Sacred Monkey Forest, Ubud Bali

One of the main reasons I chose to visit Ubud was the Sacred Monkey Forest.

I honestly did not know exactly what to expect. I had read about the monkeys, the jungle paths, and the temples hidden within the forest, but beyond that it was still a mystery to me. And somehow that made it even more exciting.

I arrived early in the morning, paid the small entrance fee, bought a few bananas from a vendor near the gate, and stepped into the forest.

Immediately I understood why so many people recommend visiting it.

The forest itself is beautiful.

Tall tropical trees arch overhead, vines hang through the jungle canopy, and stone pathways wind through the grounds beneath the shade of the forest. Even without the monkeys, it would still feel like a peaceful and fascinating place to explore.

And then of course… there are the monkeys.

They are everywhere.

Near the entrance, several monkeys had clearly learned the routine. They watched visitors carrying bananas with complete confidence, casually approaching people and taking the bananas right from their hands before sitting nearby to enjoy their treat.

At first it almost felt unreal seeing monkeys moving freely all around me.

There are several different troops of long-tailed macaques living within the forest, and while most of the time they seemed relaxed and playful, there were occasional little disagreements and bursts of monkey drama between them.

The signs throughout the forest tell visitors not to touch the monkeys.

What they do not explain is what to do if the monkeys decide to touch you.

As I was walking along one of the pathways, a monkey suddenly jumped onto me and perched comfortably on my shoulder as though we had known each other for years.

I froze for a moment in complete surprise.

Then I carefully kept walking until I reached a slightly higher stone wall along the path. I leaned gently toward the wall, and the monkey calmly stepped off onto the stones beside me.

It was honestly an incredible feeling.

A few moments later, two baby monkeys were sitting on the path nearby. One of them suddenly scampered over and started climbing up my leg, wrapping its tiny arms and legs around my calf while staring up at me.

The little monkey felt so warm and soft.

I stood perfectly still, talking softly to him while he clung there for a moment before finally jumping back down and running off with the other baby monkey into the trees.

That brief encounter became one of the moments from Bali I will probably never forget.

For anyone nervous about visiting, I should mention that this was the only physical interaction I had with the monkeys the entire time I was there. Most simply ignored people entirely or stayed busy playing, grooming each other, or searching for food.

And they really were fascinating to watch.

The monkeys showed so much social behavior and affection toward one another—grooming, playing, wrestling, cuddling, and constantly interacting as families and groups.

The baby monkeys especially were impossible not to love.

The Sacred Temple Within the Forest

Deep within the Monkey Forest sits a sacred Hindu temple surrounded by jungle and guarded—at least spiritually—by the monkeys themselves.

When I visited, parts of the temple were closed while restoration work was being done, but even from the outside it was incredibly beautiful.

The temple architecture felt ancient and mysterious hidden among the trees.

Balinese Hinduism is unique and deeply woven into everyday life in Bali. It combines elements of Hinduism, Buddhism, ancestor worship, and older animist traditions.

The monkeys themselves are believed to help protect the temple and keep away evil spirits, which somehow feels fitting once you spend time there watching them move through the forest like little guardians of the jungle.

A Place I Would Gladly Visit Again

By the time I finally left the Sacred Monkey Forest, I realized I had spent far longer there than I originally planned.

But that seems to happen often in Bali.

Places have a way of slowing you down and pulling you into the moment.

What I expected to be a quick tourist stop became one of my favorite experiences in Ubud. Between the beauty of the forest, the peaceful jungle atmosphere, the sacred temple, and the unforgettable monkey encounters, it became one of those travel memories that stays vivid long after the trip is over.

I would gladly return to Bali someday just to walk those forest paths again.

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Gallery of Monkey Photos