Lempuyang Temple, otherwise known to the Western world as The Gates of Heaven, is a popular destination for people visiting Bali. Home to one of the most sacred temples in Bali, the spot became popular over recent years as a result of a ‘photo-hack’ posted on Instagram. Since, thousands of people visit daily to recreate the same photo.
Of course, this sacred temple isn’t just about a viral photo, so hopefully you’ll see the beauty in visiting, just like I did.
How To Get To Gates Of Heaven Lempuyang Temple
The Gates of Heaven are located on Mount Lempuyang in East Bai. It is around 2 hours from Ubud and 2 and a half hours from the Canggu area. If you’re travelling during peak traffic hours, this could also add a significant amount of time to your journey.
If you want to stay locally, the best place to stay is the beach town, Amed.
My first experience at The Gates of Heaven was booked as part of a tour with Get Your Guide and they were absolutely incredible. They showed us exactly where to go and walked us through the process, waiting with us the whole time. Not only that but they also took the most INCREDIBLE photos and videos around the rest of the temple.
When To Visit Lempuyang Temple
If you want to make the most of the experience and you don’t want to spend hours queuing, the best time to get to the temple is between 6am – 7am. Although it may mean an early start and a long drive, this is the best way to ensure you maximise the time there and don’t have to spend too long lining up during the peak hours of the sun’s heat.
The temple is open from 7am – 5pm every day, so arriving just before opening will give you a chance to get everything you need sorted and get to the temple just before it opens.
How Much Does The Gates of Heaven Lempuyang Temple Cost?
There are a number of different costs associated with visiting The Gates of Heaven Lempuyang Temple – the cost of getting the shuttle to the gates, the cost of entry and the cost to hire a sarong if needed.
The shuttle to the gates costs roughly 40,000 IDR depending on the time of year you visit. Similarly, the entry to the temple can vary. In November, which is out of season, it was 50,000 IDR per person. In business seasons, my driver said it can be up to 70,000 – 100,ooo IDR per person.
If you need to hire a sarong it is 20,000 IDR.
What Do You Need To Wear?
Speaking of sarongs, Lempuyang is a religious and sacred temple so it is important you are dressed correctly in order to respect the Balinese culture.
This means you need to have both your legs and your shoulders covered.
Although you can wear something that covers your shoulders, even if you’re in a long dress, you will have to wear a sarong. You can take your own or you can hire one for 20,000 IDR.
There are a number of photos online where people are not wearing a sarong in their photos and this is incorrect. If you do this, staff will come up to you and make you delete the photos in front of them. I saw this happen while I was there and I am glad they have people there to enforce the rules. Similarly, if you remove your sarong at the gates, you will not be able to get your photo taken.
Is There Water At Lempuyang Temple? The Secret Behind The Photo
Whenever you see a photo of The Gates Of Heaven, chances are you’ll see someone posed perfectly between the gates, with their reflection below them. It look as though there is a huge pool of water in front of the gates, however, this is not the case. There are in fact people that sit in front of the gates taking your photo and using a mirror below the camera on your phone to create the illusion of a reflection.
How To Get The Viral Photo: The Process
When you arrive at the bottom of the temple and pay for your ticket, you will be given a number. This number is your ‘spot’ in the queue for photos. As you walk through the entrance and hand your ticket to members of staff there, you will be able hear what number the photographers are on as they shout it loud.
Note: you get one number per six people, so if you have a group bigger than that you will get more numbers.
Depending on the time you visit, you will have to queue to wait for your spot, or you will be able to freely wander around the rest of the temple. There are places you can sit in the shade, however, if it is busy you may not be able to get a spot.
If it is busy, you will not have long before you have to join the queue for your turn. They use the covers that are there to form a queue in the shade but as you get closer to your turn, you will have to wait in the sun for a short period of time.
Both times that I have visited the temple I have no had to queue and have been able to freely walk around the temple and view the other amazing areas. If you do this, make sure you listen out for your spot because if you’re not there on time, they will skip past you.
Your number will be called when the group in front of you is taking photos, giving you time to prepare.
