Hidden Secret of the Gate of Heaven ~ Bali

Instagram vs. reality is a trend that started a few years ago showcasing that social media may not be real life. Those perfect pictures on Instagram are not what influencers look like 24/7. The Gate of Heaven is a great example of this trend.

First of all the Gate of Heaven does have a beautiful background of Agung volcano, Bali’s largest volcano. However the pool of water that is seen in most pictures (including mine above) does not exist. I didn’t do a lot of research before this trip, so when I got there, and there was no water, I was confused. Instead I saw the photographer holding up a mirror against the camera to create the water illusion. While the picture is very beautiful, it’s a fake representation of the gates of Lempuyang Temple. Tourists are skewing the image of a historical landmark and taking away from the spiritual temple.

The second secret of Gate of Heaven is the time it takes to get the ultimate Gate of Heaven picture. Tours leave Ubud, Bali around 4:30 AM to make the 2.5 hour drive to Lempuyang Temple. Once you arrive at the temple, you get a number for the Gate of Heaven picture queue. When we arrived, they were shooting #24, and we were #92. We waited about 2 hours for our turn. When it was our turn, the local Balinese man held a mirror up to my phone camera and took over 200 pictures in a 2 minute span. He would yell out “next pose” as we took group shots, and individual pictures. While there is no entrance fee to the temple, there are donation boxes.

As we enter a new year ~ a new decade ~ remember to take a step back and not constantly compare your life to social media. It’s easy to get swept away looking a perfect photos of influencers, but a picture speaks a thousand words. It may not be what it seems. Wishing happiness to all in 2020 ♥

The East Bali Tour from Viator is what I booked to get to Gate of Heaven.