These days Lovina is empty of tourists, much like the rest of Bali. Solitary fishermen and dolphin guides roam the streets adjacent to the beach vying for a client among merely a handful of visitors who come down to the shore to catch a glimpse of nature at play. At Lovina Beach, a tall statue of a dolphin made of stone towers above the neighborhood reminding everyone of why they’re here.

The landscape looked almost surreal, sprawling green fields and plantations laid out for miles below us. Towering above them and overlooking the turquoise blue waters of Danau lake was the Batur Volcano.