In 2009 my husband, son, and I spent two weeks at my father’s house in Sanur, Bali. We had some wonderful experiences, but my favorite day of this trip was the one we spent at the Bali Bird Park and the Sangeh Monkey Forest near Ubud. I guess I have a soft spot for animals.
There are a few monkey forests on the island of Bali. This one is a forest of nutmeg trees and is considered a holy place. It houses a Hindu temple from the 17th century and is home to several hundred monkeys.
As we approached the entrance to the forest, a smiling guide introduced himself and helped us buy our tickets. He explained a few rules, like not to touch or aggravate the monkeys, and then led us on a tour of the forest, which took about 45 minutes.
In typical Balinese fashion, there is an imposing statue at the entrance:
The split entrance gates guarded by an animal on each side are like those found all over Bali.
And then we walked down a beautiful walkway that ended with the temple:
The walkway is filled with statues that represent Balinese Hindu figures:
The guide explained that, unlike the famously unpredictable monkeys at Ulu-watu, these monkeys are friendly and are considered sacred. He then called one of the large males over, which hopped on my husband’s back. The monkey was indeed friendly but also stinky!
But we didn’t want to interact like that with the monkeys. We were more interested in seeing how and where they live. As we walked through the forest, we saw countless monkeys, most of them in groups, some of the big males alone, and many mothers with their babies.
Including some babies nursing:
And plenty of grooming:
You can see the moss that grows everywhere due to the high humidity and thick vegetation:
There were lots of males (note the mustaches) perched high above, seemingly keeping an eye on things down below.
Have you seen monkeys in the wild before? Would you like to visit this unusual place?
Those are some of the coolest-looking monkeys I’ve ever seen! Their faces are like a cross between the orangutans in Borneo and something from Star Wars. And you guys are such a cute family!
Thanks, Abby. I hadn’t thought of Star Wars (LOL)…I guess they are just regular silver macaques, but they are pretty expressive.
Crazy monkeys
I have to admit, they always scare (ok, terrify) me. I prefer to give them a wide berth in case they pounce! And they always look like that’s exactly what they’re contemplating!
Ha ha, I know what you mean although most of the monkeys in this forest kept their distance. I actually came across an article about how some of the workers in this forest have tested positive for some kind of virus after being scratched by a monkey…so it’s a good idea to keep one’s distance.
Thanks for stopping by, Megan!
I love monkeys, and the ones in the monkey forest are just too funny!
When I was there one monkey climbed up my dress and grabbed the whole bag of nuts that I was carrying right out of my hand.. they really aren’t shy
Sofia, Thanks for stopping by. You’re right, they really aren’t shy! But at least these weren’t like the ones at Uluwatu, which were kind of creepy.
Wow that statue is terrifying. Love the monkeys though, how cute.
Heather, You’re right, that statue is terrifying, especially if you notice the little figures trying to escape from his hands. I’m not sure who it represents, but it does a good job of guarding the temples!
Those monkeys are too cute! I love the pic where the little monkey is looking straight into the camera while hiding behind his mommy
Bet he’d be scared without her there.
I agree, he would be very scared without her. He looks so tiny, doesn’t he? (Or is it a she?) Thanks for stopping by!
OMG- these pictures are awesome… kind of a dream of mine to hang out with a monkey like that! Too cool!
Thanks, Jade. If you go to Bali, you’ll fulfill your dream– there are so many of these monkeys there! But the ones at this forest are some of the nicer ones.
I hadn’t seen this one with the monkeys. How cute and playful! Awesome chance just to observe monkeys in a more natural environment (outside of a zoo)!