The Short Answer
You get to north Bali by road, over the central mountains. From Ngurah Rai airport or anywhere in the south, the coast is roughly a three-hour drive up through the highlands, past the Bedugul lakes, and down the far side to Lovina. There is no train, no direct domestic flight, and no shortcut around the mountain range.
That leaves four real options: a private driver, a rental car you drive yourself, a scooter if you ride well, or slow public transport. For most people arriving with luggage after a long flight, a private driver is the sensible choice, and it lets you turn the drive itself into the first half-day of the trip. The rest of this guide covers each option honestly, the two main routes, and how to get around once you arrive.
For the wider picture of the region, start with the complete north Bali guide.
By Private Driver
A private driver is the easiest way north and the one most visitors end up choosing. You are met at the airport, your bags go in the car, and you sleep or stare out the window while someone who drives these switchbacks every week handles the road. After a flight into Bali, that alone is worth a great deal.
The real advantage is the stops. The drive up passes some of the best scenery on the island, and a good driver treats it as part of the journey rather than a transfer to rush. You can break the climb at the Bedugul lakes, the lakeside temple of Ulun Danu Beratan, a strawberry stall in the highlands, or a waterfall on the way down to the coast. By the time you reach Lovina you have already seen more of Bali than most people do in a week.
Drivers are usually booked by the day or for a one-way transfer. A one-way run to Lovina is straightforward; a day rate buys the same car for sightseeing stops along the way and is the better value if you want to slow down. Rates run around (to confirm) for a transfer and roughly (to confirm) for a full day with stops, though both shift with fuel, season, and how far west you are headed.
The full breakdown of rates, how the day works, and what to expect is in hiring a private driver in north Bali. To arrange one before you land, message Northbound on WhatsApp.
By Car Rental or Self-Drive
Renting a car gives you freedom, and it suits travelers who are comfortable with Balinese roads and want to set their own pace once they are in the north. A small car handles the mountain crossing fine, and having your own wheels makes the spread-out north, where the waterfalls, hot springs, and beaches sit far apart, easy to explore on your own clock.
The honest caveat is the driving. Bali traffic is dense and fast near the airport, the mountain road is a long series of tight switchbacks, and local road habits take some adjusting to. Doing all of that jet-lagged, on the wrong side of the road, on day one is a lot to take on. Many people who rent a car still hire a driver for the first transfer up and pick up the rental in the north, which is a good compromise.
You will need an International Driving Permit to drive legally, and you should check that the rental insurance actually covers you. Rentals run around (to confirm) depending on the car and the season. Fuel is cheap, but stations thin out in the highlands, so fill up before the climb.
By Scooter
For confident riders, a scooter is the cheapest and most flexible way to get around the north, and on the quiet coast road it is genuinely pleasant. This is the local way to move between villages, beaches, and warungs, and once you are settled in Lovina it is hard to beat.
Riding the full crossing from the south is a different matter. The mountain road is three hours of winding climbs and descents, shared with trucks and tour buses, and doing it with luggage strapped on is no small thing. It is for experienced riders only, and even then it is slow and tiring. Most people who want a scooter in the north rent one when they arrive rather than ride it up from the airport.
Wear a real helmet, ride within your limit, and treat the mountain weather seriously, as rain turns the switchbacks slick fast. Confirm your travel insurance covers motorbikes, because many policies do not unless you hold the correct licence. Scooter hire runs around (to confirm), usually cheaper by the week.
By Public Transport
Public transport to the north exists, and it is the cheapest way to go, but it is slow and awkward with bags. It suits budget travelers with time and patience more than anyone on a tight schedule.
The tourist option is the Perama shuttle, a fixed-route minibus service that connects the main traveler hubs and runs a service up to Lovina. It is simple and far easier than piecing together local transport, though it follows its own timetable rather than yours. Fares sit around (to confirm) and seats are worth booking ahead in high season.
