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Monkey forest Ubud

Monkey business: Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud, Bali

by Emiel Van Den Boomen

“Please let me like those rude, rowdy and wild animals again!”

Yes, after a visit to the monkeys in the Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud (Bali) you know how rude they can be! I guess they are famous for that. When you travel with your family to Ubud, should you visit the Forest or not? Could it be that you are a little bit afraid?

Monkey Forest Ubud Bali

We were! We were made scared by warnings about visiting the Bali Monkey Forest like:

  • Monkeys are aggressive!
  • Keep a close watch on children!
  • Feeding can be very dangerous!
  • Don’t carry any loose items!
  • Stay on paved paths!
  • Don’t let your children play near the river!
  • Do not stare at the monkeys directly!
  • Do not tease them!
  • If you are bitten or scratched, seek help immediately! Monkeys can carry diseases like Hepatitis C and rabies!

Well thank you…still feel like enjoying a lovely day-out in the Monkey Forest? With your children?

Human disturbance of habitat has important consequences for the demography, the morbidity, the behavior, and ultimately the survival of non-human primates.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY
Measures of human influence in habitats of South Asian monkeys

You know what you can expect if humans disturbe the normal habitat of monkeys. Can you imagine what happens if monkeys are disturbed and challenged, day by day? That’s what happens in the Monkey Forest. But does that mean you should avoid the place when you are in Ubud? Might there be something you and your children can learn?

Monkey Forest Ubud Bali

We spent almost a week in Ubud, but intentionally wanted to skip the Monkey Forest (Sacred or not). Really, we didn’t want to get rabies. I didn’t want my glasses stolen, hiding the rest of my travel behind a blurry window of nearsightedness. We didn’t want some monkey climbing up our legs, swinging our hairs, stealing bananas and then laugh (in that typical monkey style grimace). No way!

But you know what happened. We arrived in Bali, walked the streets of Ubud and felt less afraid. Really, if I can give one piece of advice here it would be that all kinds of travel fear silently floats away quickly after your arrival. Including fear of monkeys…

Bali Monkey Forest

So there we were, in front of the Monkey Forest. You could already see some of the animals sitting on the front gate, waiting for us to come. Staring. Grinning. The Monkey Forest is also used for scientific research, so the website mentions.

“Dad, let’s go inside and watch those cute monkeys!”.

Dian Fossey felt more comfortable with gorillas than people. She even could anticipate what a gorilla was going to do. I admire here. Although these Ubud monkeys were anything but gorillas, we decided to enter the Forest. And this is how the animals showed us their way of life:

Monkey Forest Ubud Bali

Monkey Forest Ubud Bali

Monkey Forest Ubud Bali

For families traveling to Ubud I have 2 major points of advice about visiting the Monkey Forest:

  1. Don’t carry any food for the animals. They are smart, they know when you have bananas (even if you hide them). Don’t stimulate rude behavior. Just walk the Forest and watch the animals, nothing more, nothing less.
  2. Go at the end of the day, when the sun starts to set. It creates the best light for some amazing pictures! All the pictures in this post I took between 4 and 5pm.

So don’t be afraid, have fun. How they behave is not the monkeys fault. It is us humans disturbing their habitat. All over the world we are trying to dominate the animals by taking over or diminishing their habitat. You can decide not to visit the Monkey Forest, but if you do, just observe and learn. Learn that we humans are the reason for their rude behavior.

Monkey Forest Ubud Bali

Monkey forest Ubud

Monkey Forest Ubud Bali

Monkey Forest Ubud Bali

Related posts on this blog:

1. Relax, you are on this island of the Gods (Bali)

2. Bathing in holy water at Pura Tirta Empul temple

3. Visiting Bali’s beautiful water palaces

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23 comments

Rondreis Java Bali - Better Places - Unieke Reiservaringen June 12, 2014 - 13:12

[…] Veel mensen waarschuwen je het apenwoud van Ubud niet te bezoeken, omdat deze aapjes agressief zijn. Emiel van den Boomen was ook gewaarschuwd, maar ging met zijn gezin toch de apen bekijken, en kwam terug met een heel aantal prachtige foto’s en een paar praktische tips, waardoor het bezoek aan het Apenwoud een must word. Nieuwsgierig geworden? Lees meer over Emiel’s ervaring op zijn blog Act of Traveling. […]

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Indonesie met kinderen - Better Places - Unieke Reiservaringen June 12, 2014 - 13:09

[…] Veel mensen waarschuwen je het apenwoud van Ubud niet te bezoeken, omdat deze aapjes agressief zijn. Emiel van den Boomen was ook gewaarschuwd, maar ging met zijn gezin toch de apen bekijken, en kwam terug met een heel aantal prachtige foto’s en een paar praktische tips, waardoor het bezoek aan het Apenwoud een must word. Nieuwsgierig geworden? Lees meer over Emiel’s ervaring op zijn blog Act of Traveling. […]

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Fietsen op Bali en Lombok - Better Places - Unieke Reiservaringen June 12, 2014 - 13:08

[…] Veel mensen waarschuwen je het apenwoud van Ubud niet te bezoeken, omdat deze aapjes agressief zijn. Emiel van den Boomen was ook gewaarschuwd, maar ging met zijn gezin toch de apen bekijken, en kwam terug met een heel aantal prachtige foto’s en een paar praktische tips, waardoor het bezoek aan het Apenwoud een must word. Nieuwsgierig geworden? Lees meer over Emiel’s ervaring op zijn blog Act of Traveling. […]

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Dian Wijayanti March 14, 2012 - 15:06

Stumble across your blog after doing some googling and wow, you just convinced me to visit this place! I’m afraid of monkeys but the pictures you took here are just too adorable! Did they try to steal your camera?

