Exploring Northern Bali

When we began researching our trip we quickly realised that the north of Bali rarely featured in any of the guides. Most were recommending a week in Seminyak and a week in Ubud or something similar. Our guide book missed out the north of the island all together. But we knew from the start that we didn’t want to spend 2 weeks just in busy towns so when we were personally recommended that we head to the north we started to research. We quickly realised it was exactly what we were looking for; quiet and less touristy but still with plenty the do, good weather and a stunning coastline but without the bustling towns, we booked a hotel about 30 minutes outside Lovina and fell in love pretty much as soon as we arrived.

One thing to note about the north is that partly due to the less touristic nature the towns aren’t as big, shuttle services aren’t as frequent and if you want to go out and explore we found organising a tour through our hotel to be the most cost effective and easiest method. Similarly to when we were in Ubud, we were not going to get to get on a moped. It is definitely the place to properly switch off, relax and take in the scenery. If you’re looking to go out every night and see a vibrant town then you won’t find it here, but that’s part of its charm. It feels like and entirely different side to Bali and we found the slower pace much more preferable to that of Seminyak or even Ubud.

Despite feeling more remote and there being far fewer towns to explore we still found that there was plenty to do in the North. Our first move was to organise a a day tour through our hotel. This gave us the flexibility to see exactly what we wanted, have as long as we liked in each location and also get the knowledge of a local when we were travelling around. Here’s what not to miss in the north.

The Twin Lakes

These sit between the mountain rages of the north and their crystal blue waters are spectacular from the observation points dotted along the roads. It’s worth stopping off, having a look and getting some photos. It really is beautiful and lovely treat as we came out of the over covered jungle roads up from Ubud. If you want that perfect Instagram shot then there are plenty of spots with swings and nests up here too. Similarity to the rice terraces, the often include a fee and a queue but it can be a beautiful way to see the view. Alternatively just walking out to one of the viewing platforms and taking in the view is beautiful. We didn’t spend too long taking in the view but it was one of the best from the trip.

Ulun Danu

This is one of the most famous temples in Bali, the temple on the lake is beautiful with the mountain backgroup but our guide was quick to point out that this was not an active temple in the way that many others were. Instead this had been morphed into more of a tourist attraction, with a ceremony once a month to demonstrate to tourists what happened. It’s a beautiful temple and the surrounding gardens are lovely to wander around but it definitely felt more touristy than anywhere else we had visited. There were queues to get pictures, a very clearly designated route around the temple and gardens and when we got there mid-morning it was already busy. If you are in the area it is worth stopping by, but don’t expect the same atmosphere to a lot of the other temples in Bali.

The Botanical Gardens

This was a bit of a surprise stop in that I had pinned it on my offline maps (a life-saving function of google that allows you to use maps without WiFi and mobile data) and almost forgotten about it until we threw it into the mix for our day tour. The grounds are huge and are often used by local families as a spot for relaxing and enjoying the weather. You could walk around for hours, stopping off in each of the greenhouses and expoloring each of the paths. If you have a driver you can also drive around the large majority of it and just stop of when you get to an area you wish to explore more. The greenhouse in the centre was beautiful, full of cacti and other exotic plants.

GitGit Waterfalls

Waterfalls are a must when you go to Bali. There are so many across the island but as we were in the North we hearded to Gitgit. We headed to the more sourthern waterfall of the two, with our driver telling us that this was a little quieter but just as beautiful. The walk down to the waterfall probably too between 10-15 minutes with a clearly marked path all of the way. There is a small entrance fee to get down to the waterfall so mae sure you take some cash with you. When we arrived in the middle of the afternoon I was pleasantly surprised at how few people there were. We were one of maybe 4 or 5 couples that were there so you had plenty of time and space to take in the stunning surroundings and get any photos that you wanted. Personally we didn’t get into the water, largely as it didn’t seem quite deep enough but also because it was full of jumping bugs and that just really isn’t my kinda thing. But we took a closer walk towards the fall and it was an amazing stop to see a waterfall nestled in the middle of the mountains.

Hot Springs

The hot springs are also situated in the north and are heated by geysers, the water is beautifully warm and it was a really great way to relax alongside both locals and other tourists. There are a couple of pools but their capacity isn’t very high. We went at around 5.30pm and didn’t have any issues getting in but we knew we didn’t want very long there so it suited us to go near closing time. The biggest of the pools slops from a shallow 1m to 2m and the mud in the water does mean that it’s slippy underfoot. It was fun to experience and again, the surroundings are beautiful, but if you do head down there make sure that you wear darker coloured swimwear as the mud does have a tendency to stain. There are changing rooms there that you can use for free but make sure that you take a towel and change of clothes with you.

Sunrise Dolphin Watching 

This was without a doubt the peak of our holiday. We had been told that the North had some of the most spectacular sunsets and sunrises in the world, and it really did not disappoint. Our hotel organised for us to head out at 5.45 on a local fishermans boat to see the sunrise and hopefully catch a sight of some dolphins in their natural habitat. The sunrise alone was incredible enough, I’ve honestly never seen anything like it and my photos cannot do it justice. The dolphins aren’t a guarantee so after about 30 minutes of waiting after sunrise we staerted to except we may not see any, the sunrise alone was enough at this point, but then we suddenly saw a whole pod emerge. For the next half an hour or so we saw a number of pods (or the same one several times, who knows) chase the boats and dive in the air. It was incredible and the most brilliant thing to watch and see these beautiful animals in their natural environment. It really was the kind of moment you just enjoy hence why there is only 1 blurry photo of the event.

Where to eat and stay

We stayed at the Mayo Resort and were able to get a brilliant deal through booking.com. I honestly can’t recommend them enough. The staff were all so friendly, so genuine and helpful and the restaurant were very accommodating of my nut allergy which made my stay so much better. With the exception of one lunch on our tour day we exclusively ate in the hotel, partly because there was no where else around for quite a way but also the restuarant was brilliant, had a good selection of Indonesian and locally sourced food and we ate every meal overlooking the black sand beaches, it was pretty idyllic. The pool area was beautiful with plenty of spots for shade, the rooms were spacious and clean and we didn’t contend with anywhere near as many nature friends as we had in our previous locations. The tours and massages they organised for us worked out very reasonably and we were genunily so sad to leave the slice of paradise. 

The north of Bali may not be as talked about as elsewhere on the island, but it is slowly becoming more popular and if you are planning a trip it is worth incorporating, even if it is just for a couple of days. It truly is a place to switch off and relax with so many incredible things to do during that time. Before we altered our route from Lombok & The Gillis we were only due to have a couple of days here but extending it was the best decision we made and gave us just a little more time to relax into it. When we were first given the reccomendation we weren’t so sure, partly as there was so little out there on that area already, but now I full understand the enthusiasm and I’ve turned into the person that recommends it above anywhere else if anyone mentions they’re heading to Bali.