Centered around the old Dutch capital of Singaraja, North Bali offers a good look at Bali’s picturesque history. This area is far less crowded than Bali’s south end, and offers some enchanting diversions of its own. You can swim out to meet dolphins on Lovina Beach, or enjoy the colonial architecture in Singaraja.
Singaraja
In colonial days, Singaraja was the Dutch capital for the Lesser Sunda Islands. The colonial atmosphere never really left, as a few old Dutch warehouses and colonial homes still stand there today. Accommodations aren’t that great, and nightlife is nonexistent, but you can try the “Most Authentic Balinese Food in Bali” at Kak Man Restaurant.
Kintamani and Penelokan
For more adventurous travelers, a look at the volcanic Mount Batur can be arranged through a visit to Kintamani and Penelokan, where you can get a breathtaking look at the crater lake, and continue to the summit if you’re feeling up to it.
You can also continue to the lakeside village of Kedisan, where you can ride a boat to Trunyan and their “Bali Aga” (Old Balinese, or original Balinese) tribesmen. The Bali Aga are direct-line descendants of the Balinese who rejected the caste system imposed by the Hindu Majapahit conquerors.
It’s worth a visit if only to see the Bali Aga’s temple (Puser Jagat, or “Navel of the Universe”), sitting under a massive banyan tree.
Another temple can be found further down the mountaintop lake: the Pura Ulun Danau Batur, built long before the Majapahit conquered the island.
Lovina Beach
Fair accommodation choices plus a spruced-up volcanic-sand beach make Lovina Beach a pleasant alternative to the surfer crush elsewhere on the island. The biggest draw, though, are the dolphins – hundreds of them congregate here. Visitors can hire a jukung boat early in the morning to see the many dolphin pods swimming off the beach.
