Availability

Facilities

Accommodation review scores and score breakdown

Location

9   

Facilities & Activities

10   

Comfort

10   

Rooms

10   

Sleep quality

10   

Cleanliness

9   

Food & Beverage

9   

Services

0   

Value for money

0   

Guest reviews

• 

  Joerg
  2017-01-03
  
  

  Best hotel in Lovina, great villas with private pool. Good restaurant & friendly staff.

  a bit far from the airport.

Lovina

Lovina

Lovina Beach is a laid back 12 km stretch of coast to the West of Singaraja in North Bali. It is a welcome break from the bustle of the South. These days the mix of tourists is mainly families and couples rather than the backpackers of yesteryear.
The beaches of Lovina are unique in its kind and very characteristic through the black sand which was deposited in ancient times by enormous volcanic eruptions in the Bedugul area.  The coastal area of Lovina is rural; one will regularly encounter farm land and rice fields bordering the beaches, with villages amidst coconut, banana and mango plantations along the mountain side of the main road that runs parallel to the coast between Singaraja and Seririt.
Lovina’s black sand beaches are quite lovely and lend themselves well to exploration on foot at a leisurely pace. The sea is very calm here and is safe for swimming. The feeling on the beaches is one of laid-back tranquility with small, colourfully decorated traditional outriggers called perahu dotted along the shoreline. These are a reminder that you are in a traditional fishing community.
Lovina is a relatively new name coined in the 1950s by the late king of Buleleng (Buleleng Regency) Anak Agung Panji Tisna, with a good eye for future tourism-based development. It started with small lodge built on his own land and named Lovina.

The whole stretch of coastline in the north is fringed by quite narrow black sand beaches, which are accessed by a multitude of small lanes which run perpendicular to the east-west coast road. The beaches are generally safe for swimming, and the waters of Bali’s north coast, in direct contrast to the crashing surf of the south, are relatively calm. From a distance, the water does not look too clean due to the colour of the sand but it is in fact almost always crystal clear. The locals do make an attempt to clear away plastic flotsam too. The beaches of Lovina are situated at a bay with shallow water and are protected by coral reef. There are no dangerous currents in the sea of Lovina and therefore it is very safe for swimming and snorkeling. For this reason Lovina appeals especially to families with children.

You can easily get to Lovina by bus from all parts of Bali, but it is a long ride from the East or South. Getting your own car with or without a driver ( I don’t recommend without!!) is a much easier way to get to the North.

Diving, snorkelling fishing dolphin watching, diving on coral reefs are the main activities, but perhaps above all else, this is an area in which to relax and take in a very slow, traditional pace of life.
The dolphin wathing trips usually last about two hours, and generally cost anywhere between 60,000 – 250,000 Indonesian rupiah, which translates to about $5 – $20 USD,

Nighlife: In Lovina there are cosy bars where you can enjoy a cocktail or a Bintang beer and life music. Most famous bars are ZigiZ, Poco Bar and Planet Lovina. A beach club is right on the beach named “Spice Beach Club Lovina”.

Lovina is ideal for family groups with young children or older adventurers who want to kick back and quickly become part of the community. It can get a little crowded in July and August, but outside that peak season, this is a quiet part of the island.  More about Lovina

Lovina Map & Hotels:
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Hotel Deals:

Attractions

Git Git - A 40 meter high waterfall. A path of about 1 km filled with souvenir warungs and shops where you can buy cheap clothes takes you to one the most breathtaking waterfalls in Bali. Sit down there and relax with the sound of the water, falling in the bouldered river.

Bali has many many temples, each with their own meaning. East of Lovina you can find Beji Temple in Sangsit is dedicated to the Rice Goddess, Jagaraja temple remembers battles with the Dutch. To the west of Lovina is Pulaki Temple, is crowded with monkeys who are considered descendants of Dewa (God). Ulundanu Temple is located near Bedugul.

Banjar Buddhist Temple, Banjar (Head west out of town, turn left in to Banjar, then left at the market area at the center of town.). A spectacular Buddhist temple featuring something of a miniature, modern replica of Borobodur atop its peak, as well as pagodas, a pond, a meditation grove and gardens. The resident monk is apparently from Bhutan.

Singaraja is the former captial of Bali. Its a city with hosptals, pharmacies, various banks, and many markets where you can be impressed with colors and smells of Balinese food. Singaraja is home of the Gedong Kirtya library, maintaining the famous lontar manuscripts and much Balinese literature. The harbour of Singaraja shows signs of Dutch colonialism with its old storage houses.

Things to do:

Dolphin Trips - These trips leave early each morning and are great fun for the kids, despite the critiscism that the boats tend to outnumber the dolphins. Prices are fixed by a dolphin cartel, they are around 100,000 IDR

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

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 dives from the local beaches. Be sensible and 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.

Dace at the Volcano Club, Banyualit (on the main road, can't miss it), Open from 6PM-late. The only disco in town. If you are around on Saturday and want to make some moves with local hot ladies, you should go here. A rather bizarre rustic building which resembles a concrete cave.

Cycling - Renting a bicycle is popular and again, easy to find. Many hotels have their own. You should be aware though that away from the coast road, there are a lot of steep hills.

Just Drive and see - If you rent a motorbike or car its really worth to just drive around the villages and try some of the back roads. You will be surprised what you can see there. You'll probably run into a marriage, ceremony or cremation somewhere, where people will invite you to join, if you are daring enough to step towards them. Try one of the warungs in the villages and eat and drink what the Balinese daily eat.

Restaurants

Kopi Bali, Jl Bina Ria, Kalibukuk (near the dolphin statue). 11AM-9PM. . Cheap and cheerful Indonesian food. Extremely popular with budget travellers and a good place to hang out to talk travel.

Warung Music, Kalibukuk. This Warung is located in the heart of Kalibukbuk and is located next to the Rasta shop, which is run by the same owner. You have some really great food, for a very good price. This place is propably most fitted for younger travellers and backpackers who are looking for some contact with the locals.