A chance encounter with a French expat, local moonshine, and zero dolphins made this sleepy northern beach the highlight of my Bali trip.

“You don’t have planning to looking dolphin?” texted Gus, our private driver. 

“No, no dolphins,” I responded.

Lovina Beach in Northern Bali is primarily known for dolphin watching tours and wildlife experiences. But I just wanted to see the Ulun Danu Berat temple on our way north. This just left my driver confused, he reiterated:

 “Just to this temple only?” said Gus. “Please tell me all your planning brother, and I’ll tell you what time is good time to start,” he replied.

He thought I was messing with him. I literally had no other plans. What I didn’t know was that skipping the dolphins would lead to one of the most authentic experiences of my entire Bali trip – one you won’t find in guidebooks or Instagram feeds.

I Found Lovina Beach Thanks to a Grocery Clerk

While buying our favorite vegan Snixers bar (which honestly was so good, we joked it was like cra*ck) at Bali Direct Store Pererenan, I simply asked the cashier during checkout, “Hey, by the way, what should we do in Bali?” She seemed surprised we didn’t have anything planned and said, “There’s plenty of stuff to do. You should see Lovina Beach, Amed Beach…” We picked Lovina Beach with no expectations and we’re glad we did.

Sometimes the destinations we visit aren’t the destinations we expect them to be. And the destinations we never expected end up being the ones that leave a more memorable impact on us.

Why Lovina Beach Deserves Your Attention

By the time we reached Lovina Beach, we’d already been to West Bali and Tanah Lot. Mind you, I didn’t take any PTO for the trip, so after working countless hours on U.S. time, your thick wall of “OH I can definitely stay up” and then power down another strong Java coffee and maybe sneak in some authentic Red Bull eventually crumbles.

And after a while, the humdrum of the tourism industry’s flatulence and waste lays bare—drunken tourists, inappropriate behavior towards local females on the street, the incredulity of expecting everyone to speak English.

And so you end up at a destination up North for no other reason than because you wanted to. I come to find out from our private driver, now friend, Gus, that Lovina Beach is actually a focal point for those who like wildlife—people who come for the dolphins. In the U.S., these are the same people who hold multi-park passes and are most likely to refresh the Washington Trails Association page, the ones who probably wake up at 11:00 PM just shy of midnight to go hiking to see the sunrise. Somewhere in the age range of 25-35, but also 65+ and come with binoculars, routinely signing up for wildlife packages.

But I knew none of this when we decided to head there. So I was essentially an open book.

Gear Used

How to Get to Lovina Beach from Canggu (and What to Pack)

Arriving at Lovina from Canggu can be a pretty long ride- 2.5 hours to be exact. That means for a round trip, it’s like a mini journey—and that doesn’t factor in what can happen along the roads from flat tires, other disabled vehicles, and lastly, the unpredictability of Bali traffic.

That means you want to make sure that you have work and travel items packed for your road trip. My recommendation?

• Anker Foldable Wireless Portable Charger (this saved me when I didn’t cables, since it will charge magnetically).
• Belkin 6.6 ft iPhone Charger Cable, Samsung USB-C Cable (USB-C to USB-A)
• 2x Soffel mosquito spray (local brand, works better than Western options)
• 1 x Beauty of Beauty of Joseon Sunscreen
• Laptop/iPad in case you need to do remote work
• OpenVPN with StarVPN for doing remote work (trust me, maybe you’ll spend 4 hours sleeping in the round trip journey—otherwise it’s about early Eastern time zone, and you should probably be online at this moment).

Must-See Stops Along the Way

For the journey North, there are several spots that you can request, or I would suggest you tell your driver to add. If you’re spending longer time up North, then disregard this since you can take time to see them while you’re there.

Break up the journey with these worthwhile detours:

1. Jatiluwih UNESCO Rice Terraces (Central Bali) – Allow 30+ minutes to explore. While beautiful, the rice fields en route to West Bali offer equally stunning, tourist-free photo opportunities.
2. Ulun Danu Beratan Temple (Central Bali) – Plan for an hour here. This iconic temple holds significant cultural importance, and you can hear the call to prayer from a nearby mosque echoing across the lake.

