Saraswati Lovina Dolphin — Local services in Pulau Bali

Our trip was absolutely amazing! We arranged to leave an hour later than the other boats since we didn’t want to wake up at 5 AM. There was also an option to leave at 10 AM, as that’s when more dolphins usually appear.

The boat owner was very friendly and polite, and the ride to the dolphin area took about an hour. Along the way, we enjoyed breathtaking views of the island and a stunning sunrise.

When we arrived, there were already several boats with tourists. The dolphins were quite cautious, not coming too close and constantly diving underwater. Getting close to them by boat was quite challenging – someone needed to be in the water, observing their movements through a mask and guiding the boatman to adjust the course accordingly.

Despite this, we managed to swim with the dolphins! Holding onto a special bar at the boat, I found myself right in the middle of a pod – about 30 dolphins swam directly beneath me. It felt as if I was gliding alongside them, almost riding on one. It was an absolutely unforgettable experience!

After the dolphin encounter, we headed to the reef. On the way, we were treated to aromatic coffee and fried bananas – a delicious and pleasant treat after swimming. The reef was teeming with fish of all sizes and colors. I dived down close to the reef, and the fish swam right up to me. I stayed in the water for quite a while, though two girls in our group started feeling seasick.

Overall, I really loved this trip!

Regarding the equipment: I saw some reviews claiming there were no life jackets on board, but that’s not true – there were plenty available. I just didn’t take one since it’s easy to stay afloat in salty water.

As for the cleanliness of the masks, I can’t say much – I simply rinsed mine in the water before using it. However, I know this is an important factor for many tourists, so I would recommend that the boat owner disinfect the masks after each use. Disinfecting solutions are inexpensive and available on Tokopedia. It would also be great if customers were informed about this in advance.

Thank you for this...

Lovina is known for her black beaches and dolphin spotting. The most popular tour is getting out on a boat at 6 in the morning to see the pods. And snorkel with them.

Sounds amazing? Yes, and of course, I wanted to do this (again). But I got older, wiser, and more aware of my actions. So, we wanted to do this as ethical as possible.

After checking lots of reviews, we picked 'Saraswati Lovina Dolphin'. And @saraswatiboat did an amazing job!

Most boats leave at 06:00, which means dolphins are surrounded by tons of boats! We left at 08:30, which already made a massive difference. That's when most boats are gone and dolphins are more relaxed.

Our guide stayed away from the circle of boats and kept a distance. Patiently waiting, knowing dolhins will show up at some point. Together with only 3 other boats, we did see them! Our guide didn't chase them and didn't break up pods. He didn't rush the boat at all and didn't bring his boat closer into a pod and stayed only next to them. Which is exactly how we wanted to experience this: respectful.

Then we hang on his boat, in the water. You don't actually swim with dolphins, which is great. Because we don't want that at all. You hang next to the boat, holding on a bar, while our guide calmly moves the boat, next to pods. Waiting patiently for them to show up. This way, we saw the dolphins' natural behaviour, and seeing them swimming next to us AND under us was extremely special. Especially when a pod of about 25- 30 dolphins swam under us!

After this, we had some time to snorkel in clear water (no dolphins). Our guide respected the reef and made sure we wouldn't damage it. He kept his distance, which we found so important. And he gave us pisang goreng (fried banana snacks) and drinks.

Overall, it was the perfect way of experiencing it in the best way possible. And I recommend using this company! Because it does make a difference!

IG: Wicked...

From booking to execution, everything was exceptionally great! I have received within a very short time already a response to my request by mail. It was very detailed and induviduel to my questions. Shortly before the excursion Putu has confirmed me again place and time and he was always available for us. We had doubts at the beginning, because he had recommended the tour at 8:00 am with our children and we had received the tip from many other people that you have to go very early (5:00 am) so that you have the chance to see dolphins at all. We trusted Putu and were picked up by him with the private boat at half past seven from our hotel beach. After a 1 hour ride we arrived at our destination. There were maybe 5 or 6 other boats and after a few minutes we could see the first dolphins. After some time the dolphin groups became bigger and we went into the water. Putu steered the boat so perfectly that we could experience the animals very close. We swam right along with the group of dolphins and could watch them perfectly above and below the water. It was an incredible and unique experience for my husband, children (4, 8 years old) and me. We are incredibly grateful to Putu and we can only recommend him and the Saraswati Lovina Dolphins to everyone! Thank you so much for this incredible experience!...