Sunrise dolphins
Leaping around boats.
CC BY-SA 3.0 · Stuecky53 — CC BY 4.0 · Michelle Maria — CC BY 3.0
A quiet black volcanic-sand beach on Bali's north coast, far from the southern crowds, with calm water and gentle waves, lined with small fishing villages and simple hotels. It is known for sunrise dolphin-watching trips. Colourful wooden fishing boats leave before dawn for the open sea, where pods of dolphins swim in the early morning, so visitors see dozens leaping around the boats as the sun rises over the mountains. Then there is snorkelling on nearby reefs. On the beach a dolphin statue stands as Lovina's emblem. The dolphin trip is moderately priced per person, booked through your hotel or on the beach the evening before. The drive from south Bali is about three hours over the mountains. Stay a night in Lovina to catch the dawn trip, and combine it with northern waterfalls such as Sekumpul and the Banjar hot springs. Note: too many boats around the dolphins can disturb them, so choose an operator who keeps its distance.
Leaping around boats.
A calm beach.
Quiet north Bali.
Buleleng, north coast of Bali
Nearly, most days, though the sea can be rough at times. The experience varies with the number of boats; earlier trips are calmer.