AVOID: Mentari Restaurant – a classic tourist trap where drivers get kickbacks. The food is decent but overpriced. Look for authentic Warungs instead.

While on your way North, your driver might ask if you want to stop and eat. I did ask to stop by an authentic Balinese restaurant. The challenge is also that drivers don’t want their passengers to get Bali belly. However, if you are presented with this place, Mentari Restaurant, please skip it.

It’s a straight tourist trap. The food is actually decent, but it’s just not worth the effect. I would suggest trying to find a Warung that has way more flavor. If you are worried about potential digestive issues, then I would ask your doctor for antibiotics and anti-diarrheal medication. You might also be wise to include a multi-vitamin and PB8 probiotics. You can also buy medication at one of the many pharmacies. 

Lovina First Impressions: Is This It?

When first arriving in Lovina, the most exciting thing was a person walking near the beach asking if I wanted some “magic mushrooms.” Instead, I told him to get me some face-to-face time with Indonesia’s Prime Minister.

I mean, there was nothing going on. So I entertained my mushroom guy some more. Like, why doesn’t he pester the old white guy in the Warung over there or those two newly fresh passengers that just arrived that screamed tourist? Mushroom guy said he’s already asked him before—he shows up all the time.

WELP!

At a certain point, even my driver was like, “Why did you want to come here if you didn’t want to see the dolphins?” As in, this wasn’t quite entertaining, but I mean, he’s getting paid for the drive, so what does he care?

The Must See Cr*cked-Out Dolphin

On the way to the beach, you’ll pass the Lovina Beach dolphin statue—and for whatever reason, it looks absolutely cr*cked out. Like, high off its own supply. I’m pretty sure the dolphin is on magic mushrooms. I mean, look at it. But, honestly, this sculpture was probably the best part of the trip. My friend even changed his lock screen to a black-and-white photo of it.

Aside from that, the beach unfortunately isn’t remarkable, aside from the quiet nature versus the south, e.g., Canggu and Pererenan beach.

At this point, I was about to throw in the towel. Until my friend suggested grabbing a Bintang at one of the beachfront Warungs. That single decision changed the experience of North Bali.

The Unexpected Encounter That Made The Trip

We stopped by Warung Koming to grab a couple of Bintangs. Based on where our seats were located, I looked to my side and saw this person dressed in the brightest of colors, playing this game that looked familiar—one that I’d seen in Paris often when I was a kid.

He was playing with another person who looked more local, but with this person, I couldn’t quite make out. Until I heard the French.

It was at that point that I interjected, informally, “C’est qui, qui gagne?” or something of the sort, which means “who’s winning?” And of course, he’s winning.

Then he chimes in, “Tu veux jouer?” and I’m like, no, I wish I could, but I don’t know how to play.

Within moments, I’m now deeper into the open area of the beach with this eclectic Frenchman explaining the games of pétanque.

Eventually, my friend would join, and we’d spend several hours playing.

Come to think of it, many French people seemed to be at Lovina Beach. A group of several French female travelers watched as we played. But it was less so for the playing and more for his colorful comments.

As an older Frenchman, his comments were more “matter-of-fact” than meant to be harmful in nature. I just couldn’t help but laugh at his directness, from comments that I’m a “Mexique Français” and that I’m “café, not black man” and that I should watch the 1965 movie Doctor Zhivago. He also mentioned that my friend was the tallest Asian guy he’d seen. “Mais, il est énorme quand même!” And since he couldn’t remember his name, he would just call him Brice de Nice after the 2005 French film.

You would think that all his film references, but no, he’s not in film—he’s more of a broker back in France. Turns out, he comes to Indonesia for months at a time to do business, which is why he seems to know the locals—including the one playing petanque with him who actually works for the Board of Tourism for Lovina.

A side note: I also asked the French tourists how they arrived here—and they responded unsurprisingly, “les dauphins.” Like the dolphins, of course. Literally, everyone came here because of those dolphins except us!

