I lived in Bali for 2 months. These 7 popular tourist spots were not worth the hype.

• I spent two months living in Bali — it has so much to offer, and I really loved my time there.
• But many things didn't live up to the hype for me, including the beaches I visited.

In August, I left my corporate job to embark on a year of solo travel across Southeast Asia. I spent two months living in one of my bucket-list destinations — the tropical island of Bali.

Bali is a dream travel destination for many, and there's so much I loved about it — breathtaking scenery, warm and welcoming people, dozens of stunning waterfalls, and ancient Hindu temples to explore.

But there were also a few surprising things that didn't quite live up to my expectations.

And, with the Indonesian spot recently implementing a tax requiring tourists to pay to enter Bali, it's as important as ever to make sure you're getting your money's worth on future trips.

Here are seven things I experienced during my stay that I didn't quite think were worth the hype:

The 'iconic' Gates of Heaven felt like a tourist trap

Like any tourist attraction in Bali, I expected the Gates of Heaven to be crowded, so I showed up just after sunrise. Apparently, I was already too late, since there was a huge line of people already waiting to see them.

But the long line wasn't the main disappointment for me. Those photos you've likely seen of people posing between the gates with a perfect reflection beneath them … well, that's just a camera trick!

There's no reflecting pool, just a local holding a mirror below your phone camera to create the effect.

If you want a nice picture for Instagram, it's worth checking out. But I left shortly after arriving and probably could have saved myself a couple of hours had I done my research.

The beaches were mostly a letdown

The beaches in Bali aren't necessarily bad, and some are really nice. There's great surfing all around the island, and some areas, like Amed, have incredible snorkeling and diving right from the shore.

But for the most part, I found the beaches to be a little disappointing. Many I visited were filled with trash, which is in part due to a problem with waste management in the area.

Plus, the currents were too strong at many of the beaches, so I wasn't able to swim safely at some beautiful spots, like Kelingking Beach on nearby Nusa Penida.

Fortunately, many volunteer groups are working on cleaning Bali's beaches — and the tax requiring tourists to pay to enter the island may, in part, be used to improve the island's infrastructure and conservation efforts. Even so, there's much more work to be done.

Walking the streets of central Ubud was anything but peaceful for me

I loved Ubud, the spiritual and cultural center of Bali. But walking anywhere in Ubud felt far more chaotic than the romantic drama "Eat, Pray, Love" depicts.

I'm used to being solicited when I travel, and I understand that many locals rely on tourism dollars to make a living, but I have never experienced the level of constant solicitation that I did in Ubud.

As I walked down the streets, I found myself getting asked if I needed a taxi, massage, dance tickets, or something else every few seconds.

The Tegallalang Rice Terraces weren't what I expected

For me, the famous Tegallalang Rice Terraces just outside Ubud turned out to be another case of "Instagram vs. Reality."

Having seen many beautiful rice terraces in other parts of Bali, and in other countries, these were a letdown for me.

They're smaller than I expected, and full of shops, cafés, abandoned swings, and props for photos. I can see why the terraces are a popular photo opportunity, but it felt more like a staged park than the place of natural beauty I expected.

Traffic and construction killed my vibe in Canggu

The coastal village Canggu is known for its surfing and cool vibes, and I could see its potential.

But with so many shops, hotels, and resorts being developed, Canggu looked and felt nothing like the beachy village I expected it to be. It felt a bit overbuilt and I passed so much construction.

The traffic getting in and out of Canggu was also a nightmare. Even with a motorbike, the roads become gridlocked at times, leaving me baking in the sun.

I thought the Campuhan Ridge Walk was boring, and the views weren't that special

Drone footage and overhead photos of the Campuhan Ridge Walk near Central Ubud are wildly beautiful and lush, with green trees everywhere.

But I wish I hadn't fallen for the dreamy aerial shots. The Campuhan Ridge Walk is much different on the ground.

I walked the whole length, dodging tourists and pesky flies in the heat, waiting for some spectacular view. But there really weren't any views of anything besides some treetops off to each side.

I think this Walk is best enjoyed from above.

Gili Air wasn't the idyllic paradise I expected

Indonesia's Gili Islands are not technically part of Bali, but ferry trips to it are popular among Bali visitors, so it feels worth mentioning.

I spent a week on Gili Air, known for its white-sand beaches with clear turquoise water. Although the island had a lot to offer, I didn't find it to be the tropical paradise I imagined.

On one side of the island, there's a very narrow strip of sand that seemed to be mostly privatized. The beaches on the other side of the island appeared to be full of hard and sharp dead coral that had washed ashore — far from the white-sand paradise I pictured.

When I got in the beautiful-looking water, I saw fish and sea turtles swimming among trash and was frequently stung by jellyfish larvae.

That said, there are local groups working on conservation efforts to preserve the area's famous reefs and local marine life. Visitors are also welcome to participate in clean-up efforts, which could be a thoughtful way to incorporate more responsible tourism into a future trip to Bali.