for a bespoke tour of things we wanted to do and it was organised efficiently and with no question.
We started the day with a dolphin tour and was met by Putu … a highly experienced and generally amazing guy. There was no chasing/hunting dolphins as can be seen by other boats on the water and he gave us the most wonderful experience!
We then went to a beautiful waterfall and the Buddhist temple driven by a fabulous man, Cening. He was friendly and informative and even stopped at another view point so we could take in the sights and gave us as much time as we needed to enjoy it without rushing as well as letting us sit and enjoy a lunch by the waterfall all while waiting for us without question!
Finally we went to Ibu Dewi’s house (wife of Cening) for the most spectacular cooking class. She was amazing! She took her time with us and explained everything step by step and let us have little portions throughout the class. When we had finished she set the table and we enjoyed what might possibly be the best Indonesian food we’ve eaten during our holiday…it’s was incredibly special and we felt truly taken in by the whole family.
We would highly recommend Bali Surya Tours as they made our day a truly memorable one! Thank you so much!
Patrick Rutterkamp (from Google reviews) (Monday, 12 September 2022 02:24)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Me and my wife booked an amazing 3 day tour with Bali Surya! Tony was an amazing driver, really kind, funny and honest. We also had an amazing day with Cawis during a 1-day hiking tour. We skipped the snorkeling and the dolphins but all the other things like waterfalls, rice fields and hikes were amazing. On the last day, Tony even dropped us off in Ubud.
I don’t often write reviews, but regarding these guys, I definately recommend everybody to use their services
Victoria Williams (from Google reviews) (Friday, 05 August 2022 21:46)
I only had a few days in Lovina, and I decided to do the Lovina Day Tour and cooking with Dewi on my two full days.
The Lovina Day Tour was worth it from beginning to end. As a solo traveler, I felt safe and in good hands with the guides and never felt rushed! We went to so many places—some of my favorites being the Hot Springs, Twin Lakes Waterfall, and the Buddhist Monastery.
I learned so much about Balinese culture not only from the tour, but also chatting with the Komang.
Dewi was wonderful! I did the morning option so I could go to the local market and cook for lunch. She is so sweet, a wonderful host/teacher and chef. She had printouts of each recipe and a pen for me to write any notes that I might need to remake the dish after leaving Bali. When cooking, she would demonstrate and then let me have a go with each step. I learned even more about Balinese culture and language and was able to purchase some homemade coconut oil.
After each dish was finished, I got to taste test and then at the end, enjoy a spectacular lunch!
There are so many amazing tour/activity options on the website and the two that I chose did not disappoint. I will definitely book again next time I am in Bali!
Abel (from Tripadvisor) (Friday, 10 June 2022 00:40)
Amazing tours
We have done the cooking class with Ibu Dewi, the snorkeling tour at Menjangan and the Dolphin tour with Bali Surya tours and they were all amazing. Yvonne and Komang are very responsive and arranged everything perfectly.
The cooking class with Dewi is amazing; she took us first to the market to get the ingredients and then we got to make our requested dishes at her own home. She has recipes that you get to take home with you. Highly recommend!
The snorkeling tour was lovely; we saw lots of sealife and the equipment was great. Guides were very friendly and even showed us their musical talents during lunch on the island.
We highly recommend organizing your dolphin tour with Bali Surya, because our guide was amazing. He did not ‘hunt’ the dolphins, but kept a respectable distance whilst giving you a good view. For an extra fee (and totally worth it), you can hang outside the boat to view the dolphins under water, which was spectacular. He also stayed out longer on the water when most boats went back, so we could view the dolphins in peace. Fantastic experience!