Reply
Emiel van den Boomen March 15, 2012 - 08:54

Thanks @openid-95484:disqus ! They didn’t try to steal my camera. However, don’t carry food (bananas) because they spot them even if you hide them under your shirt or something. They will jump on you and that’s no fun if you are afraid of monkeys. 
So don’t bring food, jus walk around slowly and keep your distance. In that way it’s a lovely place. We went at 4pm I believe it was, with the sun starting to set. That’s why the light on the pictures is indeed amazing. 
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will turn into a regular reader! 

Reply
Lindabee4 October 8, 2011 - 17:06

Wonderful photos!  You have me convinced.  I will visit the  Monkey Forest should I ever go to Bali.

Reply
Emiel van den Boomen October 8, 2011 - 17:16

That’s good to hear Linda! For a travel writer these comments are encouraging, thank you.

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Jenna June 13, 2011 - 21:12

Well, I just came across this and had to smile because I recently wrote a post about the very same place (there are maybe 3 monkey forests on Bali, but I believe this is the same one). I found the monkeys there to be “better-behaved” than those crazy ones we saw at Uluwatu a couple days before. Someday we’ll have to have a chat about your visit to Bali with your kids– my dad lives there and we took our son there when he was almost 2 years old, and we will be back again. It’s a wonderful place for children!

Reply
Michi January 31, 2011 - 16:14

Great post, and I’m so glad you decided to travel into Sacred Monkey Forest after all! 🙂

The monkeys in Tikal, Guatemala also make for a wonderful monkey experience and more, should you ever decide to travel back to that tropical side of the world! 🙂

Reply
Emiel January 31, 2011 - 22:33

Hi Michi!
Guatemala, yes, that part of the world is still on our list of future travels…

Reply
northwestshift January 31, 2011 - 14:38

Those photos are gorgeous! Now I have to add Ubud to my list of future travels 🙂

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Emiel January 31, 2011 - 22:32

OK Erika, now ‘Let’s be practical’: you really have to go and visit Bali! Thanks for the compliment.

Reply
Mark Robertson January 31, 2011 - 09:25

Wonderful photos and reflections. You trip to monkey church reminded me of when I went to monkey rehab in the Amazon. Whether they are sacred or suffering, monkey business is altogether similar. The same, it may be added, to human monkey business–only slightly more obvious.

–m

Reply
Emiel January 31, 2011 - 22:35

Thanks Mark. I can imagine the Amazon must have some great monkey business. It’s a rehab you say, so they probably felt victim to humans destroying the rain forest…terrible. Human monkey business..

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Mark Robertson January 31, 2011 - 23:58

Oh homo-sapien business is far worse. The monkey sure put on a show when the banana-man comes. Glorious creatures!

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maryrichardson January 31, 2011 - 07:55

Rabies, stolen food, harassment, whatever– I’d brave it all for a chance to watch the monkeys. I’m a little obsessed with them. I’m glad you experienced it!

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Emiel January 31, 2011 - 22:37

Mary, you dare to take on all these risks, you are a brave girl! Don’t you have monkeys on Okinawa?

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Farnoosh January 30, 2011 - 23:05

Emiel, I can’t believe you quoted me up top! I do like them. They were rowdy and loud and far too many everywhere and yet, your photos – your amazing photos – make me want to like them again, although I am crazy about gorillas.
What camera did you use? These are amazing photographs. You captured the essence of monkeys and I think that was your goal here. Well-done. Thank you for taking me back to Ubud for a few minutes.
PS: Beautiful girl she is! 🙂

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Emiel January 31, 2011 - 22:29

Thanks Farnoosh, they look adorable don’t they??
We love our camera, it’s the Panasonic DMC-TZ6. It’s a small one, but with outstanding results!

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Tien January 30, 2011 - 21:55

Well said! I agree with you, it was never the animals’ fault!
Whatever they do, is just a response towards what we did.

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Emiel January 31, 2011 - 22:41

Dear Tien, I am glad you liked the post. They are indeed responding and having people around them all day long, it’s just too much stimulus.

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amblerangel January 30, 2011 - 21:46

LOVE this post! You are so spot on Emiel. I find food brings out the worst animal behavior in all of us….

Reply
Emiel January 31, 2011 - 22:45

Is that why you just launched a post on A Food Peep Show?? 🙂

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