One of the more iconic pictures of Bali would undoubtedly be of the island’s famous long-tailed macaques perched on the shoulder of a visitor. Native to Bali, and found throughout the island, there are few places in the world that provide opportunities to interact with these wild monkeys in a natural environment. The best way for visitors to Bali to see these primates is by visiting one of the monkey forests scattered throughout the island. And the most famous of these is the Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud. In fact, it could be argued that no visit to Bali is complete without visiting here.
Home to more than 1000 long-tail macaques, visiting the Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud could be the highlight of a Balinese holiday, or equally, an experience that fills you with dread and fear. Either way, being up close and personal with these cheeky primates is a very unique experience that will provide you with memories sure to last a lifetime. So what is it like to visit the Sacred Monkey Forest?
Journey Inside the Sacred Monkey Forest
The Ubud Monkey Forest is set on about 30 acres of forest in the heart of Ubud. A thick canopy of trees provides a cool respite from the tropical heat. Paved pathways lined with Balinese statues wind their way through the lush green vegetation, all with a river flowing through the deep valley in the heart of the forest. It is easy to forget about the outside world while wandering through the forest.
An ancient Banyan tree, estimated to be over 100 years old, is a centrepiece of the forest. Nearby you will come across a small pool with overhanging branches. Often a troop of monkeys will be found playing and swimming here, bomb diving from the branches into the water below and generally appearing to have a great, but rowdy, time.
Pathways wander off throughout the forest in return loops from here. All of the pathways are quite manageable to walk with only a few slopes here and there. There are a few steps along some of the pathways, however, these are very manageable to walk. Most visitors with a moderate level of fitness should have little trouble getting around. The entire forest is well signposted, and staff are always available to answer any questions you may have. If you enjoy walks, another must-visit place while you are in Ubud is Campuhan Ridge.
Hey Hey It’s the Monkeys!
The Sacred Monkey Forest is home to more than 1000 long-tailed Macaques. These monkeys are native to Bali, as well as elsewhere throughout Indonesia and South-East Asia. Growing to a weight of between 3-7 kilograms, the monkeys live in several groups, or troops. Each troop has its own territory within the forest.
Visitors to the Sacred Monkey Forest should keep in the monkeys are wild animals; they are not in cages. The monkeys are free to roam around the forest and to come and go as they please. While it seems that the monkeys are curious about the visitors, they are generally only interested in whether or not you are carrying any food. If you can’t make it to Ubud and still want to see monkeys in the wild, why not visit Padang Padang Beach near Uluwatu in the south of Bali.
Feeding the Monkeys
It was once encouraged for visitors to purchase bananas at the entry to the forest to feed the monkeys. And the monkeys knew this. They would sit and wait for an unsuspecting visitor to walk in with a bunch of bananas, swarming the visitor in their quest for a free feed. This could be a bit too much for some, oftentimes seeing people drop the bananas and run. Others were thrilled with the interactions standing and posing for photos while the monkeys clamber over them. The monkeys could even get quite cheeky at times, particularly if they thought you may have some food hidden on you. They have been known to steal food directly from visitors’ pockets, bags or backpacks. Cameras, phones or sunglasses have also been known to be targetted by the monkeys, holding on to them in exchange for food from the attendants!
Feeding is no longer encouraged, in fact, it is now requested that visitors do not bring any food into the forest. This new directive has seen the monkeys becoming less attentive or concerned with visitors, and considerably less demanding in their search for food. Most of the time, the monkeys will more likely be sitting quietly grooming one another, quietly wandering around the grounds, or even sleeping! Time will tell if this new normal within the park will continue when mass tourism undoubtedly returns to Bali.
For those who are curious, a diet consisting of sweet potato, corn and bananas is made available to the monkeys.
Safety Around the Sacred Monkey Forest
A number of rules and guidelines have been put in place to both support the well-being of the monkeys and to ensure the safety of visitors to the Monkey Forest. You can read them in detail on the official Ubud Monkey Forest Website. It’s highly recommended that visitors review and follow these guidelines for their own safety and that of the monkeys.
Temples of the Sacred Monkey Forest
As you explore inside the Monkey Forest, you will come across a small local cemetery and three Hindu Temples. There is the Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal or Temple to worship Lord Shiva, Pura Prajapati Padangtegal, the Cremation Temple and Pura Beji the Holy Spring Temple. These temples, built in the 14th century, remain sacred to the Padantegal Community and are important to the Balinese Hindu cycle of life and re-birth. Certain areas remain off-limits to the general public.
The local village conducts a mass cremation for its deceased once every five years. When a villager passes on, they are buried temporarily in the cemetery on the grounds of Pura Dalem Agung Padantegal until the time comes for their cremation. At this time the deceased are exhumed, and cleansed with the holy waters of Pura Beji, before being cremated at Pura Prajapati Padangtegal.
Monkey Behaviour Beyond the Forest
People who have been to the Sacred Monkey Forest previously may notice that there now appear to be fewer monkeys in the forest. In fact, the monkeys are actually more spread out throughout the forest and surrounding villages. The nearby village of Nyuh Kuning, to the south of the forest, is one such place where the monkeys wander.
Here it’s quite common for the monkeys to sneak into restaurants and accommodation in their search for food. They get cheeky at times, acting gung-ho towards patrons while attempting to steal food, phones, wallets, or anything else they can get their hands on! Locals have taken to scaring away the monkeys with slingshots or catapults loaded with small pebbles. At first, it can be confronting to see these being aimed at the monkeys. Please don’t be alarmed, as the locals do not shoot or harm them in any way whatsoever. Rather they are warning the monkeys away by shooting rocks in their general direction. More often than not, just the act of a local holding a slingshot is enough to ward away the monkeys.
How to get to the Sacred Monkey Forest
The Sacred Monkey Forest is very easy to access. Located on Jalan Monkey Forest in the village of Padangtegal, it is only a 15-minute walk from the Ubud Palace in the centre of Ubud. Walking along Jalan Monkey Forest takes you past many restaurants, cafes and shops, providing you with an opportunity to sit down and enjoy a cool drink or a meal. You could even do some shopping on your way there or back. If you prefer to drive, it will take you less than 5 minutes from the heart of Ubud. Or about 60 minutes from many of the tourist centres in the south of the Island.
Opening Hours and Cost
Entry is via a relatively new (2017) lobby and visitor information centre accessed just off Jalan Monkey Forest. There are several other entry points at other locations around the forest, however, they all remain closed at this time. It’s not known if they will reopen in the future.
There is a large dedicated parking area for scooters, cars and buses. Parking is at hourly rates starting from 2000 IDR (USD 0.14 or AUD 0.20) per hour for a scooter or 5000 IDR (USD 0.35 or AUD 0.50) per hour for a car. Entry to the Monkey Forest is 80000 IDR (USD 5.60 or AUD 8.00) per adult and 60000 IDR (USD 4.20 USD or AUD 6.00) per child. Opening hours are from 8.30 am to 6.00 pm seven days a week.
Final Words
Please remember that the monkeys here in the Sacred Monkey Forest are wild animals. Treat them with caution and respect at all times while maintaining a safe distance. Rules and guidelines are posted throughout the grounds for your safety and are also available online. If you find yourself in any sort of difficult situation with any monkeys, call out to one of the many staff available to help you out. Follow the few basic rules, and you will surely have a truly memorable day in this most unique Balinese attraction.
