6 Alternatives to Bali's Gates of Heaven at Pura Lempuyang

After spending almost four years in Bali, we've done just about everything there is to do on the island... except stand in line for that photo at the famous Gates of Heaven at Lempuyang Temple!

Pura Lempuyang is one of the most important temples in Bali, known for its iconic "candi bentar", aka Balinese split gates, that stand at the temple's entrance, perfectly positioned with a view of mighty Mount Agung (Bali's largest volcano).

Nicknamed the "Gates of Heaven," the site has become a famous photo spot and one of Bali’s most visited and crowded attractions. It's now so busy that you can end up waiting 3-4 hours for a photo... which is exactly why we chose not to waste our time here.

But that doesn't mean we've never taken a Balinese split gate photo. Instead, we discovered many quieter temples and attractions across Bali where we could take a similar photo instead. Here's our full guide with 5 alternative photo spots to the gates at Pura Lempuyang.

1. Lahangan Sweet, East Bali

There's a large Balinese split gate, which frames the towering volcano opposite, as well as a dozen or so other photo spots, including a cool treetop lookout (our favourite!), a swing, and floating heart-shaped platforms.

Just a short distance from the famous Lempuyang Temple in East Bali, Lahangan Sweet is one of our favourite alternatives to the Gates of Heaven. The nearby viewpoint features a series of photo spots with sweeping views over Mount Agung from the top of a neighbouring mountain.

On our latest visit, we paid an entrance fee of 100,000 IDR ⓘ, which included the return shuttle up and down the hill and got us access to all photo spots other than the swing (extra fee when open).

At each spot, there were staff members helping take photos and videos. They knew exactly how to pose us for some fantastic Insta-worthy photos. At the split gates, they even had the infamous mirror from the Gates of Heaven to create the iconic reflection shot.

Also at the top was a small warung selling drinks and snacks. After taking plenty of photos, we grabbed a couple of fresh coconuts and soaked in the beautiful view for a while as the sun set over the valley.

It wasn’t too busy, and we never had to wait more than a few minutes for any of the photo spots. But we have a feeling that it will become more of a tourist hotspot over the coming years. So head there soon before it gets too busy!

The road up to Lahangan Sweet is steep and winding. When we visited a few years ago, we were able to drive our own scooter almost to the top, which was tough on the bumpy road. But they seem to have stopped allowing this now and made the shuttle to the top from the lower parking area compulsory for all visitors.

2. Handara Gate, Bedugul

Handara Gate is the grand entrance to a luxury hotel and golf resort in Bedugul, a lovely lakeside town in Bali's central highlands. It used to be the best alternative to the Gates of Heaven, until everyone found out about it, and now it can get fairly crowded too.

While not an authentic temple gate, the Handara Gate has an ancient and imposing appearance, with a dark facade covered in moss and surrounded by greenery and small shrines. It's one of the prettiest in my opinion.

There’s a charge of 50,000 IDR ⓘ per person to take photos here, plus 5,000 IDR for parking. We had to pay and collect a ticket from the small booth in the parking area before heading to the gate.

We last visited off-peak and still had to wait around 30 minutes to take a photo. During peak times (the middle of the day due to daytrippers), this can easily increase to an hour or so. Still, it's better than Pura Lempuyang’s 3-4 hour wait!

A staff member at the gate can help you take photos for an extra 10,000 IDR ⓘ, although we choose to take photos of each other instead. There's even a mirror so you can recreate the famous gate reflection photos all over Instagram.

3. Amarta Restaurant, Nusa Penida

Over on Nusa Penida, Amarta was already one of our favourite restaurants on the island, with its fantastic Mediterranean food menu and stunning infinity pool, and now they've installed their very own set of traditional Balinese gates.

The large split gates sit right on the cliff edge, facing the ocean and mainland Bali. Just like the Gates of Heaven, they have a great view of Mount Agung, perfectly positioned in the background - although it was a bit too cloudy to see the volcano on the day we visited!

Plus, our favourite thing about Amarta is that you don't just come to snap a photo and go. We love sticking around for dinner and drinks too! The all-day menu features many delicious dishes, from Western-style brunch to fresh seafood, grilled meats, and homemade pasta and pizza.

Even if you don't come for a full meal, it's still a great place to enjoy the sunset with a drink or two. On our last visit, we ordered cocktails and the dreamiest Basque cheese cake we've ever tried in Bali.

Seating options include tables, day beds, and tiered seating with a scenic view over the water. There's also a small two-tired infinity pool to the side of the restaurant that's the perfect spot for a sunset soak.

4. Sang Hyang Ambu Gates, East Bali

Sang Hyang Ambu Gates may not look like traditional Balinese gates, but they do mark the entrance to a local temple. Having only been built a few years ago, the gates form part of a new path leading up Sang Hyang Ambu Hill to Gumang Temple in East Bali.

The path was built to allow larger ceremonies to take place at the temple, while the gates were added as a gift to the local people who maintain the temple. Thanks to its unique style, it's now becoming a top attraction in East Bali.

The design combines ancient Balinese architecture with a Stone Age influence. The circles in its design are said to represent continuous life. Sang Hyang Ambu is also known as "Gates of Moksha," meaning "Gates of Heaven," which represents the liberation of the soul from the cycle of birth and death.

The gates sit just beside the main road and are free to visit if you just want to take photos from the bottom. We rented a sarong from the locals at the entrance (compulsory) and walked up to the shrine at the top of the hill, which had pretty views over the coastline but wasn't a must-do.

It’s also not just tourists who enjoy these particular gates. Monkeys love to congregate in this area, so it’s a great place to see them in the wild. There are even locals selling bananas to feed the monkeys. Just watch out for any loose belongings!

5. The Bloom Gardens, Bedugul

The Bloom Gardens is a lovely flower garden in Bedugul with many colourful floral displays and themed areas.

The attraction is essentially one giant photo backdrop, with a large set of traditional Balinese gates, statues of Balinese gods, and all kinds of mythical creatures scattered throughout the gardens. There’s even a Balinese-inspired version of Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands.

While it’s not the most authentic cultural experience, we enjoyed exploring all the unusual attractions and snapping as many photos as we wanted. It's not a must-visit in Bali, but it's a fun place to spend a couple of hours strolling around with kids.

There were only a few other tourists in the entire park during our visit on a grey day, so we had plenty of time and space for photos at the Balinese gates and elsewhere.

The entrance fee was 40,000 IDR ⓘ per person, with optional extras like costume rental, strawberry picking, and ATV rides, which we didn't get.

6. Brahma Vihara Arama Temple, Lovina

Brahma Vihara Arama is Bali’s largest Buddhist temple and monastery. It's located in the very north of the island, close to the popular coastal town of Lovina.

While this is a Buddhist temple, the influence of Balinese Hinduism is clearly visible. Not least in the large Balinese-style candi bentar gates at the top of a long staircase at the centre of the temple.

Not only was this temple a great spot to get a gate photo without any crowds, but we also loved exploring the impressive complex. It had a real sense of peacefulness and tranquillity that's difficult to find at many other temples in Bali.

The temple also had a tall standing Buddha statue at its entrance, a circular three-tiered pagoda, and a small replica of Borobudur (one of the largest Buddhist temples in the world, found on the neighbouring island of Java).

We paid a small fee of 35,000 IDR ⓘ to visit Brahma Vihara Arama, with a 5,000 IDR parking charge. A free sarong is provided to use during your visit, and the friendly staff made sure we matched as a couple for some great photos together.