The sacred monkey forest was something we had a read a lot in the promo materials for Bali. So when we moved hotels from Seminyak to Ubud , this was one of the top items on our itinerary.
Next day we went to check the same out. As usual the advice would be to stick to two-wheeler travel rather than four wheelers. It was a short 15-minute ride from our hotel.
Entry Fee
The rates for entry are reasonable. Entrance fees for adults is 80,000 Indonesian Rupiahs which is roughly $6 and children 60,000 rupiahs $4.50. You can either buy the tickets at the entry or book them online.
Feeding the Monkeys
There are snacks like Bananas available outside before you enter in case you are interested in feeding the monkeys. Needless to mention, any attempt to feed wild animals may not work out the way you envisage. They can snatch the banana from you and while they are at it they can snatch other things like mobile phones and sun glasses also.
If you have a banana and want to offer it to them, just hold it high and they may come and sit on your shoulders while they eat. It can be fun for someone who likes, it can be a nightmare for some who don’t! So,caution is advised!
The Monkey Forest
Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, or Ubud Monkey Forest, is the sanctuary and natural habitat of the Balinese long-tailed Monkey, scientific name Macaca fascicularis. There are over 1000 monkeys in the forest spread over 12 hectares of land. The forest is also home to over 186 different species of trees and plants.
The forest also has three temples.The construction and architecture are often elaborate and showcase a very high level of expertise. The heavy tourist inflow has also ensured that the man animal interaction barrier is quite low here. Monkeys don’t fear the humans. Quite a few humans fear the monkeys though!
The park is heavily forested and hilly, A deep ravine runs through the park with a rocky stream at the bottom of it.There are trails and boards to help visitors find their way to many parts of the park, including the ravine and stream.
We spent our time lounging around the whole place. We took our time, checking out each of the areas, enjoying the greenery, One of the dude there who took a liking to Sajan, they became good friends, even posed for pics 😊
Summary
The whole place is quite vast and requires a good 2-3 hours to explore completely. Its definitely one of the places you must visit if you happen to be in Bali.It is definitely one of a kind place.The Monkey Forest also has a public hall and gallery, first aid facilities, parking and toilet facilities.
They also have a police post, however in case your dispute involves monkeys you can be rest assured they will find you the guilty party. The place also has a eating joint where one can get some refreshments in between the exploration 😊
If we can help you with any additional information on the place do feel free to reach out to us.
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Cher!