Snorkeling · Lovina, Bali
Dolphin Watching & Snorkeling
Lovina, Bali · operated by ATV in Bali
Duration 2 hoursSnorkelingLovinaEasyInstant confirmation
Dolphin watching and snorkeling at Lovina costs IDR 170,000 (about USD 11) per person for a 2-hour sunrise trip on the north coast of Bali in Buleleng Regency. Boats leave around 06:00 to look for wild spinner dolphins offshore, then snorkel the reef closer to shore. Dolphins are wild animals and sightings are not guaranteed.
- Wild spinner dolphins in deep water off the north coast
- A sunrise departure, with the sea at its calmest
- Small traditional jukung boats, maximum six people
- Reef snorkelling closer to shore after the dolphin phase
- Black-sand coastline and the mountains of Buleleng behind you
- A genuinely quiet part of Bali, far from the southern crowds
- Price
- From IDR 170,000
- Price is
- per person
- Duration
- 2 hours
- Location
- Lovina, Buleleng Regency, Bali
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Languages
- English, Indonesian
- Max group
- 6 people
- Minimum age
- 7 years
- Start times
- 06:00
Select options
Please select a participation date
Shared — join other guestsA sunrise boat off Lovina on the north coast, looking for wild spinner dolphins, then snorkelling the reef closer to shore.
Quantity
SnorkelerAge 7 and over · minimum 1
IDR 170,000
IDR 340,000
Select a participation date to continuePrefer to ask first? Message us on WhatsApp. We answer between 07:00 and 14:00 WITA (GMT+8), confirm availability there and take payment on the day.
Good to know
- Shared — you join other guests
- Free cancellation at least 1 day before the start
- Confirmed by us on WhatsApp
- Book at least 1 day ahead
- Minimum age 7
Cancellation & changes
- Free cancellation at least 1 day before the start
- No refund less than 1 day before the start
- No cancellation once the voucher has been used
When you book we will ask for: swimming ability — confident, not confident, or non-swimmer.
Ask a questionItinerary
- 10:00Beach meet before dawn
Meet on the beach at Lovina around 06:00, while it is still dark. Boarding is straight off the sand into a traditional outrigger jukung.
- 20:20Out to the dolphin grounds
A short run offshore to the deeper water where the spinner dolphin pods feed, arriving as the sun comes up over the mountains behind the coast.
- 30:35Watching the pods
The engine is cut and the boat waits at a distance rather than driving into the pod. Spinner dolphins leap and rotate clear of the water when they are active, usually in groups.
- 41:15Inshore to the reef
The boat moves back towards shore to the snorkeling site, where you are fitted with mask, snorkel, fins and a buoyancy jacket.
- 51:30Snorkeling the north coast reef
Around 25 minutes in shallow, calm water over the reef, which is in better condition than much of the coral in south Bali.
- 62:00Back to the beach
Return to the sand at Lovina, with drinking water provided on the boat.
What's included
Included
- ✓Sunrise boat trip on a traditional jukung
- ✓Dolphin watching offshore
- ✓Snorkeling with mask, snorkel, fins and buoyancy jacket
- ✓Boat crew and in-water guide
- ✓Drinking water
- ✓Activity insurance
Not included
- ✕Hotel pickup and drop-off (can be arranged — ask on WhatsApp)
- ✕Accommodation in Lovina, which most visitors need the night before
- ✕Meals
- ✕Photos from the crew
- ✕Tips
What to bring
- •A light jacket — it is genuinely cool on the water before sunrise
- •Swimwear under your clothes for the snorkeling half
- •A towel and a dry change of clothes
- •Reef-safe sunscreen for after sunrise
- •A camera with a fast shutter, since the dolphins surface without warning
Please note
- !Hotel pickup can be arranged from most areas of south and central Bali. Send your hotel name on WhatsApp and you will get the exact transfer price before you book.
