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If you’ve ever Googled Bali, then you’ve almost certainly seen the photos of the famous Gate of Heaven. Located at Lempuyang Temple, this is the island’s ultimate Instagram hotspot!
However, as it turns out, all is not as it seems at the Gate of Heaven. While we were living in Bali, we just had to go and check out this famous vantage point for ourselves, and although we enjoyed our visit, we can confirm that it’s definitely not for everyone.
In this review, we’re going to share our honest thoughts about the Gate of Heaven, and give you our insider tips on how to make sure your visit is worth it.
What is the Gate of Heaven: Lempuyang Temple?
Lempuyang Temple is an 11th-century temple in east Bali. It’s a 2-3 hour drive from most of Bali’s popular tourist areas, like Seminyak, Kuta, and Ubud, but thousands of travelers make the trip here each day to get the famous photo with the temple’s gates.
Nowadays, Lempuyang Temple is famous for its gate, which perfectly frames Mount Agung – aka Bali’s tallest volcano – in the background. So yeah, you could say it’s the ultimate photo spot!
But Pura Lempuyang is more than just an Insta hotspot for tourists. It’s actually one of the island’s most important religious sites. In fact, it’s a 7-temple complex that’s built across the slopes of Mount Lempuyang, so there’s a lot more to see here than just the Gate of Heaven. The climb to the top is actually said to represent the phases of spiritual ascent.
Lempuyang means “a God that shines a bright light”. This name comes from the fact that the temple is perfectly positioned to catch an epic sunrise each morning.
The truth about the reflection photo
Part of the reason the Gate of Heaven photo has become so famous is due to the reflection! It always looks as though the gates are hovering right above a still body of water, but in reality, this effect is created using a mirror.
Yup, there’s actually no water in front of the gates at all!
And this isn’t some secluded spot in the middle of nowhere, either. It’s a whole business operation! You have to buy a ticket and wait in line, then there’s a photographer in front of the gates who takes the photos using a mirror underneath his camera to get the reflection effect.
Our guide actually told us how this whole thing came about, which we found pretty interesting. Once, when the volcano erupted, news outlets were looking for places where they could go and snap photos from a safe distance, and the Lempuyang Temple was one of the best vantage points available. The journalists began flocking here to snap images of the eruption, and since this happened when the rainy season was in full swing, the area in front of the gate just happened to be flooded at the time. So the reflection effect was actually real at one point in time, even if it’s not anymore!
People saw the articles and tourists began coming here to recreate the photos for themselves. The Balinese figured out that this would be a good way to make money, only since the water in front of the gate wasn’t permanently there, they began using mirrors to recreate the reflection instead.
Nowadays, the area in front of the gate is actually paved and there’s proper drainage, so it doesn’t flood. But there’s always a photographer there with a mirror ready to go!
What I thought of our visit to Lempuyang Temple
Honestly… it was okay.
We loved the views of Mount Agung. In fact, this is one of the best vantage points in Bali to see the volcano, and the area is gorgeous. We enjoyed exploring the temple and the views from the cafes that are dotted around, but the Gate of Heaven itself is a bit of a tourist trap. Snapping the photo was probably our least favorite part of our visit!
Fortunately, we visited the temple on this tour and had a guide to help us out with getting the photo. This meant we had time to actually explore the temple and have breakfast while we waited, rather than just waiting in line for hours. And the Gate of Heaven was just one stop on our full-day adventure, so we’re glad we visited that way rather than driving 2-3 hours just to get a photo.
What is the best way to visit the Gate of Heaven: Lempuyang Temple
The temple is pretty but it’s also in a remote part of Bali, and to be honest, I don’t think it’s worth going out of your way just to see the Gate of Heaven. However, we visited on the Instagram tour that we did, so it ended up just being one stop on an awesome, full-day tour of Bali’s most photogenic hotspots.
We got to go to tons of cool places (our in-depth review of the Instagram tour spills all the details!), including a water temple, the famous jungle swing in Ubud, and an incredible waterfall hidden inside a cave. We’re so glad that we visited the Gate of Heaven this way, as it just wouldn’t have been worth doing it on our own.
Having a guide also meant that we had a great time at the temple, whereas most tourists who had come by themselves seemed pretty miserable – and understandably so. Our guide, Beni, got us there nice and early so that we could avoid the worst of the crowds, and he organized the whole photoshoot for us so that we didn’t have to queue for hours. (I’m not exaggerating here – that’s how long most people end up waiting for!).
Beni went to the kiosk and got our tickets for us, while we enjoyed breakfast and coffee in one of the temple’s cafes. So instead of having to work out which queue to join and waiting in line, we got to go and enjoy breakfast with a view at one of the temple’s cafes. We then had a wander around the grounds and didn’t need to worry about missing our turn, because Beni listened out for the numbers being called so that we could head up to the gate at just the right time.
