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Travellers headed to one of Bali’s most popular locations have been complaining that the Bali beauty spot is a fake.
Visitors to the Gates of Heaven at Lempuyang Temple in Bali have taken to social media to express their disappointment over not finding any water when visiting one of the country's oldest religious sites.
As one of Bali's most-visited temples, Lempuyang attracts thousands of visitors every year. Many head here with the intention of getting the perfect travel picture to post on Instagram. A quick search for Lempuyang Temple on the photo-sharing app throws up over 40,000 pictures, many of which feature travellers standing between the temple's iconic gates with their reflection captured in the pools of water below.
Unfortunately for the hundreds of instagrammers queuing for hours each day to reach the tourist attraction, those pools are actually camera trickery and come courtesy of a man sitting below the gates holding a mirror.
Forbes editor Polina Marinova tweeted about her disappointment after travelling to Bali and visiting the temple.
Proof that Instagram influencers have ruined everything👇
— Polina (@polina_marinova) July 4, 2019
My hopes & dreams were shattered when I found out the “water” at the Gates of Heaven is actually just a piece of glass under an iPhone 😭 pic.twitter.com/oiahI5VCIo
She said that the illusion can be purchased for a donation of $1 to $2 dollars (up to Dh3 to Dh7).
Other travellers responded to Marinova’s tweet with Aldi Van Dort posting a picture of himself at the temple showing the lack of water and calling himself a ‘victim’.
But others have been quick to criticise these travellers pointing out that the temple was built long before Instagram – and that what's actually of importance is the history. The temple and its surrounding structures are believed to predate the majority of Hindu temples on the island of Bali.
Bali's Lempuyang temple 'gates of heaven' less dramatic than expected https://t.co/F0HLE4B3MN
— Pratiwi Mayasari (@pratiwimayasari) July 9, 2019
Sorry, guys. The temple was built long long time ago is not to fit your IG feed. Before it was touristy, it was a majestic place to pray.
Some people on Instagram are now trying to show travellers the reality of a visit to the temple with posts showing the long queues that travellers must stand in to be able to take pictures, fake or otherwise, at the historic temple gates.
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