A beautiful place located just off the road. Peaceful, colorful, and incredibly charming. A very vast area with many nooks and crannies that many people overlook. It's worth buying fish food at the local stalls. It's quite crowded, but the place is worth visiting for its unique charm. Paid parking is available on-site, with plenty of spaces. Restaurants serving good food and quick service are located both on-site and nearby, and prices are practically the same as everywhere else.

Tirta Gangga, the famous “Water Palace” in East Bali, feels like stepping into a dream woven from water, stone, and sunlight. Built by the royal family of Karangasem, this place is surrounded by lush gardens, clear ponds, and sacred springs that shimmer under the Balinese sky. 🌿 The stone paths float gently over the water, and as you step from one lotus-shaped stone to another, koi fish swirl gracefully beneath your feet. Every ripple feels alive — like time moves slower here. The sound of trickling fountains and the scent of blooming flowers make it a perfect escape from the world outside. There’s a quiet peace in this place — a balance between human art and nature’s beauty. You can sit by the pond, dip your fingers into the cool water, and feel a sense of calm that words can barely describe. It’s not just a sightseeing spot; it’s a place where your soul takes a deep breath. 🌸

This was an absolutely beautiful and historic location that feels like stepping into a living postcard. The grounds are impeccably kept, with vibrant plants and flowers adding to the serene atmosphere. There are endless opportunities for stunning photos, including the famous Instagram-worthy stepping stone area, which surprisingly did not have too long of a line even during the busy season. The small museum on-site was both informative and interesting, giving context to the rich history of the site. Visitors were respectful and courteous, which made the experience even more enjoyable. This is a must-see stop for anyone looking to enjoy Balinese culture, history, and breathtaking scenery all in one visit.

We visited Tirta Gangga as part of our East Bali Tour programme. This is a very well maintained and clean place, which was used as a former water palace. We learned it was named after the sacred river Ganges in India. You can hop on and walk on stones to cross the ponds. There are so many well-fed and big koi fishes in ponds that look lovely. We had also visited Ubud Water Palace before, Tirta Gangga is bigger than that so it was worth visiting. There is also a cafe & restaurant you can sit and relax.

I visited Tirta Gangga and it was truly a sight to behold. This former royal water palace is incredibly scenic — a gorgeous blend of tranquil pools, flowing fountains, lush gardens, and traditional stone statues. Everywhere you turn feels like stepping into a postcard. The grounds are beautifully laid out, with stepping stones that take you across the water and let you wander right through the ponds surrounded by koi fish. It’s peaceful and elegant, with a charming, almost dream-like atmosphere that makes you want to take your time exploring every corner. Tirta Gangga is also full of photo opportunities. From the famous stepping stones to the ornate structures and beautifully landscaped gardens, there’s no shortage of stunning backdrops. Whether you’re looking for serene scenery or iconic Bali shots, you’ll definitely find them here. Overall, Tirta Gangga is a must-visit if you enjoy history, culture, and beautiful landscapes. It offers a perfect mix of calm, beauty, and just enough adventure as you hop stone-to-stone through the water. A truly picturesque stop and one of Bali’s most charming sites.

Stopped here as part of our East Bali tour and it was beautiful! The fish are huge and really beautiful to look at. Great place to take some photos and just enjoy the scenery. Definitely would recommend a stop here.

Thankfully not too many tourists with our schedule, so it was easy to capture and create some lovely memories. Hot day, food and drinks were reasonably priced. Organised to leave our travel bags with a local restaurant (after taking out our wallets) for 50.000rp, with the promise to buy a drink later too. All good. Fun to feed the fat fish !