We had a nice time, and got a cool photo without having to wait in line for ages, so as far as we’re concerned, the Instagram tour is definitely the best way to visit the Gate of Heaven.
Easily book the famous Bali Instagram tour we took here!
Related Read: If you’re interested in more of our favorite experiences, check out our favorite tours from Ubud that made us fall in love with Bali!
Is the Gate of Heaven: Lempuyang Temple Worth it?
I think it’s worth it if you visit as part of a broader tour that visits other places too. We enjoyed visiting the temple as part of the Instagram tour that we did, and the whole day was a blast. Thanks to Beni, we were able to get the most out of our time at the temple, and the photos are undeniably beautiful.
Still, driving all the way out to the temple by yourself and waiting in line for hours is way too much hassle, and is definitely not worth it. Seriously – an hour is the minimum wait time for the Gate of Heaven photo, but if you get here later on you could be looking at 3 hours or more. That’s just too long! So if you want to go, we highly recommend doing the Instagram tour that we took.
However, if you hate super touristy places and can’t stand Instagram hotspots, then the Gate of Heaven is not for you!
Where to Stay in Bali
Bali is full of stunning hotels – so many, in fact, that it can be hard to choose. The first step is deciding on which area suits you best and then selecting a hotel afterward.
There are three areas of Bali that we personally love and recommend to all of our friends. You can read about them below as well as our top hotel choice in each area!
Canggu
This is Bali’s trendiest area! This is where Dan and I stay whenever we are in Bali for an extended amount of time because of the lifestyle here. There are beautiful cafes on every corner, amazing restaurants and bars, and boutique shopping. It’s also close to the beach and has a great nightlife. This is the area where most expats base themselves in Bali, which creates the buzzing atmosphere that Canggu is known for.
Chesa Canggu is a boutique hotel within walking distance of Canggu’s best restaurants, bars, and beaches. Each room faces the outdoor pool and has a private bathroom, free WiFi, a TV, and a safety deposit box. Chesa has an onsite bar and restaurant and offers free parking for guests. The beds are super comfortable, and the staff always go out of their way to help you. Trust us, you won’t regret staying here!
Prices start as low as $124 USD per night and you can book online here.
Uluwatu
This is the perfect place to stay if you want a relaxing beach holiday! Uluwatu is a lot quieter than Canggu with a lot less traffic. The beaches here are amazing and some of the most beautiful on the island. There are also plenty of cafes, restaurants, and beach clubs here. We also love the closer proximity to the airport, making for a convenient stay if you’re only in Bali for a short time.
Anantara Uluwatu is a fantastic option for those looking to treat themselves during their stay in Uluwatu. It’s located right on the beach, so you’re guaranteed some amazing views. There are multiple restaurants and bars, an outdoor infinity pool, a spa, and a fitness center. Plus, each room comes with your own hot tub! The employees are super helpful, and the hotel has onsite activities like dance classes, ceramic-making, and yoga.
Prices range from $320 to $1,500 USD, and you can check rates and availability online here.
Ubud
Not a beach person? Then Ubud is for you! It is located inland, surrounded by lush jungle. The area is still quite trendy with plenty of cafes and restaurants, although the nightlife is a lot more limited. Ubud is where you can easily find nearby waterfalls, go whitewater rafting, ATVing, and all the other fun adventurous activities.
We stayed at Abipraya, which was super quiet and nestled into a tropical garden, about 10 minutes’ walk from the main town. The location was ideal for us and we loved the big swimming pool overlooking the rice fields, as well as the open and airy feel that the rooms had.
Prices start at around $50 USD per night, which includes breakfast, so it was a really good budget option. Book Abipraya here!
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance!
If you’re looking to save money on travel insurance, we currently use and recommend SafetyWing. We’ve been using their coverage since 2018 and they’ve had our backs when we needed emergency flights and got sick overseas.
SafetyWing is one of the cheapest providers out there and covers everything from medical costs to lost luggage, travel delays, and emergency flights. A huge difference we’ve found between them and other companies is that they let you take out a policy AFTER leaving your home country. We’ve also found it handy that it’s a monthly payment rather than a lump sum, and you can get a refund for unused time.
SafetyWing has helped us out in some scary situations before and their affordable coverage has given us peace of mind. You can read our honest review of SafetyWing for all the pros and cons.
Thanks for reading!
Lempuyang Temple is beautiful, but if you’re going for only the iconic photo, it’s not worth making the trip on your own. We recommend visiting as part of a tour so you’re not stuck waiting in line for hours and then you have other amazing stops planned on the same day!
If this blog was helpful, have a look through all our blogs on Bali for more travel advice and inspiration. I also put a few more of our reviews on activities in Bali below!
The Best Ubud Tour – My Honest Review and Who Should Do This Tour!