Bali
All villas are located at the north coast of Bali, about 10 minutes drive from Lovina center, the tourist town known for the dolphins you can see here every morning at sunrise.
The surroundings provide ample scope for exploring, discovery and activities. Beautiful beaches, terraced rice-fields, plantations, mountains, temples and some nice villages and towns are close by. You will find wonderful snorkeling and diving sites and also one of the finest golf courses in Asia that is just an hour’s drive away. More and more people are discovering this still pristine, unspoiled and authentic North Bali.
Below you will find some sightseeing’s and activities that are easy reachable from all of the villas.
Lovina
Lovina is a small but lively village with nice restaurants, bars, shops, Spa’s, a market, supermarkets and even a Swiss bakery. Also in the center you will find ATM’s to withdraw money. In and around Lovina you find a rich choice of good restaurants with delicious national and international cuisine. The prices are still 50% lower than in Europe. In the information folder in the villa you will find a list of recommended restaurants. Some restaurants offer free pick-up service when making a reservation in advance.
Lovina, which is popular with the Western population, also has some Western-oriented physicians and a dentist with a very good reputation.
Dolphins
However, Lovina is most renowned for its dolphins which you can see every morning at dawn during a boat trip. Early in the morning many fisherman with on board tourists are leaving Lovina to look for the dolphins. Due to the large population of shrimp at this particularly coastline you will find here year round many dolphins. The chance that you see these animals is 80%. The boat can be surrounded by dozens of dolphins jumping and playing. It is usually sufficient to make an arrangement with a fisherman 1 day in advance.
The help desk or the staff of your villa can make the arrangements for the trip and you can ask if they pick you up by boat in front of the villa. The tour is very worthwhile and takes over two hours. In the Melka Hotel, just outside Lovina, you have also the opportunity to actually swim with dolphins.
Snorkeling and diving
The Balinese sea near Lovina offers several places for great snorkeling and diving. Because of the shallow and calm sea, you will have a good view of the tropical fish. Again, you can ask a fisherman to take you to the most beautiful places to snorkel, which you are most likely to find east of Lovina.
Certainly worthwhile is a snorkeling trip to Menjangan Island (1 hour ride from the villa). Around the island you will find many colorful fish and coral and this snorkeling site is also very convenient for children as you can start snorkeling directly from the shore of the island.
For divers this is also the place to be! There are a number of PADI diving schools in Lovina, including a 5 star PADI school called Bali Spice Dive. Experienced dive masters know exactly where and when you have to be to enjoy the best dives, like on the reef of the Island of Menjangan or at Tulamben on the East coast of Bali to dive to the famous American war wreck U.S. Liberty. If you book a dive trip with Spice Dive they will pick you up at your villa. For more information please browse to : www.balispicedive.com
Singaraja
Singaraja was once the capital of Bali and is still the largest city in North Bali. Still, you can explore different districts where Dutch settlers used to live and work.
In Singaraja at the large supermarket Hardy’s you will find all you need for your daily shopping. The city is about 20 minutes drive from your villa. Singaraja is home to the Gedong Kirtya library. Here you will find the famous Lontar Manuscripts and lots of Balinese literature and books on the colonial period. In the port of Singaraja you can still find old warehouses from the days of Dutch colonization. There is also an authentic Chinese temple. In Singaraja you will also find a number of department stores, hospitals, pharmacies, banks and a large market.
Buddhist Monastery
In the hills of Banjar, about 15 minutes away from your villa, the Buddhist monastery, Brahma Vihara Arama, is located. This is the only Buddhist monastery in Bali. The monastery is spread over several layers and has special walls and rooms for prayer. It is also known as the small Borobodur. Some Balinese Buddhist monks inhabit the monastery. From the hill on which the monastery is located, you have a beautiful view of the area and the sea. A visit to the monastery is easy to combine with the hot springs of Air Panas.
Hot Springs
Near the monastery, you will find the famous hot springs of Air Panas. These “hot springs” are located in the hills of the village of Banjar and are surrounded by beautiful scenery. The 38° C hot sulphurous source ends at eight carved dragonheads. The sulphurous water has a healing effect on skin diseases.
Waterfalls
Near the villa are several waterfalls, such as the Munduk waterfall, the Aling Aling waterfall and the SingSing waterfalls. Approximately 30 minutes south of Singaraja is the highest waterfall of Bali, the Git Git waterfall. A path of about 1 km with a variety of souvenir shops leads you past a coffee and a vanilla plantation to the 60-metre-high waterfall. Once you have arrived at the waterfall, you can enjoy the sounds of the water splashing downwards.
We have made a selection of the most attractive places for sightseeing in Bali, like the temples of Pura Ulun Danau Bratan and Pura Besakih (the mother temple) and the Bali Barat National Park in Ubud, the cultural capital of Bali. We also have provided a complete overview of all activities in the vicinity of the villa like snorkeling, diving, golfing and hiking. In the villa you will find an information guide with suggestions.