Either way, I’d found a new connection and had the chance to learn pétanque while practicing French on a beach in Bali, but importantly in Northern Bali, when there couldn’t be more than 30-50 people on the entire beach at the time.

Local Moonshine (Arak) and a Beach Sunset, Please

When the evening starts to kick in, the population of the beach starts to swell.

More tourists flutter in and also more hawkers stop by the different Warungs offering their services—which mainly include seeing bioluminescent plankton on their boats. We actually would have seen that since it looks pretty cool, but opted to pass this time around since we already had a lot going on.

Our driver was out kicking it in the back with the vendors, forging new deals and then asked if we’d try Arak—traditional Balinese moonshine. Turns out, the son of the Warung owner was offering us a taste of his homemade Arak.

I was too busy playing pétanque to notice that my friend Brice de Nice had already tried it. Finally I’m like, wait, let me try. It was a home brew concoction. In a plastic water bottle. And I asked Gus, is this legit? Can I trust this? He nods. I’m like, my mom will kill me. And then I take a swig of the homemade plastic bottle Arak. It actually went down rather smoothly, or more smoothly than Jose Cuervo Tequila.

WARNING: Some Arak has been known to cause blindness, and production can be highly varied. If you want to try Arak, they do sell these in the Duty-Free store at the airport.

Between this, meeting French tourists, and of course hanging out with Jean Jacques—the Frenchman—and learning pétanque, a sport I only vaguely remembered from childhood and would also see played on the French-African island of Réunion soon after this trip, I felt at least content. This is the kind of experience no organized tour could provide.

With time passing, I wished I’d snuck in a few extra moments to grab food with him, but hey, at least we exchanged contacts, right?

What Makes Lovina Special

Lovina Beach and Northern Bali are sleepier than many of Bali’s other hotspots, like Canggu or Ubud.

The closest comparison might be Balian Beach. Except that area is virtually devoid of a human population in many respects—that’s if you truly want to be alone and write your book. With Lovina, you can still write a book and at the same time interact with the emerging population.

Either way, you will have an enjoyable beach. The other beaches that I’ve seen, especially around Canggu, despite their socialness, remind me of Call of Duty’s Zombie level on many levels.

At Lovina beach, you forget about all the stuff around you—the need to grab photos, the need to hit the rest of your destinations—and instead, you engage with the moment, the people. It’s the people that make your travel experiences memorable and enjoyable.

Essential Information for North Bali

Tips, Tricks, and Logistics

Getting There: Hire a private driver for IDR 700,000-850,000 (USD $44-53 | EUR €40-49). The journey takes about 2.5-3 hours each way from Canggu. Make sure to know when and how to spot a taxi scam in Bali.

Accommodation: Though I visited as a day trip, numerous budget guesthouses and a few upscale resorts line the beach if you decide to stay overnight.

Best For: Travelers seeking authentic experiences away from the Instagram crowds of South Bali. Digital nomads needing a break from the Canggu scene.

What to Do:

• Skip the dolphin tours (unless that’s your thing)
• Enjoy the quieter, less crowded beach
• Try local Arak (with caution)
• Keep an open mind for unexpected encounters
• Visit nearby Bengkala village, known as the “Deaf Village,” with its own unique sign language (Kata Kolok)

What to Bring:

• Bug spray (Soffell is a local brand that works well)
• Sunscreen
• Cash (ATMs are limited)

Trip Soundtrack

Because every adventure needs a soundtrack, each of my trips comes with a theme song. And for this trip's anthem? Well, it's...

Why The Unexpected Matters: The Best Bali Memories

Sometimes the most memorable destinations come from the places we never planned to love. Is it because random encounters are something that can’t be calculated or quantified? The same experience that gives you pause when you look at that souvenir you purchased or that one photo in your photo album you have on pause .

Is it that our life and world are so controlled that when it comes to experiences like this, we prize them more? A series of random chances hold more weight than a forced option, right?

Well, that’s what Lovina Beach offered–an unexpected destination that’s become a permanent fixture in my memory. 

Want to see more? Check out my complete 2-week Bali itinerary with insight on Canggu, Pererenan, Uluwatu, and more.