Villa Ibiza

Up on the rooftop of Villa Ibiza there is a freestanding bathtub, a cushioned lounge and a hanging egg chair, all turned towards the sea off Bali’s north coast. Few small villas offer a sunset perch like it, and it captures the easy, breezy spirit of this crisp white two-bedroom house on the Lovina shoreline.

Below, sliding glass walls open the living room, dining table and kitchen to a covered terrace, a rectangular pool and a sweep of manicured lawn dotted with loungers and a shaded daybed gazebo. Steps at the bottom of the garden lead down to a small stretch of beach and a second pavilion right above the water, so the day drifts from pool to sand with no effort at all. Both bedrooms have king beds, air conditioning and their own bathrooms, with glass walls framing the garden and the pool.

Lovina moves at a gentler pace than the south, with black-sand beaches, local fishing boats and early-morning trips out to see the dolphins that feed off this coast. It makes a peaceful base for couples, a small family or two friends exploring northern Bali, from temples and markets to quiet days doing very little at all.