Georgie Tilt (from Google reviews) (Friday, 13 May 2022)
I booked a day transfer from Ubud to Lovina with Yvonne for four people and was not dissapointed! Our driver Cenning was fantastic, so friendly, funny and helpful (with the perfect dose of crazy ;) ) - we enjoyed our time with him so much and we are very grateful for the time we spent with him! Yvonne was incredibly helpful throughout the booking process, checking in and ensuring we are okay and everything was covered. After the tour, we visited Cennings home to cook with his wonderful wife Dewi. She taught us how to authentically cook many dishes (which were delicious)! We took away the recipes with us, extra food and great memories. Thank you Dewi!! We can't reccomend Bali Surya Tours enough and really reccomend making time to cook with Dewi during your trip :) Thank you and best wishes and hope to see you again in the future :)
Jon van Aartsen (from Google reviews) (Tuesday, 17 December 2019 03:11)
Yvonne, Komang and their team were excellent. Don’t hesitate to book, if you’re worried (as I always am!). They will look after you, and help where they can, including altering their pre-planned itinerary to fit your needs (we stuck with what they suggested). Their drivers are safe, and their cars in good condition (and reasonably air-conditioned). Briefly, we went on five trips with them:
Trip 1: Sanur to Lovina Transfer
I initially booked this a day earlier than intended, but didn’t find out till the day before they were due to come after Yvonne had contacted me. Yvonne very kindly re-organised the trip, without any problems.
On our trip we visited:
- Coffee and Spices Plantation – interesting & good guide. However, shop at the end was extortionately priced (seemed fixed prices)
- Jatiluwih rice terraces
- Local Market – at the crossroads of all the busy tourist roads, so the market is geared towards tourists. Make sure you’re ready to haggle & know what the approximate value is of what you’re trying to buy
- Ulun Danu Temple
- Bayumala Waterfall
Trip 2: Lemukih Trekking to Sekumpul and Fiji Waterfalls
Highly recommended. Definite highlight of our trip – ask for the guide Cawis. He is from the local area, knows everyone and is a great guide / photographer.
Trip 3: Half day morning cooking class with Dewi
We attended the morning market with Dewi and then went back to her house to cook the meals chosen from the Bali Surya Tours website. She was very kind and welcoming, and the meals were delicious.
I would like to suggest a “Course book” in which the recipes are pre-printed (in addition to others) that people can take home. Don’t eat too much breakfast prior to attending!
Trip 4: Menjangan island snorkelling
Highly recommended & also a highlight.
I can’t wear contacts, but have very bad vision – Yvonne went above and beyond to try come up with a solution for snorkling, and I’d accepted I probably wouldn’t see anything. Then, when I got to the snorkelling tour operator, they had -4/-4 Goggles, which was great as I could at least see something! Menjangan is beautiful.
Trip 5: Lovina to Airport transfer via Monkey Forest
On time; all went smoothly.
Ruta Trapnauske (from Tripadvisor) (Saturday, 30 November 2019 06:28)
The best of North Bali
I and my husband chose this company for two tours and we totally loved it! Great prices, excellent communication, Yvonne was exceptionally caring and responsive. The first tour we took was Twin Lake tour. The driver took us from Ubud and we were heading towards Lovina stopping at best spots in the area. Loved it! After that we stayed a night in Lovina and in the next morning we had a Lemukih trekking. For those who would love hiking in rainforest and rice fields, see spectacular waterfalls and enjoy River slide and have a picturesque swing it is definitely a must do in North Bali! We absolutely enjoyed every minute of the tour, our guide Carwis spoke very good English and took excellent care of us. We are very grateful. Once again we are very pleased with all organisation of Bali Surya tours and we would definitely choose this company again!
Nicky + Aro (Tuesday, 20 November 2018 04:23)
We loved the dolphin sunrise tour! Beautiful views of sunrise over the mountains on glass like water its amazing!! Thanks to Pascal, our captain, for staying a bit behind the crowd so we could enjoy our private group of dolphins alongside our boat.
Awesome experience, thank you!!
Max1984 (Sunday, 26 November 2017 03:59)
Komang and Yvonne helped us to plan our north Bali activities. They made a lot of helpful suggestions how to enjoy our time the best. Our driver Tony was always fun to be around with and always on time. We loved to explore the waterfalls at Sambangan secret garden and Sekumpul. Also had a great time exploring local tempels, hot springs and markets. Would definetly recommend.
umpan ikan mas harian (Friday, 27 October 2017 21:48)
thank you very much for the information. this blog gives a lot of very useful information. we never get bored to visit here, always we wait for the newest article. greetings from fishing lovers