Tourist Trap – Gates of Heaven at Lempuyang Temple Getting here from Ubud takes about 2–3 hours. Once you arrive at the temple, you’re not allowed to drive up with your own car. Instead, you’re forced to take a shuttle bus, which costs 50k IDR per person. However, the shuttle doesn’t take you all the way up to the temple either—you’ll then be directed to motorbike taxis for another 20k IDR per person. You can walk instead, since the distance isn’t too far, but they’ll tell you it is just to convince you to pay. Entrance costs 70k IDR per person. Be prepared to pay for absolutely everything here, usually at prices about 70% higher than normal. For example, a simple bottle of water is 10k IDR. Even the toilets aren’t free, and in some cafés you might be told there are no toilets available at all. With your entrance ticket, you’ll receive a queue number to take photos at the famous “Gates of Heaven.” Waiting time for your turn can be anywhere from 2 to 4 hours. The view is indeed beautiful, but almost nobody actually takes the time to enjoy it—most people are here just to get photos for social media. If you’re genuinely looking to visit a historic temple, this is not the right place for you. The local people here are unfortunately not welcoming; in fact, some can come across as quite rude, seeing visitors only as a source of money. It feels like a poorly managed tourist trap rather than a spiritual site. Honestly, I would not recommend supporting it.

Penataran Agung Lempuyang Temple is a stunning and culturally rich site, and it truly breaks my heart to give only 3 stars. The staff are incredibly friendly and helpful, and the grounds offer countless photo opportunities, including the world‑famous “Heaven’s Gate” view with the mountains perfectly framed behind you. The experience is very well organized with a fair system for guests, calling numbers for photo turns and providing a photographer who uses your phone and a mirror to create that iconic reflection effect. The reason for the lower rating is the wait. Unless you arrive by around 5 a.m., you can expect to wait anywhere from 2 to 6 hours for your turn at the main photo spot. For many visitors this makes the visit exhausting and limits the time you have to enjoy the temple itself. It is still worth seeing for the beauty and cultural experience, but the long wait keeps it from being the magical stop it could be.

Its a beautiful temple, no doubt. But felt like a tourist trap. If you want to snap your artificially mirrored picture of you at gates, its a long wait. I recommend going early. If you are lucky you can see the mountain behind the gates. It can get foggy and misty in the early hours. However, the queue system is well organised and everyone can go home happy with their Instagramable picture at the gates.

Is a beautiful turist spot in Bali . You can’t coming here without visiting this Temple . But be prepared to wait in line for 1 1/2 to 2 hours to take the picture at tue beautiful doors with the Volcano behind.! Getting there is to a long trip because traffic is a nightmare in Bali . … but is a nice view and you quill not regret.!

This has sadly become the check box for your Bali trip. So much so like if you haven't taken those special photos at Lempuyang then your trip is incomplete. The peer pressure for social media acceptance is just unreal. The temple and the location is undeniably beautiful. The journey from Ubud or Kuta should take 2-3 hours respectively. However as you may have read in most of the other reviews; the only and only factor is the constant expenditure that you have endure in terms of entrance tickets, shuttle fare, snacks, water etc. The pictures that you see in the all the reviews are the same. There is hardly much to see around if you are going there for those photos. I just wonder who came up with that reflection trick in the first place. This phenomenon has transformed the photo clicking business across Bali. Now it is a multi-million dollar industry. Sarcasm aside; Lempuyang temple is worth visiting. The shuttle ride will be one hell of a roller coaster ride. You can admire the skill of the shuttle drivers on those steep slopes. Food and refreshment facilities are limited. You will need to spend money at the nearby shops for everything that you need while you wait for 2-3 hours for your turn.