Once the group is done, you will hand your phone to the person taking photographs and then walk up to the gates. Other people in your group can also take photos for you but they cannot use a mirror.
You will get a total of five poses in quick succession, so it’s best to plan these out before you go up to the gates.
One of the members of staff will shout ‘NEXT POSE’ to you, signalling it’s time to switch to your next pose. When it is your last shot, they will shout ‘LAST POSE’.
When you’re done, you can grab your phone back off of the person taking photos. Be sure to leave a tip.
If you’re in a group, each person will get a chance to do photos on their own as well as in a group.
What Poses Can You Do?
Most poses are okay but as this is a religious and sacred temple, there are a number of things you cannot do.
First of all, you cannot kiss. If you do this, the people taking your photo will shout next pose and you will lose that shot. Similarly, you cannot do any poses that are associated with yoga.
There are rules listed at the temple so if you’re unsure, it’s best to familiarise yourself with these before you choose what poses you’re going to do.
Is The Gates Of Heaven Lempuyang Temple Worth It?
Personally, I think it is, however I do not believe this is because of the viral photo.
The temple is an incredibly beautiful place and a place of cultural significance to Balinese locals and to be able to have the chance to visit is something that should not be taken for granted. Make sure that once you have your photo you spend some time truly exploring the temple and if you have a guide, spend some time with them learning why this place is so important.
If you have time after your photo, don’t forget to take in the incredible views of Mount Agung. This is a truly magnificent volcano and Mount Lempuyang is one of the best places to see if in all of its glory.
Are There Other Photo Opportunities At The Temple?
Yes, there are opportunities for photos within the temple, as well as at the bottom where you buy your tickets.
Within the temple you will see lots of people lining up to take a picture with the three staircases that lead up to the start of temple. These are located behind the gates, in the opposite direction to the view of Mount Agung. There are lots of places here you can take photos, or you can simply admire the beauty that is just the start of the 7 temples on Mount Lempuyang. If you want to go further, you can, however there are a total of 1200 steps to reach all 7 temples so bear this in mind.
As you head back down to the shuttle buses, you will notice a small stair case that leads up to a viewing platform. For 10,000 IDR you can enter this area and take advantage of three more photo opportunities,
This includes a swing, a bamboo structure and a ‘temple-like’ set up that’s in water. You do not need to wear your sarong for these photos and the staff there will also use a mirror to create the same effect as they do at the temple. This is worth it if you want a couple more photos and I actually love how some of mine turned out.
What Else Can You Do At The Temple?
Getting the ‘viral photo’ should not be the only thing you do when visiting The Gates of Heaven Lempuyang Temple. Make sure you take some time to explore the temple grounds and if you have the time, explore beyond the gates and further up Mount Lempuyang. There are lots of amazing temples around the island of Bali so if you’d like to explore more, check out this post.
What Facilities Are There?
As the temple has become increasingly more popular over the years, the facilities that are there have increased too. As you walk up the steep hill towards the entrance to the temple, you will come across a number of different toilet facilities. These are a mix of both western and asian facilities, with the best ones being at the bottom where you board the shuttles.
There are also lots of places to get food and drink, consisting of mainly water, coconuts and ice creams. There is no restaurant in the area but you can definitely pick up snacks.
Is Lempuyung Temple Accessible?
No, unfortunately it is not an accessible temple. This is for a number of reasons:
- There is no accessible way to get onto the shuttle buses.
- Once you arrive at the temple and purchase your ticket, there is a steep hill to the main entrance. This is not accessible and is a difficult climb. You can pay 20,000 IDR to get a scooter up this hill, however this is not accessible to everyone.
- To get to the bathroom facilities you usually have to go down a couple of steps. These bathrooms are then not accessible.
- At the entrance to the temple there are three small steps to get into the grounds.
- To get onto the platform where the photos are taken at the gates, there is a step up.
Visiting The Gates Of Heaven Lempuyung Temple is something you should definitely add to your list of things to do in Bali, but my best advice is to make sure you get there early and use the extra time you have to explore the true magnificence of the temple. You will not only get the Insta shot you want, but you’ll also get an insight into what makes this place so special to the locals.
