Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia Travel Guide

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Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

Overview: Ubud’s Monkey Forest is a real hoot. You know how you watch pets do silly things like cats suddenly jumping vertically in the air or swatting dogs with their paws? Yeah, the monkeys in Ubud’s Monkey Forest are even goofier. Some can even be little nasty.

These spoiled, gregarious monkeys in Ubud’s Monkey Forest chase you around, chase each other around, slouch lazily and un-ergonomically and dribble coconuts like basketballs to crack them. They’re hilarious and bonkers. You can tell which ones have been around awhile. They’re fat, sassy and greedy for all the bananas you come armed with. They push the other monkeys to the side and grab at your bananas. And, you’d better give them one or they’ll follow you with their menacing, monkey look. If you have bananas, they will follow you. Don’t let their wise beards fool ya: they’ll bite and I saw it happen while I was there. But boy, these monkeys are sure cute and fun. And, don’t be afraid to feed them. Just let go of the banana quickly.

Officially known as Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary Padantegal, the Monkey Forest sits at the end of Jalan Monkey Forest and Jalan Hanomen in Padantegal, a small village at the south end of Ubud. It’s sacred to the locals because the forest actually contains three main temples (not just monkeys) in the village, the Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal (Padangtegal Great Temple of Death), the Holy Bathing Temple and the Pura Prajapati, a cremation temple next to a graveyard in the monkey forest. It is the Pura Dalem Temple, though, that makes the grounds of the Monkey Forest sacred.

There are two entrances to the Monkey Forest Sanctuary: Jalan Monkey Forest and Jalan Hanomen. Remember, Jalan means “road” or “street” so the entrances are at the south end of these roads. Jalan Hanomen has a wheelchair accessible entrance. The Monkey Forest is wheelchair accessible for the most as far as seeing and interacting with the monkeys and seeing the park. The path is concrete and winds throughout the park.

Here’s a tip: when you’re feeding the monkeys, don’t play around and hold onto the bananas and coconuts. Let the fruits go immediately; otherwise, you may get bitten. Also, don’t horse around with the monkeys either. That’s strictly against the rules and you may get attacked. Remember, it’s a sanctuary for the monkeys and a respectful place. After all that, the Monkey Forest is one of the first places on your list to visit.

Location: Jalan Monkey Forest, Padangtegal, Ubud 80571, Indonesia
Site: www.monkeyforestubud.com
Email: info@monkeyforestubud.com
Ph: 62 361 971304

Cost: Rp15,000 per ticket
Batch of Bananas: Rp20,000

Accessibility: The entrance from Jalan Hanomen is wheelchair accessible. The entrance from Jalan Monkey Forest has a couple of steps. The forest or park itself is wheelchair accessible for the most part.

Getting There: If you are staying on Jalan Monkey Forest (road), just walk or wheel there. Note that Jalan Monkey Forest (road) has a fairly steep hill that descends down to the entrance of the forest. Jalan Hanomen has a slight decline.