About Ubud Monkey Forest
Inside you can see between 700 and 900 monkeys. They are known as the Balinese long-tailed monkeys or macaques. You can even see them without coming in as they are always running around on the roads and parking lots. This is a monkey sanctuary, not a ZOO, so that’s why you’re able to see them all around.
As the forest is huge, 12.5 hectares, monkeys are divided into seven groups. Each group has its territory. Sometimes they get into conflicts with each other, and that can not be avoided. That usually happens during the dry season when they are crossing each other’s territory to get to the river. Mating season is generally through the whole year but with higher intensity from May to August. Mothers are protective of their babies so don’t ever try to touch them.
In the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, you can see three temples that are built around the middle of the 14th century and a cemetery. Temples are meant only for the local community, so, as a visitor, you can take a look only from outside. The cemetery is used temporarily while waiting for the day of the mass cremation, which is held every five years.
Tips for visiting Ubud Monkey Forest
Animals here are semi-free, so that’s why you need to read the guidelines on how to act around them before entering. Monkeys aren’t aggressive by nature, and, like many other animals, they will only defend themselves if they feel scared or threatened. It’s advised not to panic or run. If a monkey jumps on you and you feel uncomfortable, keep walking away slowly, and they will jump off. You shouldn’t look them in the eyes as that is interpreted as a sign of aggression. Don’t hide any food and watch on your valuable belongings as monkeys are known as little thieves and they will take it from you for sure. Also, don’t feed them with anything that you bring. It’s prohibited feeding them as they already feed them at least three times a day. They usually eat sweet potato (their main dish) and then banana, papaya leaf, corn, cucumber, coconut, and other local fruit. They are trying to keep them healthy, so any human snacks may harm them.
Visiting Bali For The First Time
Overall experience
We had a great time while visiting the sanctuary, and we suggest everyone not to miss it. You’ll have a good laugh while watching monkeys as they can be hilarious. The funniest thing is how they can steal your water in a minute and have no problem with opening it. A few times they almost stole something from my bag. They would come unnoticeable and can figure out the opening system on bags pretty quickly. If others didn’t warn me, I would lose some stuff for sure. But they can be so adorable. This is also an excellent opportunity to take photos with them. They usually aren’t scared of people at all and will gladly pose with you. Although the staff discourages this practice as monkeys are after all wild animals and have unpredictable reactions, so they want to avoid any accidents. This is on your own risk, but as far as I know, there weren’t any bad experiences so far.
What is the entrance fee for Ubud Monkey Forest?
The price for an adult is 80 000 IDR ($5.6) and 60 000 IDR ($4.2) for a child. Once you get inside, you can stay as long as you want, the visit is not time-limited. Just make sure to take at least a few hours for this as it can be entertaining and you quickly lose track of time.
Kuta to Ubud
