Guide to Visiting Lempuyang Temple Bali

One of the most popular things to do in Bali is to visit Gate of Heaven. In this guide to visiting Lempuyang Temple Bali, I will cover everything about the popular spot. From what to wear, cost, what to do around there, wait times, alternative gates and the reality of those viral Instagram photos.

The nickname is very fitting seeing its location is seemingly within the clouds. I remember the first time I saw the photos on Instagram, they stopped me in tracks. I thought it was such a surreal place and was in awe. Did visiting the Temple meet my expectations? Keep reading to know my thoughts.

A brief history of Lempuyang Temple

A guide to visiting Lempuyang Temple Bali would be incomplete without its history. Pura Lempuyang as it is locally known is part of a historic Temple complex and the gates are locally know as candi betar. It is a Balinese Hindu Temple that was founded in the 11th century for religious teachings. The temple’s architectural style is Balinese and the highest of the Temples is one of the six holiest places of worship in Bali. It is also important to note that tourists are not allowed within the actual Temple.

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Guide to visiting Lempuyang Temple Bali: When is the best time to get to Gate of Heaven?

It really depends where in Bali you are coming from. We started our journey at 4am as we were travelling from Ubud. The journey was just over 2hrs and as we drove, we could see Bali already alive. Markets were open, the roads were busy and it literally felt like nobody had gone to bed the previous night. It was also interesting to see that a lot of the cars were heading to the same direction. We could tell we were all heading to the same location as we kept driving next to; and behind each other the whole journey.

We got there just after 6am and we could see that the car park was already filling up. Everyone seemed in a hurry to get out of their cars and rush to the next step of obtaining the entrance tickets. After getting our tickets to the bus shuttle, we boarded, and it was a 10 mins drive up the hill to the temple site. Once we arrived, we got our ticket numbers, and I was surprised to see we were no 76 lol. I think I was hoping to be in the first 25! We ended up waiting for about 2hrs 30 mins before our number was called, photos were taken in a minute and that was it. It was over before we even knew it.

First Impressions of Lempuyang Temple

After we picked our scarves and sarongs, we walked to a restaurant which everyone seemed to gravitate towards. There, in front of us was the great Mount Agung. It was our 1st sighting of the volcano that Bali is known for and what an epic view it was. We were so overwhelmed and I felt a little emotional tbh. The colours of the sky were so pretty in that moment as the sun was still getting ready to rise and left the most beautiful hues. The volcano looked like a painting in the sky and as the sun slowly rose, the experience was magical. At this point, I said to Mr E “Ok we can go home now” Haha

However, we had not seen THE gates yet. If this was the beginning of this experience, I knew I was going to have a lovely day. There are scooters offering to drive you up to the gates, but we decided to walk instead. After a very short walk, we got to the entrance, showed our tickets and walked in. Ok, I know everyone says it is overrated but to me, it was beautiful. To the left stood the beautiful “gate of heaven” and to the right were 3 rows of steps. I concentrated on the steps to the right and the carvings were incredibly stunning.

How to get to Lempuyang Temple

The famous temple is in Tista village, located in Abang District of Karangasem Regency.

There are so many excursions to Lempuyang Temple as it is one of the most popular things to do in Bali. However, we had a private driver who picked us up from our hotel and drove us to the Temple. This is in my opinion, is the most relaxed way to get there since you are starting the day quite early.

The most popular excursions to Lempuyang Temple:

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Guide to Visiting Lempuyang Temple Bali: FAQs

Is a visit to Lempuyang Temple worth it?

If you are an avid reader of my travel diaries, you already know my answer to this. So many people have warned against visiting Lempuyang Temple as it is not worth it to them. However, to me, it was very much worth it from start to finish. Immediately we confirmed our hotel, I knew it was one of the popular things to do in Bali that I was going to do too. I made the whole thing an experience and we enjoyed it. Yes, it is just another photo op but why not?! In reality, it is a really beautiful Temple. It is a historical and religious site, one of the most visited in Bali and you get to be up close to Mount Agung.

In short, Lempuyang Temple is very much worth visiting.

Why is Gate of Heaven so popular?

If I had an answer to this question, I’d probably be rich. When we got there, we definitely thought it was absolutely stunning. For me who loves to romanticise everything, I was in awe and kept thinking “oh wow I’m here at last”. But why though? Is it because social media has made us think it is THE place to visit in Bali? Let’s be honest, Bali is really stunning and filled with the most beautiful Temples. So I don’t know why this one stands out to the extent it does and has been for years. I don’t see the popularity dwindling anytime soon as well.

How far is Lempuyang Temple aka Gate of Heaven from Ubud?

The full journey is about 2hrs 30 mins from Ubud to Lempuyang Temple. It was just over 2hrs from our hotel, Udaya to the car park. Then, we bought our shuttle tickets, boarded the shuttle, and drove about 10 mins uphill to the Temple. It is important to note that there could be queues at the shuttle stop and this will add to the time. However, from my research, the queue is never too long. There are a lot of shuttles so there is always one available to go.

Can you visit Lempuyang Temple with kids?

This is one spot I don’t think I could have visited with my toddler. From the really early start to the long journey to the waiting around for a photo, I think it would have been too much for her. She would have become restless and irritable especially as her sleep would have been cut short.

