Lempuyang Temple sits on the steep slopes of Mount Lempuyang in Bali, with great views of the Mount Agung volcano in the distance, framed by a famous stone gate (dubbed the ‘Gates of Heaven’).
Sadly, the great view also means it draws crowds of tourists every day. There’s a queuing system now, and unless you get lucky, you may have to wait 1 hour or longer to get pictures taken at the gate here. It’s crazy.
If you’re seeking peace and quiet, the good news is that there are other temples in the Lempuyang complex (7 total) that you can visit by hiking further up the slope, and they aren’t crowded. They also have great views of the Agung volcano too, although not quite as iconic as the first gate.
If you do the full loop hike to all the temples it takes several hours, but the main temple with the famous gate and stairs is just a 5 minute walk from the parking area at Pura Lempuyang.
When I first visited Lempuyang as a solo traveler in 2017, it was completely empty except for a few locals. I was the only tourist! The social media effect has changed things rapidly.
We came back to Lempuyang during the 2020 Covid pandemic (when the Indonesia borders were closed and tourists were mostly gone from the country), and it was another rare opportunity to enjoy the temple without crowds.
Lempuyang is considered one of Bali’s most sacred Hindu temples, and I think it’s one of the most photogenic too. Even the stairs (above) are great for photos.
The Mirror Trick
You’ve probably seen pictures of this place on Instagram showing the gate and clouds with a perfect mirror-like reflection (the ‘Gates of Heaven’) over what seems to be water.
I hate to break it to you, but there is no pool of water here. Those reflection pics are all trick photos done with a pocket mirror. An ingenious local guy sits here all day and takes the same picture for everyone that comes through.
Still, that doesn’t make the photos look any less amazing, in my opinion! I say go for it, but consider giving the guy a little tip if he helps you take lots of nice photos.
Best Time To Visit
If you want the very best photos, you’ll want to come to Lempuyang before sunrise, when the Mount Agung volcano isn’t hidden by clouds yet.
There will already be lots of other tourists at that time, so you’ll need to arrive well before sunrise, probably around 5 or 5:30 AM. The Lempuyang Temple opens for visitors at 5:30 AM.
If you’re not so interested in photography and you’d rather just avoid the crowds and still get some good photos, then the best time to visit is in the afternoon, when most of the Instagram crowds have already left.
How To Get There
Lempuyang Temple is located in Karangasem, in the far eastern corner of Bali, Indonesia.
The best place to base yourself for this is the Amed coast, since it’s only a 30 minute drive to Lempuyang. If you start from touristy places like Ubud and Canggu in south Bali, it’s a full 2 hour drive to Lempuyang.