This temple 🛕review is going to be a hit 🎯and miss 😖, here’s my honest review 📝. To get 🚶‍♀️to Penataran Agung Lempuyang Temple 🛕, you firstly have to park at a common Carpark 🅿️. (See my pics 📸) At this common carpark, you will need to pay 💵 Rp$50,000 to take a bus 🚌up to the hill ⛰️top where the temple 🛕 is actually located. This is a very steep climb 🧗on a meandering road 🏘️, well over 2km, you cannot 🙈⛔️ possibly consider walking 🚶‍♀️🚶up with all the buses 🚌🚍🚎 running at full speed. You will be reminded at this point that women 👩🏻‍🦳👩🏼‍🦰👱🏼‍♀️within their menstrual cycle 🩸will not allowed 🚫 into the temple 🛕. (*With this in mind 🤨, if you are having your period, you can skip this visit completely. Do not contaminate consecrated ground 😔.) Once you get to the top 🔝, you will have to pay 💵 another Rp$70,000 to walk up to the temple. And that’s where they will tell you, in-order to take the famous picture 📸 of the Gates ⛩️ of Heaven, the wait time ⏳ is 2-3hrs.  The walk will take another 10mins from ticket counter to get to the top. Once you are at the top, you can collect a queue ticket 🎟️ and wait for your turn to be called 🗣️ on the loud 📣 speakers and have your photos taken at the gates ⛩️. In-between that, most people walk around, take more pictures and video 📹, or rent the traditional costume 🥻👘👗for another Rp$750,000. Thoughts 🧐 are … the view up there is truly breathtaking 😎. You will get a view like no other heading for miles and miles, it’s pretty amazing. 🌟✨⭐️ The Gates to Heaven will make a perfect IG photo opportunity and that is really beautiful too especially, if it is a clear ☀️ day and the mountain 🗻behind comes out clearly. However, the long wait is something to consider 🧐 and also that short climb from carpark 🅿️ to the temple main door is very steep 🎢 and I think it will present difficulties to the wheelchair 👩‍🦽‍➡️folks and also those with walking 🚷 difficulties.

Beautiful experience with amazing views and great photo opportunities! To get the best out of it, make sure to wake up early, this place gets crowded fast. The photo queue can be long, so the earlier you arrive, the earlier your token number. Each person gets 4 poses, and the staff take the photos using your own phone. Definitely worth the early start for such a unique and iconic spot!

This place was great! We came here at around 14:00. It was not busy at all, there was one couple in front of us and after a while a few people were behind us. We had to wait just a few minutes to take pictures. The spots were great! The gate looked amazing, a much better alternative for the popular gate close by. The pictures the guy at the gate took were included in the price. He took a lot of pictures. He uses a mirror thing to create the mirror effect. The road to get to this place was much scarier than we thought, because it's so high up. For the last bit, we had to take a shuttle bus.

A Breathtaking Hidden Gem - Absolutely Worth It! Lahangan Sweet is an absolute hidden gem and worth every rupiah of the 100,000 IDR entrance fee (plus a small 3,000 IDR for scooter parking). We highly recommend this spot for anyone looking for stunning, unobstructed views without the massive crowds of other more famous viewpoints. The main attraction is the spectacular panoramic view of the majestic Mount Agung. The landscape is simply breathtaking. What makes it even better is that it wasn't crowded at all. We arrived in the morning and there were only 4-5 other couples, which made the experience feel private and peaceful. For an additional 50,000 IDR, you can pay a local photographer for the iconic mirror reflection photo with Agung in the background. This might be an excellent investment to get a perfect, professional-looking shot without having to wait in a long queue for hours, which is often the case at other popular photo spots in Bali. Is definitely a better option than Lempuyang Temple! If you want impressive photos and a serene atmosphere away from the hustle and bustle, Lahangan Sweet is the perfect choice. A highly recommended highlight of our trip

The best. Mount Agung view was majestic and extraordinary. The visit is worth trust me. The staffs were friendly and took multiple photos of us. We simple spent some time in the bean bag there with a view. A treat to your eyes. When you are in Amed. Don’t think about it twice just go there. The road was good, we travelled all the way with our scooter. The mirror shot of gate heaven is beautiful which is as same as Lempuyang Temple which I totally skipped and spend the entire afternoon here. Must go place if you are in east bali.

Traveling during the rainy season has its perks — hardly anyone around, which made the experience feel extra special. Getting here was quite the journey: narrow, winding, and steep roads that tested my driver’s driving skills, but once we arrive… wow. The views are absolutely breathtaking! The local staff are incredibly friendly and talented — they know all the best photo angles and poses “Look up! Cross your legs! Now turn around!” It was such a fun and memorable part of the visit, and they work on a donation basis, which felt very fair for the amazing shots they took. At the top, there’s a small warung where you can grab drinks and food, and the bathroom facilities were clean and well maintained. Highly recommend if you're up for a bit of adventure and want to enjoy stunning scenery without the crowds!