That being said, I saw families with babies and young kids too so I guess it depends. Some families are used to adventure travel so this would be easier for them to navigate. However, don’t ask me how they did it as I’d like to know myself.

Even for teenagers, I think the waiting around would bore them. It is an experience you need patience for so that should be the factor used to determine your decision.

How much does it cost to visit Lempuyang Temple?

When we went, it was 70 000 IDR* per person and this fee included the reflective mirror shot. Our shuttle transfer from car park to the start point of the Temple was 45 000 IDR per person. We had to pay by cash so this is something to note.

Do I need to Book in advance to visit Gate of Heaven?

No. You just need to turn up and pay for everything from shuttle to entrance fee, on the spot.

What do I wear to Lempuyang Temple?

The rule is that your back and shoulders must be covered. Sarongs are offered to you; so it does not matter too much if you are not “properly” dressed. They are quite colourful and make for the perfect props for photos. I had read that you had to pay for them; however, they were offered free to us. There was someone collecting the sarongs afterwards.

Remember that is a Holy site after all and regardless of your faith/lack of, you must respect the culture and religion.

I wore a pair of linen trousers and a sleeveless top but I had my scarf ready to wear on my shoulders. However, when we got there, I opted to use the colourful sarong instead and loved how the photos turned out. A lot of people came there dressed up in pretty clothes so this is something to consider if you want the perfect photos.

The Lempuyang Temple Photo: Instagram vs Reality

I’m sure that by now, we all know that the photo with the water reflection is not real. There is a lovely guy who sits with a mirror and uses your phone (and some skill) to get that dreamy shot. I already knew about this so I was not expecting any different. This is something to note to avoid disappointment.

You can take whatever type of photo you want when you get there and shoot your videos too. However, you have to be quick. The water reflection photo is done for free; however there is a pot for donations if you feel like it.

Guide to Visiting Lempuyang Temple Bali: What to do around Gate of Heaven

Breakfast

To get there early, you would have most likely skipped breakfast. There is a big restaurant just before you walk up to the Temple that serves breakfast. When we got there at 6am, people were already sat at the tables, having full on meals. The great thing is that the waiters know what number is being called so they can estimate how long your wait will be.

Shopping

There are a few shops around this area – nothing too fancy. One of the shops sold souvenirs, another sold scarves. I don’t think I’d recommend buying much here as it is geared towards tourists but it is cute too look.

Visit a Café

This is what we did. We spotted a cute café just opposite the entry to the Temple and as it was time for our morning coffee anyway, we went there. The best thing about the café is that it had a rooftop terrace which overlooked the Temple. From there, we could see and hear what number they were on. We could also see the Mount Agung and it was just so beautiful.

Coffee was expensive (by Balinese standards); my latte was 50 000 IDR but for the views and vibe, it was perfect. We spent about an hour here until they were 3 numbers away from ours, and then made our way to the Temple.

Photos at Lempuyang Temple

This is the main reason for I’d say 95% of the Temple visitors. It is the ultimate Bali aesthetic and thanks to Instagram, is the place for that picture perfect Bali shot.

As you are so high up, you will see the clouds move. This means that the volcano will keep getting covered from time to time by the clouds. If you are lucky, when it is time for your photo, you will have a clear view of the mountain as backdrop. We were not so lucky and had the clouds; however, it was still stunning.

The photo call is very quick. As a couple, you can choose to take couple photos and also some singles as well. I think we were allowed 5 couple poses and then each of us could do 5 poses on our own. So make sure you have practiced your poses before you are called. You also must be ok with being centre of attention as everyone will be staring when you start posing. We even cheered some fantastic poses LOL

Are there any alternatives to Lempuyang Temple?

This is a really important question because not everyone has the patience to wait that long simple for a photo.

Alternatives to Lempuyang temple include:

Handara Gate

It is becoming a little popular now but not as intense as Lempuyang Temple. Handara gate is the entry to a luxury golf resort and tbh, it gets crowded too. Probably not as bad as Lempuyang but it is getting there. Entrance is 50 000 IDR per person which includes taking photos.

Lahangan Sweet

It is actually not far from Lempuyang Temple and quite beautiful in its own rights. It is possibly the closest alternative as it also overlooks Mount Agung and has the split gates. The staff there also do the iconic reflective mirror photo so you can get all that experience without having to wait hours. Entrance is also 50 000 IDR per person.

Sang Hyang Ambu

Not quite the split gates like the 2 above but a majestic gate that looks as empowering as the split ones as well. What is important to note is that it is free to visit so if you are east of Bali, check it out.

Travel Guide to visiting Lempuyang Temple Bali

I did wish we could just take our own photos and videos there. I mean, you can but you’re so rushed that it makes sense for the photo guys to do it with their filter. We wondered if there was a time you could come by and the men won’t be there as it is a full on business now. Personally, I like to do things at my own pace and I think that option gets robbed from you.

However, I’d advice that you enjoy the experience.

I am so glad we went and will recommend it to everyone who visits Bali. Even though the wait is long, the beautiful thing is that you are all there for the same reason. We ended up making friends with a solo travel girl, a couple from the US on their honeymoon and a family of 5. We knew the expectations, so nothing phased us.

As we were walking back to the car afterwards, I realised I was smiling and humming to myself.

I was that happy.

Bisous, Bugo x

* All costs valid as at time of publishing this post.