Below that are the bemos, the local minibuses, plus the public buses that run to Singaraja, the north's main town, where you change for a smaller bemo out to Lovina. This works and costs very little, but it means multiple changes, long waits, and squeezing luggage into a crowded van. There is no direct, comfortable public route from the airport to the north coast. If your time matters more than your money, a shared or private driver is the better call.
The Routes Over the Mountains
There are two main ways across, and which one you take shapes the drive.
The common route is the Bedugul road, the central climb from the south up through Bedugul and past the highland lakes of Beratan, Buyan, and Tamblingan, then down the long descent to Lovina. This is the scenic one, with the lakeside temple, cool mountain air, the highland markets, and the waterfall cluster around Gitgit on the way down. Almost every transfer to Lovina and the central north uses it, and it is the route to choose if you want the drive to earn its three hours.
The eastern way runs up the coast through Singaraja and is the line you take if you are headed to the eastern end of the north or coming round from Amed and the east rather than straight from the airport. It trades the highland scenery for coastal road, and for most airport arrivals headed to Lovina it is the longer way around. For Pemuteran and the far northwest, drivers often run along the north coast road once over the mountains rather than doubling back.
Either way, the roads are slow and winding, built for the terrain rather than for speed. Three hours is the honest figure in good conditions, and rain or traffic adds to it.
Getting Around Once You're There
The north is spread out. Lovina itself is a string of villages along the coast road, and the waterfalls, hot springs, and highlands sit anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour and a half away. Distances are short on the map and longer on the ground, because the roads wind.
For day trips, a hired driver is the easy answer, and the same driver who brought you up will usually run you to Sekumpul, Banjar, or Munduk for a day rate. For short hops between your villa, the beach, and dinner, a scooter is perfect and cheap. Plenty of visitors combine the two, a driver for the big inland days and a scooter for everything close to home.
There are no apps with reliable car coverage in the north the way there are in the south, so most things are arranged in person or through your villa. That is part of the rhythm here. See the Lovina area guide for how the villages line up along the coast.
Practical Notes
The details below change. Confirm current rates and conditions locally before you go.
- Drive from the airport: roughly three hours over the mountains; allow more in rain or heavy traffic.
- Private driver, one-way transfer: around (to confirm); a full day with stops runs more and is the better value if you want to sightsee.
- Car rental: around (to confirm) per day; you need an International Driving Permit and insurance that actually covers you.
- Scooter hire: around (to confirm) per day, cheaper by the week; ride the mountain crossing only if you are experienced.
- Perama shuttle: around (to confirm) per seat to Lovina; book ahead in high season.
- Fuel: cheap, but fill up before the mountain climb, as stations thin out in the highlands.
- Cash: ATMs in Lovina and Singaraja; carry cash for drivers, fuel stops, and small fares.
FAQ
How do you get to north Bali from the airport? By road over the central mountains, roughly a three-hour drive from Ngurah Rai airport past the Bedugul lakes to Lovina. A private driver is the simplest option and lets you stop at the lakes or a waterfall on the way up. There is no train and no direct flight to the north.
How long is the drive to Lovina? About three hours in good conditions, up through the highlands and down to the coast. Rain, traffic, or sightseeing stops add to it, so allow extra time and treat the drive as part of the trip rather than a race.
Is it better to hire a driver or rent a car in north Bali? For most visitors a private driver is better for the transfer up, since the mountain road is winding and the stops are half the pleasure. A rental car suits confident drivers who want freedom once they arrive. A common middle path is a driver for the journey north and a scooter or rental once you are settled.
Can you take public transport to north Bali? Yes, but it is slow. The Perama tourist shuttle runs to Lovina and is the easiest public option, while local bemos and the bus to Singaraja cost less but mean changes and waits. There is no direct, comfortable public route from the airport, so a driver is the better call if time matters.
How do you get around north Bali? A hired driver for inland day trips to the waterfalls, hot springs, and highlands, and a scooter for short hops between your villa, the beach, and dinner. The region is spread out and the roads wind, so most visitors combine the two. See the 3-day north Bali itinerary for how the days fit together.
Want your transfer and driver sorted before you land? Message Northbound on WhatsApp, north Bali is the home ground here.