Lahangan Sweet is quite far from Denpasar city. I recommend going by car with strong gears, as the road up can be challenging. Before reaching the spot, visitors need to take a jeep – it’s best to use the jeep service as hiking up can be very tiring. Once at the top, the view is absolutely stunning, with Mount Agung as the backdrop. It’s truly worth it for the photos and the overall experience. For Muslim visitors, prayer facilities are limited. You can request water from nearby food vendors for ablution and perform your prayers at one of the small huts available. Overall, despite being far from Bali city, Lahangan Sweet is definitely worth visiting for its breathtaking scenery. The guides here are also very helpful, often offering to be your personal photographer. Basic facilities like toilets and small food stalls are available, although sometimes the shops may be closed.

This is honestly worth the trip if you are in the area. You don’t need a fancy scooter, the roads are perfectly fine… it is a steep ride with a few pots holes and there are hairpin turns but nothing dangerous if you are careful. There was cloud coverage over Mount Agung when I visited but it was still very scenic on both sides with the view down to Amed and sea beyond being particularly pretty. I paid 3k at the bottom and another 100k at the top. A little on the expensive side for Bali.

Lahangan Sweet is definitely worth the visit. It’s not overcrowded, which makes the experience peaceful and relaxing. Located a few hours’ drive from Ubud, it takes some effort to get here, but the view of Mount Agung and the surrounding landscape is absolutely stunning. There are professional photographers on site to help capture amazing shots. A calm and beautiful spot for unforgettable photos and moments.

The Decline of Bali: A Traveler’s Disillusionment For years, Bali has been hailed as a tropical paradise, a land of pristine beaches, lush jungles, and a vibrant Hindu culture that sets it apart from the rest of Indonesia. However, the Bali of today is a far cry from the idyllic escape it once was. After seven visits over the past decade, I have witnessed firsthand the gradual yet undeniable decline of the island. The Deterioration of Cleanliness and Beauty Bali was once known for its serene landscapes and immaculate beaches, but those days seem to be slipping away. Once-pristine locations like Amed, which previously promised a tranquil retreat from the island’s busier hubs, now resemble an open landfill. Litter is scattered across beaches and roadsides, with little to no enforcement of cleanliness regulations. Coral reefs, once teeming with marine life, are now suffering from neglect, pollution, and unregulated tourism. The lack of sustainable waste management and growing disregard for environmental conservation have turned once-breathtaking coastlines into polluted stretches of land. The Decline of Hindu Culture Amongst the Youth Bali’s distinct Hindu culture was once one of its most captivating elements, offering visitors a deep sense of spirituality and tradition. However, amongst the younger generation, there appears to be a waning connection to their heritage. Increasing commercialization and a growing focus on tourism revenue over cultural preservation have led to a dilution of Bali’s rich traditions. Authentic religious practices now often serve as mere tourist attractions rather than deeply revered customs. While temples still stand as testaments to Bali’s heritage, the essence of devotion and tradition seems to be fading among the youth. Overinflated Prices: Bali vs. Australia One of the biggest shifts in Bali over the past decade has been its pricing. What was once a budget-friendly paradise is now priced at nearly the same level as Australia. With the Indonesian government imposing additional levies, cleanliness charges, and a staggering 21% tax on services, a trip to Bali is no longer the affordable getaway it used to be. What’s more frustrating is that these higher prices rarely translate to better service or improved infrastructure. In places like Amed, where basic cleanliness and road maintenance should be a given, visitors are instead met with broken roads, rampant construction, and exorbitant pricing that offers little value. Amed’s Rapid Downfall: A Lost Potential A few years ago, Amed held the promise of being a peaceful retreat away from the over-commercialized areas of Bali. With its volcanic beaches and relatively untouched charm, it attracted those looking for a quieter escape. However, in just a short time, Amed has transformed into an unregulated, chaotic mess. The once-promising snorkeling spots have been replaced with artificial attractions, while locals have effectively monopolized beach access, making it nearly impossible to find a genuinely natural experience. Despite these deteriorations, prices have skyrocketed to match European standards, with little justification. Rampant construction continues to erode the area’s ecological integrity, turning what was once a hidden gem into an environmental nightmare.