- !Tours run in light rain — the tracks are at their best when they are wet. If conditions are genuinely unsafe the activity is rescheduled or refunded in full, and that call is made by the guide on the day.
- !Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts. Cancellations inside 24 hours, or a no-show at the meeting point, are charged in full. There is no charge to move your booking to another date if you tell us before the 24-hour window.
Meeting point and pick-up
Meeting point
Lovina Beach, Buleleng Regency, on the north coast — about 2.5 to 3 hours by car from Ubud or Seminyak. Most travellers stay in Lovina the night before, since the boat leaves at first light. The exact pin is sent on WhatsApp when you book.
Hotel pickup can be arranged from most areas of south and central Bali. Send your hotel name on WhatsApp and you will get the exact transfer price before you book.
- 1Lovina Beach
- 2Buleleng Regency
- 3Bali Sea
- 4Singaraja
- 5North Bali coral reef
About the Lovina Dolphins
Lovina sits on the black-sand north coast, three hours from the airport and a world away from the south. Pods of wild spinner dolphins feed in the deep water offshore, and the boats go out at first light because that is when the animals are most active and the sea is glassy.
You board a jukung — a small traditional outrigger — in the dark, motor out for twenty minutes or so, and wait. When a pod surfaces, spinner dolphins do what they are named for: leaving the water and rotating in the air before landing.
Two honest notes. First, sightings are not guaranteed; these are wild animals and some mornings the pods do not come near. Second, Lovina has a real reputation for boats crowding dolphins, and it is worth knowing that a well-run trip keeps its distance, cuts the engine, and lets the pod choose the encounter. After the dolphin phase the boat moves inshore to snorkel the reef, which is calm, shallow and a good deal healthier than most people expect.
Safety, weather and cancellation
Tours run in light rain — the tracks are at their best when they are wet. If conditions are genuinely unsafe the activity is rescheduled or refunded in full, and that call is made by the guide on the day.
Free cancellation at least 1 day before the start. No refund less than 1 day before the start. No cancellation once the voucher has been used.
Lovina Dolphins questions
How much is the Lovina dolphin tour?
Dolphin watching and snorkeling at Lovina costs IDR 170,000 (about USD 11) per person for a 2-hour sunrise boat trip, including the boat and crew, snorkeling gear, an in-water guide and drinking water.
Are dolphin sightings guaranteed at Lovina?
No. The spinner dolphins off Lovina are wild animals feeding in open water, so sightings are not guaranteed on any given morning. Most sunrise trips do encounter a pod, but no operator can promise it.
What time does the Lovina dolphin trip start?
The Lovina dolphin trip leaves the beach at around 06:00, before sunrise, because that is when the spinner dolphins are most active and the sea is at its calmest. Most travellers stay in Lovina the night before rather than driving up in the dark.
Is dolphin watching in Lovina ethical?
Lovina has a reputation for boats crowding dolphin pods. A responsible trip keeps its distance, cuts the engine and lets the animals approach on their own terms rather than chasing them, and these boats carry a maximum of six people to limit pressure on the pod.
Can you swim with the dolphins at Lovina?
No. Swimming with the wild spinner dolphins at Lovina is not part of the trip — the animals are watched from the boat at a distance. The snorkeling portion happens separately, on the reef closer to shore.
How far is Lovina from Ubud and Seminyak?
Lovina is roughly 2.5 to 3 hours by car from Ubud and about 3 hours from Seminyak or Canggu, on the north coast of Bali in Buleleng Regency. Given the 06:00 departure, most visitors stay in Lovina overnight.
Is the snorkeling at Lovina any good?
The reef close to shore at Lovina is calm, shallow and in better condition than much of the coral around south Bali, and it is included in the same 2-hour trip after the dolphin watching finishes.
More questions are answered on the FAQ hub.
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Prices are charged in Indonesian rupiah. 2 hours activity in Lovina, Buleleng Regency, Bali.