The Dolphin trip Lovina...

Go for the dolphin trip Lovina – it’s amazing to see dolphins swimming
around you.

Every morning during sunrise dozens of dolphins gather around for breakfast just offshore of Lovina beach. The dolphins are one of Lovina’s major attractions and if you are there, you should definitely go and see them...

Throughout the day there are many boatmen in Kalibubuk looking for people to take on a dolphin tour. You can arrange it with them or at the reception of your hotel.

To avoid any hassle, we think it is best to just organize it at one of the many Bali accommodations in Lovina.

Our hotel arranged boatman Gobang to take us around on his boat the next day. Unlike the average Indonesian, Gobang is quiet and not very talkative (which is a good thing early in the morning :-), but he is really willing to give you a great time during his tours.

 

Our boatman, Gobang

 

The dolphin trip Lovina costs Rp. 60.000 per person. A maximum of 4 people fit in the boat but if you are travelling alone the price will still be Rp. 60.000.

After the dolphin tour, you can also arrange to go snorkelling. This will be another Rp. 60.000 for 2 hours and includes snorkel gear.

There is a dolphin trip Lovina organization who keeps a close watch on the boats leaving every morning. The boats are only allowed to take tourists for the dolphin tour and they have to return immediately once it is finished.

So, if you have planned a snorkel tour afterwards, the boat must return to shore first before heading back to sea again.

 

Watch the colorful sunrise from the boat...

 

Anyway at 5.30am Gobang knocked at our hotel door to make sure we were wide awake and ready for some dolphin spotting. At 6am we were pushing his fishing boat into the water and once we all hopped on, we were on our way to see dolphins enjoying their breakfast.

It was a wonderful experience to be on the water so early. The various colours at sunrise made the whole picture mystical. While looking over our shoulders, we could see the mountains slowly being uncovered by the mist.

It was an unforgettable sight... Now I understand a little why the Balinese believe that their gods live in the mountains.

 

The mountains are also slowly waking up...

 

While we were waiting for the dolphins to arrive, we had some tea and fried bananas which the boatman had brought for us. There were many other boats waiting as well and I can imagine that it can get pretty crowded during the high season.

Our first dolphin encounter came quite unexpectedly. We were just waiting patiently for them when suddenly we saw a fin coming out of the water...and then another.

We even saw groups of 3 to 4 dolphins jump so high out of the water that we could see their entire bodies sparkling in the morning sun.

It was an amazing feeling to see them swimming close to our boat. From that moment we were all really pumped up and had our camera’s ready for the perfect shot of the day. Quite useless though, because we were late most of the time and most of our pictures  turned out to be splashes of water.

But then we were lucky. Check out this picture...

 

 

You have to enjoy the moment to the fullest because before you know it the dolphins have disappeared under the surface. This only makes every dolphin encounter more special...

During the whole tour boatman Gobang was busy scanning the horizon for more schools of dolphins. Towards the end of the morning it became harder to find them.

By that time we were on the water for 2.5 hours which was more than enough for us. We were already satisfied and happy so we returned to Lovina harbor. 

Compared to the whole experience, Rp. 60.000 for the dolphin trip Lovina is really a bargain...

 

 

If you haven’t had enough of the dolphins you will soon get it once you get off the boat. Be prepared to be greeted by a large flock of sellers who offer all types of dolphin souvenirs. If you like to buy some, embrace them. If not, try to avoid them at all costs...

If you also want to do a dolphin trip lovina and/or snorkel tour with Gobang, just contact him at (+62)081353220702 or email him at gobang_lovina@yahoo.com. He will be more than happy to take you around on his boat. 

When we travelled with my sister through Bali, we couldn't let her miss out on the dolphin spectacle in Lovina. So once again, we woke up at 5.30 and started to push the boat into the water at 6am.

We already prepared my sister a bit and told her that there isn't always a 100% chance that we might see some dolphins.

But I think my sister doesn't believe me anymore after this amazing dolphin tour....

Up and earlyfor another dolphin trip Lovina!

 

There were so many, and even more than our first trip! It seemed as if all the dolphins had gathered around that day to have a huge feeding frenzy in front of our eyes.

Everywhere we turned our heads we saw schools of dolphins splashing around together. Some were jumping out of the water simultaniously while others swam close to our boat.

We had no idea that there was so many and it was a great return visit. We had a fabulous time that morning and were still excited about our luck when we returned to Lovina harbor.

Despite the large number of dolphins, they are still difficult to catch on camera. But we were able to get some of which we are very proud....

 

 

 

This is one of our best pictures, with credits to my sister