Amed is a beautiful sleepy fisherman's village with great volcanic sand beaches and a view of Mt Agung - an active volcano situated in East Bali in the Karangasem Regency

Most of the tourist don't go Amed but its one of the best places in Bali. If you have enough time, you should definitely go and chill.

Locals in Amed are wonderful people in whom I have complete faith. Relaxed area with many hidden treasures in the ocean and on land. Ideal for a family with children.

Probably the best place in Bali for snorkeling.

Sunrise before our fishing trip.

Heaven

Cool and clearish water. Waves are calm but pick up quickly in a storm. There are loads of boats parked on the sand so you have to manoeuvre around them which can be very annoying, especially in the high tide. Absolutely stunning views of Mt Agung during clear sky’s, and there are lots of great local warungs along the beach

Not much beach during high tide and it's a little shameful that the people litter so much but a great area for diving and snorkeling.

We're in a new place - on the east coast of Bali, in Amed. Amed is quiet, almost deserted, and perfect for escaping the noise. Among tourists, we've met only a few couples and families. It's a very charming place - I fell in love with it right away. But staying here turned out to be quite challenging: everyone seems to know everything about everyone, and every step attracts attention. Since almost nothing happens here, people seem to entertain themselves this way. There are endless questions - from everyone, everywhere. Even the villa check-in form asked: Where are you from? Where are you going next? Amed is small, observant, curious — but still, it has its own warmth and quiet truth. #Amed

The beach is not easy to access and there is a lot of rocks… No body is going in the sea…However there are one or two restaurants where you can seat on the beach or lay down in transats

Not too shabby, plenty of nice coral and life to see, especially around the sunset point cliff area. Gets very deep quickly, but plenty to see in the shallows, explore the black sandy area, especially at night for cryptic critters. Dolphins also come through. Lots of rubbish.. sigh

It's supposed to be a new hotel. Mould in the bathroom. Hot water ran out after 40 seconds. The staff have no experience and unable to assit in anything else than what the hotel.offers. they tried to charge us for breakfasts when it was included in price. We paid for a family room, 2 adults, and 2 children. and there was inly a gueen bed and a sofa. The toilet leaked so the bathroom floor was always wet and slippery. Tiny breakfast. Upper floors around pool and restaurant. Empty bottles and dishes laid around. And never picked until the next morning. We always had to ask for service as the staff just had in the kitchen. We will never return.

The beach is full of plastic and rubbish. When you snorkel, there is plastic everywhere. The local fishermen put plastic water cups, plastic bags and all their left over string Into the sea. They even do a daily Puja (Hindu prayer) for each of the thousands of boats where they put an offering IN A PLASTIC BAG!!!) into the sea. And the fishermen rely on the tourists for fishing and snorkeling trips?!!! And the whole local community relies on the tourist industry! Crazy! And yet they fill the sea with plastic! Are these people ignorant or stupid? The only areas of the beach that are not filled with plastic are the stretches where there are expensive resorts and no local fishing boats! I will not come back to Amad, again.

Only popped in for a couple of cold beers. Service was ok, no stubbie holders. My beer was flat, so I'm guessing it has been frozen at some point. 40k IDR per beer is very expensive for Amed unless it's in a prime location like Sunset point. It's still a nice beach front Warung but too expensive. We won't be back.

Geat food, I had super curry with fish, vegetaboes and rise. So good. And the fresh fruit juices are si nice with a lot of fruit. The Bali local dishes are also great, we had local fish. Great that like other places they keep on going mostly Bali and Indonesian food and not trying to imitate western.

