Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary Ubud – monkeys and more!

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A visit to Ubud, Bali, would not be complete without a visit to the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (also called Ubud Monkey Forest).  

We have already seen plenty of naughty monkeys in our travels. Dusky Leaf Monkeys in Langkawi, Malaysia that stole anything left on outdoor tables or raided the housekeeping bags left on the front door step. Long-tailed Macaque at a nature reserve in Singapore that helped themselves to packets of tissues (stolen from parked cars that had windows left down!).  

Most travellers have their naughty monkey stories to share!

Since we had already seen lots of monkeys in our time, I was wondering whether the Ubud Monkey Forest would be worth it. Thankfully it was! But not so much because of the monkeys..

In this post I not only want to provide information to see the monkeys, but also explore the sanctuary and make the most of your visit.  

What to expect

Once you get past the main gate area there are lovely walking tracks and places where the monkeys are playing naturally and you can enjoy the peacefulness of the forest.

Watch and observe the monkeys without trying to touch or feed them. The monkeys will play around you and are highly entertaining to watch if you just stay in one spot for a little while.

Wander further and visit the Holy Spring Temple and explore around the river area.

Observe the temples (these are only open for religious ceremonies, or for people praying in appropriate clothing, but you can see them from the gates).

Watch the monkeys from the amphitheatre and try and find the biggest Koi fish in the pond.

Admire the carvings scattered around the area.

Is the monkey forest safe?

Ok, this is a complicated question because everyone’s idea of “safe” is different.  We had no issues at all with the monkeys. No monkeys jumped on us, or tried to bite us, or made us feel threatened.

There were times that the monkeys showed their teeth and ran towards us which freaked me out a bit! But I think it was more my overreaction than anything!!  

Unfortunately, many tourists still encourage the monkeys to jump on them which is very disappointing as it promotes poor behaviour in the monkeys.  But not all those people are bitten. Conversely, I have heard stories of people being bitten without engaging with the monkeys. So, there is always a risk of being bitten, you will need to make your own decision.

Can you see the monkeys from outside?

Yes! If you are travelling on a budget and don’t want to pay the admission fee there are locations to see the monkeys. They tend to hang out along Jl. Monkey Forest Road as highlighted in the image below.

There is also a scooter track that runs from Jl. Monkey Forest Road to Jl. Nyuh Bojong (Gate 3 of park). This track cuts through the park and you can see lots of monkeys. If you are walking just be mindful that you are sharing a track with scooters.

Outside Gate 3 is the lovely Bali Bohemia where you can grab some food and drink and watch the monkeys from there.

Monkey facts

Known as Balinese long-tailed monkeys (commonly known as macaque). Scientific name Macaca fascicularis (remember that, there is a test at the end!).

Approximately 900 monkeys in the forest area.

The number of monkeys does cause conflict between the 6 main groups. You will hear screeching and see groups of monkeys chasing each other. Just stay out of the way!

Females rarely give birth to twins with pregnancy lasting 6 months (nice!).

The monkey and its mythology is important to Balinese traditions, which is often depicted in artwork.

Contrary to what you hear from other travellers, the monkeys do not have rabies.

Cost to visit the monkey forest

Adult: Rp 80,000 (approx. AUD$8)

Child: Rp 60,000 (approx. AUD$6)

Check the current prices on the Monkey Forest website. Tickets come with a map of the park and are valid all day with gates opening at 9.00am and closing 6.00pm.  

You can book online or grab a ticket on the day.

EXPLORE | Looking for more adventures in Bali? Check out the Bali- Indonesia Destination page!

Getting there

Walk/ride to the Monkey Forest from the centre of Ubud or catch a taxi/scooter.

If you are not staying in Ubud then hire a driver, or book a tour.

Travel Tip | If you organise a private driver you are charged by vehicle, not person. So if you are travelling with several people it will be cheaper to hirer a driver than pay for tours.

How long to stay

Allow at least 2 hours to really enjoy the monkey forest.

The pass lasts all day (9.00am – 6.00pm) so it is great to cut through the monkey forest to explore other areas of Ubud.

