Instagrammers flock to Bali tourist attraction only to find it's faked in social media photos

KARANGASEM, Indonesia - Tourists are flocking to a popular attraction in Bali only to be left shocked that the serene pool at the photogenic site is completely faked for Instagram.

Every year thousands of people make their way to Lempuyang Temple in Bali for some serious Instagram gold as they pose at the famous “Gates of Heaven” which supposedly hugs a pool of water showing their reflection.

The only problem is that when you actually visit the site, there is no body of water anywhere near the Hindu temple, except for the bottle of water you may have for the several-hours-long journey to get there.

Polina Marinova, an editor at Fortune magazine, tweeted a photo of the fraudulent tourist destination saying, “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.”

The effect in the cinematic images is actually caused by a mirror cleverly positioned just below the camera lens to create the illusion of water.

The clever trick has left people disappointed with yet another false reality provided by Instagram.

Marinova’s post went viral, sparking responses from dozens of adventurers sharing similar sentiments.

Marinova told Insider that she applauded the “ingenuity of the people who thought of doing it in the first place.”