If you planned to celebrate New Year in the north of Bali (where the holidays are indeed cooler and less crowded), it's best not to delay with hotel reservations. Most popular hotels are already booked, but if desired, you can still find a place in Lovina and its surroundings — the key is to act quickly.
For the local tourism industry, this is a long-awaited revival after the downturn caused by the eruption of Mount Semeru in East Java, which usually draws many domestic tourists. Now hotel owners are finally seeing a positive trend.
The north of Bali has often remained in the shadows: far from the well-known resorts, little advertising, and weak government efforts to promote the area. This year, the situation began to change. The village of Pemuteran received an award from the UN World Tourism Organization as the 'Best Tourism Village in the World', and Buleleng has been included in a new route by Indonesia's Ministry of Tourism — a tour connecting Northern Bali, Western Bali, and Banyuwangi in East Java.
During the holidays, it's important to book everything in advance: from hotels to flight tickets. Tourism is growing, and if you delay, you might end up without rooms, restaurant tables, or spots in beach clubs. Adding to this are the traditional New Year's traffic jams across the island. Plan your trips and especially your airport transfers with extra time in mind: Bali's road infrastructure still struggles to keep up with the number of tourists.
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