Easily the best fish we've had in Bali! The curry was also very tasty, and we loved the lak lak. Even the juices (one watermelon, one banana mango) were delicious, way better than what we had previously.

Seafront seats in a quiet location. The grilled fish was delicious. We feel that the amount of vegetables provided as the side dish could be a bit bigger.

We found this fabulous warung on the beach our first day and we've been back every day since! They have authentic Balinese dishes which are delicious, would recommend the grilled prawns, the curries, the fish in banana leaf... All yummy. Met Ketut today, one of the chefs and she was so friendly.

Actually we just choose random place and finally we are so happy to have dinner in the great place and tasty food. The staff are really nice. Best time on sunset time, you can enjoy the food even able to swim/snorkeling in front of the restaurant.

Yes a great place for a meal right by the beach 🏖️ Beer was cold , great on a very hot day Service good & staff friendly but didn’t like staff smoking close by while they were cleaning Food was beautiful as I’ve tasted food all over Bali I think their lumpia are the best or very close Prices reasonable Great place anytime for a meal

The food and the venue are impeccable and wonderful. The butter sauce was heavenly with the fish and the Mie goreng was as it should be. If there weren't naughty cats around the table it would be a perfect place.

Our favourite ! Sometimes the small restaurants on the beach don't pay for a mine but the detour is really worth it! We went there like 10 times in a week and never disappointed ! The food is amazing (and fresh!) and everyone’s perfect here. If I can give you a recommendation : grilled fish with butter sauce, trust me 🙏🏼

7 minutes after ordering, they served fish, rice and vegetables and hot black tea, it was very tasty. The cute red cat-neighbor also tried the fish.

Great place to eat and chill with the sea view. Food was awesome, staff were polite, prices were reasonable.

My favorite place in Amed to have dinner during the sunset. The fish is amazing, I really recommend the butter sauce or with vegetable.

The only warung with “real” grilled fish; DO NOT bargain, their prices are reasonable and the family running the warung is very friendly 🙏 astungkare blessed them🙏 don’t forget to have the Balinese Arak (local alcohol) 🍷

Really nice Indonesian restaurant on the beach. Fish, tempe and laklak were really tasty and the staff so welcoming and helpful !!!

Staff was warm and friendly. Nice decoration and layout with beautiful view. We took the tenderloin, it was delicious (the purée was a bit small but savory). A bit more attention to the service. We booked a table for 2 people asking precisely for a nice view but they forgot to book us a table. Other than that, 100% recommend :)

Great view great ambience and decorated very nicely. Our server was Sukani, and she looked after us. We had a tenderloin and salmon.both were lovely and cooked right. We will definitely come back again. Thanks Mathis Lodge 🫶👍

What a beautiful place with delicious food. Heni was amazing at the restaurant very caring and professional. Amazing views. Ask Mathis shuttle to pick you up at the pick up point. Definitely worth the trip up. We had breakfast, lunch and dinner here. Everything was great. The chocolate mousse was delicious.

We stayed at Mathis Lodge for 2 nights and had several breakfasts / dinners at Asmat restaurant. We were very happy with the quality of the food and drinks and especially with the very kind and friendly service staff. In addition, the location is just beautiful with great views on the ocean. We will definitely come back and recommend this place to everyone. Thank you! 🙏🏻

We had a great stay in the hotel and therefore we were able to enjoy the restaurant several times. The hotel, the view, the food and the staff are all worth the adventures trip up the mountain. Especially the staff, they bring this place to life. For the vegetarians/vegans they have many Indonesian and western options for us too :)

Food disappointed. Tuna starter was tasteless and not very pretty. Drink didn't have half of ingredients stated in the menu. Panacota was ok, good consistency but kinda soulless. Just sweet. Though the view and atmosphere was very nice. And the road there was so much fun (be careful on a bike, half of the road is steep and rocky)

Great food and atmosphere. Had one of our dinners here during our honeymoon trip, and they were very accommodating. If you’re not staying at Mathis Lodge, they will provide a shuttle bus close to the main road to take you to their restaurant. Thank you for the experience!