Ubud Monkey Forest
Bali is a major destination in Indonesia for many reasons. This island lies on the eastern part of Indonesia and is blessed with beautiful nature, culturally rich traditions and arts, friendly people, and breathtaking beaches. Among many places in Bali, Ubud is one of the most magnificent places to visit while staying in Bali. Ubud is placed in the highland part of Bali, making it a distinct destination from the rest of Bali where the major weather is sunny and hot. Ubud has endless possibilities of attractions ranging from waterfalls, art galleries, beautiful landscape and, the famous Ubud Monkey Forest!
Ubud Monkey Forest is located at Padangtegal, Ubud, Bali. In Balinese, this place is called Mandala Suci Wenara Wana or Sacred Monkey Forest. This forest is home to Balinese long-tailed monkey or Macaca fascicularis. It is known for its beautiful serene forest and temples that lie inside the forest. There are 3 temples namely Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal, Holy Spring Temple, and Prajapati Temple. This site is managed by a community called Mandala Suci Wenara Wana Management.
This management has the mission to preserve the sacredness of the forest and thanks to those good people, they managed to keep it that way until now. The management made the forest a conservation area within Tri Hata Karana principle or Three ways to reach spiritual and physical wellbeing to create harmony between humans and nature. The principle is reflected in the features of Ubud Monkey Forest. This area covers around 10 hectares with more than 100 species of trees and hundreds of animals.
There’s a trail where visitors can walk along paved pathways through hilly and dense trees. Once you get inside the forest, you can feel the serene and ancient atmosphere of the forest, watch monkeys playing playfully in their habitat. The monkeys are occupying four groups of different territories. They swing through canopies, eating bananas, or just laze around the forest ground. You can also see the ancient temples covered in moss including the guardian statues throughout the forest.
The Pura Agung Padangtegal could be dated back to the 14th century while Pura Prajapati is dedicated to village funerals. Feel the mythical ambiance of the forest from seeing the Banyan tree where it roots hanging down creating an exotic photo spot. Don’t forget to look for the bathing temple on the northwest known as Pura Beji.
Tips to Know About Ubud Monkey Forest
Monkeys in Ubud Sacred Forest are wild animals; therefore, you are highly recommended not to feed it. There are guides on the area and is recommended to bring a guide through the forest and teaching you many things such as the history and culture about the sites. Don’t wear any jewelry, sunglasses, or anything that might interest the monkey. They are likely to snatch your things if they’re interesting for them. Like many holy sites in Bali, women in their period are not allowed to enter.
If you bring a backpack with you, you might want to make it as safe as possible. Clear out the outside pockets, don’t open or take it off from you while visiting the forest. Although it seems fun to feed monkey with bananas, you might want to leave the bananas or any food out of the area. Don’t bring any food to avoid facing persistent monkeys trying to steal food from you. In any circumstances, you need to remember that they are wild animals. You may think that they have been interacting with humans for a long time, but they can turn into a wild animal in a matter of seconds. Try to avoid eye contact or they will think that you challenge them.
You can visit Ubud Monkey Forest daily from 8:30 AM to 6 PM, the ticketing service will open 8:30 and lasts till 5:30 PM. Entrance fee for adult is IDR 80.000 and IDR 60.000 for children. Like many holy places in Bali, the sacred forest will also require you to wear proper clothes. Try to avoid wearing short skirts, belly shirts in respect to visit the temple and the culture in Bali.
How to Get to Ubud Monkey Forest
First of all, you can take a flight to Bali in Ngurah Rai International Airport. Once you land in Bali, getting to Ubud will take around an hour and a half. You can rent a car to make your accommodation easier. Once you reach Ubud, you need to locate Monkey Forest Street, it is the main street of Ubud so you won’t have any difficulties finding it. Click here to get your tour of Ubud including Ubud Monkey Forest and earn great deals!