Tips for visiting

Do not carry food or drink in the park. Make sure any drink bottles are inside backpacks and not in the side bottle holders.

Do not try and hold or pet the monkeys. I saw multiple tourists doing this, and many were scratched or bitten by the monkeys. Whilst the bites might not have penetrated the skin, it really isn’t worth the risk. I am sure some tourists walk away with awesome photos of a monkey on their shoulders, but remember they are wild animals and not trained for handling.

If a monkey jumps on you just stay calm and keep walking.

Don’t wear loose jewellery. I saw a monkey jump on a women’s shoulder out of curiosity as she had an earring cuff at the top of her ear with a chain that hung down to a stud. The monkey wanted this, and pulled it off her ear. Luckily only the chain came off and didn’t pull out the whole earring.

The monkeys didn’t invite you to their barbecue, so don’t get up in their grills! Give the monkeys space and let them be.

We didn’t have any issues with our sunglasses or hats, but sunglasses that are reflective might be a curiosity for the monkeys seeing their own reflection.

Don’t show you teeth as this is a sign of aggression, as is holding eye contact.

If you are travelling with children make sure you supervise (the monkeys!) well as children may find the monkeys intimidating.

Do your research before you on go on what immunisations you need, and what to do if you get bitten.

TIP | There are staff around the sanctuary that help care for the monkeys and assist tourists as needed. Call out to them if you need help!

When to visit

Early in the morning, or later in the afternoon are generally quieter times. The ticket lasts all day though, so if you are staying nearby it is nice to go into the forest a few times. Sometimes the monkeys are pretty chilled out, other times they are chasing each other and screeching loudly!

What to bring

Try to bring as little as possible, and keep everything packed away in a bag. As mentioned above in the tips section the monkeys will jump on you to get food, or anything that they think is interesting. Don’t even have your drink bottle in the side slot of a backpack – put it inside.

Wear sturdy shoes for the walking paths and sections of steep steps.

Where to eat and drink

Head out Gate 3 (south end of forest) and check out some of the great places to eat and drink like Bali Bohemia, Laka Leke, Warung Pojok and Chili Ubud Cafe. We ate at all these places and they are great.

Special mention for the Nasi Campur at Laka Leke! Both the meat and vegetation options of this dish are divine!!

Where to stay

We fell in love with Nyuh Kuning Village in Ubud which is close to the Sacred Monkey Forest and a short walk into the main Ubud centre.

We stayed at Chili Ubud Cottages and enjoyed a spacious villa with gorgeous gardens and swimming pool. The staff were prefect too!

What about the other monkey forest near Ubud?

Around 30 minutes drive from Ubud is another monkey forest – Sangeh Monkey Forest. I saw this location being mentioned in Facebook forums as a better alternative to the Ubud monkey forest.  Apparently it is a more natural setting with monkeys enjoying the space and being the wild creatures they are.

So I checked it out. But it was not better!

Why? Because of the “monkey selfie” trend…

The guides encourage the monkeys to jump on the tourists shoulders. Then while the guide holds your phone, they also hold a peanut for the monkey to reach out for. This makes it look like the monkey has stolen your phone and taken a selfie. Yeah, the photos look cool, but they are just creating scary monkeys!!

As you walk around the monkeys try to jump on you hoping for a peanut reward. Even the cute little baby monkeys snarled at me when they realised I didn’t have food for them.

Personally, I don’t recommend the Sangeh Monkey Forest and I didn’t stay very long! Hopefully they stop the “monkey selfie” trend soon…but I guess they are only doing it to bring tourists and jobs to the area.

Is the Monkey Forest in Ubud worth it?

If you have already seen lots of monkeys in your life then you could probably skip the monkey forest. Or just watch them from the outside of the fence.

However, the park is still really enjoyable to walk around. Visiting the temples and admiring the carvings, while hearing the stream running in the background creates an ancient feel that I adored. There are also cultural events that occur as detailed in the Monkey Forest Ubud website.

So overall, I would say that the Monkey Forest is worth visiting to get your monkey fix, but also your cultural and nature fix.

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