After being just down the street from one of the top attractions in the Ubud area for almost 2 weeks, we finally visited the Sacred Monkey Forest this morning. It was exactly what we hoped it would be and we wanted to share our favorite pictures as well as some tips if you ever find yourself visiting this magical place.
The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary – What is it?
Officially named Mandala Wisata Wanara Wana, this small protected forest area houses about 900 Balinese macaques and three different temples. There isn’t a lot of information on who built the temples inside of the Monkey Forest – the construction dates back to the 14th century. Now, this area is not only one of the best tourist spots in Ubud, but it is also a spot for conservation efforts and research.
Get more info on their website here.
Logistics for the Sacred Monkey Forest
The forest is open from 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM with the last tickets sold at 5:30 PM. I would recommend spending at least 90 minutes there so you can slowly walk around all the paths and spend time just watching the monkeys.
It costs 80,000 Rupiah to get in (about $5.50 US dollars). There are three different gates and each one has a small parking area if you are coming on a scooter.
Important to Know Before You Go
The rules are important. The monkeys are not pets, they are wild animals. If you don’t follow the posted rules, there is a good chance you will have an unwelcome incident. We saw a few while we were there. They are hilarious to witness, but they don’t seem fun for the person that the monkey is harassing.
I would also avoid backpacks or purses if you don’t want the monkey to interact with you. They are famous for stealing water bottles, so I would suggest leaving those outside.
If you want the famous selfie where it looks like the monkey is holding the phone, please do not attempt it. There are wonderful guys working that actually set those up for people for a small fee.
And now the Pictures…
And I’ll end this with Nelson. He is a blind monkey that they worked to rehabilitate with the group, but he is older and they haven’t had any luck. So, now he has his own area to live within the forest. Because he has no friends and these animals are social, the guys that work there take turns spending time with him and allow some visitors to do the same. We sat for a while just holding his hands and both trying to figure out how we could get the job of being Nelson’s friends.
This is definitely a spot we would recommend visiting while in Bali. Definitely pick this over any of the zoos or “safari experiences” – I’m begging you and so is Nelson.
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