Selling point North Bali, Lovina?

[MiSO]

First of all, I think the centre of Lovina is 'cosy', I mean around the Dolphine statue.
But nothing's happening there... Is it because I arrived on a Monday and is it more lively in the weekends? Is it because it is low, low, low season ? (I heard it is always low season here)
I see old buildings in need for maintenance, empty houses/ businesses for sale, only 1 of the 2 streets is nice to walk through. Nice restaurants, but it is too noisy with motorbikes to sit there, next door is full with garbage. I wouldn't want to have my meal with a 'garbage view' .
It feels like there is not enough interest to make a beautiful centre out of this, at the same time I also sense a desperation for more tourists, but...I don't know... tourists are maybe not embraced enough.

This is my first impression of Lovina centre and I see the centre has its potential, and I wonder if there is a plan for the near future (I mean the Bali community, not the real estate developers) to make it more appealing for tourists to stay longer than 5 days. Because the selling point is not the beach and nightlife, but there must be more than only the Dolphins, the waterfall etc.

More and more foreigners buy properties, so maybe 'dressing' up the area will be the second step? What comes first: the chicken or the egg?

[mimpimanis]

It seems Ubud was too touristy for you (I agree) and Lovina too quiet... so hard to know what you are looking for really.

[spicyayam]

Believe it or not, I believe business has been picking up this year in Lovina.

I suppose it comes down to money. The current project is creating a concrete wall along the beach from Lovina towards Singaraja, supposedly to prevent further erosion on the beach. I agree there is not much here to hold short term tourists, but it is a nice place to live imo.

[aquaman]

MiSO I think you may have been seduced by a glossy travel brochure about Bali the Island of the Gods and all that spiritual paradise rhetoric?? Unfortunately (IMHO) the paradise that Bali once may have been is long gone like so many other places in the world. We are a generation too late for that.

What were you expecting of Bali?

While I don't disagree with some of your initial observations of Bali you've spent what...24 hrs in Ubud and a couple of days in Lovina? Spend just a couple of more days in Kuta and you would have seen more of Bali than most tourists would have but it doesn't really give you a deep insight into all of what Bali still has to offer. I guess if you stay for 4 or 5 months and see more of the island and get involved with some of the locals away from the tourist areas you may find what you are looking for but you may have set your sights/hopes too high.

[gilbert de jong]

you could check out pantai pertimbangkan (or something like that :lol: I always forget the name of that strip) it's almost in Singaraja...from Gede's homestay, pass the trafficlight in Lovina going straight on the main road, then follow the road till the next trafficlight here you turn left towards the ocean (duh), at the end of the road there's alot of little warungs selling drinks and roasted corn/bread..during the day it's empty but anywhere between 20.00-23.00 especially on friday and saturday it ussually is pretty crowded..Not much to see there either, just people.But it's the closest to 'terrasje pakken' as we know it in NL.

There's alot for sale in Lovina..from a little warung till the two story hotel and everything in between. Business might be picking up a bit at the moment, but like you said most tourist are short(very short) term in Lovina.
I agree with your statment that It has potential, but trust me if the big boys (real-estate developers) don't jump in with alot of money...it will take a long long time before it's up to par. Do I want it to become up to par....NO, please not another Kuta.
Some small changes can be made, the scenery as you've described..it doesn't take alot of money to 'style' that a bit.
Personally I think that the tourist that do stay in Lovina, come here to unwind from their hectic life back home...not looking for disco's (nightlife) and such, more looking to relax, read a book, enjoy the view(sunrise/sunset), take a swim, have a few drinks at a bar or better yet on the terras in front of the bungalow/room, something like that.

I think aquaman hit the nail on the head...if you can, stay for a couple of months (not in Lovina), get involved with locals away from the touristy area's...I am sure your perception of what Bali is, will change for the better.

personal story : I had planned to stay a year on Bali, now the first 4/5 months of that year, I was counting down the weeks till I would/could go back to NL...then something changed, don't know exactly what, probably I changed :), I got more interested in the local people, their ways and habits (adat), the next 2/3 months I was the 'bule' (outsider) but that changed then into tuan/mas/pak/om Gilbert (half in-half out but respected as a citizen). Anyhow..this place (north Bali) grabbed me, and I didn't wanna leave after that first year.
moral of the story...be patient and 'open', if you know what you are looking for, chances are great you will find it here :) .

btw, now I am fully in, and have been for the last 20 months or so..couple of months ago I even got my Balinese name 'Cok' .

[Markit]

I gotta ask even if everyone else is scared to - Does "Cok" mean what it sounds like? :lol: Are you sure?

When I was in Germany I convinced a number of Germans that the English for Boss was "Cocks*cker" and that a mark of true respect was to preface that with "Big". :lol:

[Adam]

btw, now I am fully in, and have been for the last 20 months or so..couple of months ago I even got my Balinese name 'Cok'

:shock: You must have got REALLY 'fully in', or at least the reputation, to get the name 'Cok' :oops: . Dunno if thats a good thing or a bad thing really ....could be fun, but could cause problems too.... :roll: :wink: :)

Seriously dude, just joking with you. Markit, I'm possibly stating the bleeding obvious but it would be pronounced 'Chock' I suspect, not the corrupted pronunciation we're alluding to.

Funny sh*t but, all the same 8)

Adz

[MiSO]

I think I have to add some more words.

Firstly:
I live a quiet life, almost like a hermit. Personally I don't need any entertainment at all, besides a nice bite once in a while with a good friend. So it is not from a personal need for entertainment that I started this topic.

Secondly:
Lovina should never try to copy Kuta, it won't work and it would be a waste of the charm of the north.

What I do see is a lovely space (actually more spaces around the centre) which could be used for interaction, activities. I also see the community is in need for more tourists who are sticking around longer than a couple of days. Places are empty with only 1-2 customers, if they are lucky. I think more positive things will flow from this, not only financially but also an other kind of contact with tourists.
So I wondered if the motivation to upgrade the area (as in attracting tourists) has to come from investing foreigners or the local authority. Or is it concentrating on foreign long term stayers (long term rentals, property buyers) Then the answer to my question would be: the biggest selling point are things which attract long term stayers, not short term tourists.

The defensive posts surprise me. I started this thread out of curiosity and to share my first impression (which is pretty positive)

Cheers.

[motormouth]

MiSO, I live in south Bali, but when I am visiting my in-laws in Singaraja, I stay in Lovina. It and the Buleleng kota have an old Bali charm which is missing from other parts now. I say, keep Lovina exactly as it is ...the tourists in the North seem different to me, as stated before, I think the relaxed pace of the North suits them.
I also don't think any of the previous posts were defensive at all.Just giving their opinion of Lovina the way they see it.
Did you leave Bali after Lovina?

[MiSO]

Motormouth, sorry for the late reply. No I am still here, haunting everyone with my Bali-stories ;-) I circled my way around on Bali, back where I started.

Last week I had to defend Lovina again. An older, really cool couple staying here for several months thought Lovina was a ghost town, empty restaurants, buildings. I told them you have to stay there for awhile to experience the charm of it. I think now it is even remoter than remote.