We had spent our first week in Indonesia exploring the island of Bali, perhaps the most touristy one in the nation. We began in Kuta, then south to the peninsula of Uluwatu before exploring beach town Canggu and ending with our favourite spot, Ubud (where we keep coming back to!). At the end of our trip, we had four extra days and decided to return to Bali to head up to the north of the island, a bit more untouched, and see what we could discover there.
Based on the recommendations of some other travelers, we headed to Lovina, a coastal town north of Munduk.
How to Get to Lovina
We arrived in Lovina from Ubud on a shuttle booked for us by our accommodations. The shuttle took about four hours as we dropped off passengers in Munduk, too, and it cost 150,000 IDR ($14 CAD) per person.
Where to Stay in Lovina
We spent three lovely nights in Lovina, mostly enjoying the time to rest and relax after our hectic month of island-hopping! We stayed at Santhika Bed & Breakfast which is a bit pricier than some of the other places we stayed but proved completely worth it. The grounds are gorgeous, breakfast is included as is free tea/coffee, super-strong wifi and a complimentary foot massage! It's also got a central location to explore from.
How to Get Around Lovina
As we have big backpacks with us, we chose to take a shuttle from Ubud to Lovina. However, once we arrived in Uluwatu and were able to leave our bags at our hostel, we realized that the easiest, cheapest and most convenient way by far of getting around is by scooter.
Our hostel offers daily scooter rentals for 60,000 IDR ($5.60 CAD) including helmets. You must have an international license in order to drive a scooter - you can get fined without one. The roads in Uluwatu are well-paved and easy to drive, however you should drive slowly and cautiously at all times.
Use the offline map app Maps.Me in order to be able to get from place to place. It works just like Google Maps but without needing an internet connection!
Where to Eat in Lovina
We ate multiple times at a tiny little street food stall situated between Warung Jegeg and Cafe Greco on the main street. The lady has a blue stall with a blue table and chairs nearby and sells massive portions in paper packets for just 10,000 IDR ($0.93 CAD)!
Things to Do in Lovina
A coastal town, you can simply explore the streets and head to the beach here, but here are a few of my suggestions for beautiful spots to visit with scooter:
Brahma Arama Vihara Temple
A Buddhist temple, this gorgeous setting allows visitors to wander the grounds and meditation spaces at their leisure for 20,000 IDR ($1.85 CAD) per person.
Banjar Hot Springs
The sacred 'Air Panas' are 38 degree holy hot springs flowing out of stone carvings that are said to have healing powers in the Lovina jungle. Entrance is just 20,000 IDR ($1.85 CAD)!
Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
