01 What North Bali is
North Bali covers the regencies of Buleleng (the coast, including Lovina) and the highland interior accessed via the mountain roads through Bedugul and Munduk. It's the part of the island that most international visitors miss entirely — and that's precisely its appeal. Fewer crowds, lower prices, cooler highland air, and a landscape of volcanic lakes, coffee plantations and multi-tiered waterfalls that's genuinely different from the southern coast.
The most common approach is as a full-day circuit from Ubud or as a 2–3 night stay that combines the coast (Lovina) and the highlands (Munduk, Bedugul). Trying to do it as a day trip from Seminyak or Canggu is possible but leaves very little time at each stop — the roads take longer than maps suggest.
02 Sekumpul Waterfall
Sekumpul is widely considered the most impressive waterfall in Bali — a cluster of six to seven separate falls plunging through a steep river valley, accessible via a 30–45 minute walk down from the entry point (and back up). Entry is IDR 20,000 per person; a local guide is recommended and costs IDR 100,000–150,000 (they know which path to take and some paths require navigating private farmland).
Go in the morning — the valley gets misty and wet by afternoon, and the falls are most dramatic with morning light. Leave the car park by 8am if possible. A second, smaller waterfall cluster (Fiji Waterfall) is nearby and often combined on the same trip.
03 Bedugul and the crater lakes
The Bedugul highlands sit at around 1,200m above sea level — cool, green, frequently misted, and centred on three volcanic crater lakes: Danau Bratan, Danau Buyan and Danau Tamblingan. Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, the water temple on the edge of Lake Bratan, is one of Bali's most photographed landmarks — the multi-tiered meru tower appears to float above the water when the lake level is high.
The Bedugul area also has Bali's best botanical garden (Kebun Raya Bali), strawberry farms open to visitors, and the market at Candikuning selling highland vegetables, fruit and plants unavailable at lower altitudes. Bring a layer — at 1,200m it can be genuinely cool, especially on overcast days.
04 Munduk — coffee, cloves and walking
Munduk village sits at 800m in the coffee and clove growing highlands between Bedugul and Lovina. The village itself is a collection of traditional houses along a single road lined with coffee and clove trees; the surrounding hillsides have walking tracks through plantations and past small waterfalls. Several guesthouses have been operating here for decades and the walking infrastructure is well-developed.
The Munduk coffee walk — a 2–3 hour loop through working coffee and cacao plantations — gives a genuine sense of how the highland agricultural economy operates. Most guesthouses can arrange a guide (IDR 100,000–150,000). The waterfalls at Melanting and Munduk are accessible as part of the same circuit. Lovina is 45 minutes by road downhill from Munduk — the two combine naturally as a multi-day north Bali itinerary.
05 The North Bali circuit
The classic North Bali day circuit from Ubud runs: Ubud → Bedugul (Ulun Danu temple, market) → Munduk or Sekumpul waterfall → Lovina → return via the coast or the same mountain road. This takes a genuinely full day — 10–12 hours including driving. A private driver is essential; IDR 600,000–800,000 for the full circuit from Ubud.
Staying overnight in Lovina or Munduk removes the time pressure and allows the dolphin watching at sunrise from Lovina, which requires a 5:30am start.