The Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud, Bali

Any trip to Ubud should include a stop at the Sacred Monkey Forest. It is a fun place to interact with the many monkeys that live there, or just watch them being themselves.

Sacred Monkey Forest

The Sacred Monkey Forest is home to over 600 monkeys. It is not a zoo of any kind, but instead is an example of the Balinese belief in harmony with nature. The monkeys in the forest and the temples scattered throughout the property are considered to be sacred. While the Balinese welcome any and all visitors, the forest is an important part of everyday life and gives the locals a chance to reconnect with the spiritual world. The temples host sacred ceremonies throughout the year and some of the temples are off limits to visitors and reserved only for those there to pray.

The big draw for visitors to the Sacred Monkey Forest is a the chance to see the monkeys in their natural habitat. There are monkeys scampering all over and just watching them play with each other is incredibly entertaining. I watched a group of youngsters play and swim in a shallow pool for at least 30 minutes alone. Of course, if you purchase bananas you can have the monkeys jump up and sit on your shoulder, which is exhilarating – its not everyday you can say you've had monkeys clambering all over you! Its an awesome place to visit, especially with kids who will love how interactive they can be with the monkeys! Just remember at all times, they are wild animals and caution should always be taken when interacting with them. Otherwise, have fun watching them and taking in the incredible backdrop of the Balinese jungle!

Good to Know

Entrance to the Sacred Monkey Forest is 40,000 IDR (~$3.00) for adults and 30,000 (~$2.25) IDR for children.

The Forest is open daily from 8:30 AM until 6:00 PM, with the last entrance at 5:30 PM

Be wary of bringing plastic bags or water bottles into the forest. Monkeys LOVE plastic water bottles and will try anything to steal it from tourists. I have no idea why they have such an affinity for them, but they do. You can leave any plastic water bottles at the ticketing office for safe keeping until your departure.

Never look a monkey in the eye. Many of the staff in the forest reminded visitors of this fact throughout my visit. They explained that it is a sign of aggression and signals the wish to fight; trust me, some of these monkeys you do not want to mess with.

If you do want to interact with the monkeys, you should be prepared to feed them. Only give them bananas that the staff provide and no other human snacks. These monkeys are in their natural habitat, and foods that are not a part of that could be hazardous to their health. If you do offer a monkey food, never tease it and pull it back. This could upset the monkey and it might hurt you. That being said, the staff are very helpful and will aid visitors who wish to interact with the monkeys!