MUST-DO ACTIVITIES IN BALI: MONKEY FOREST UBUD

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HOW TO GET TO MONKEY FOREST UBUD

The Ubud Monkey Forest lies within the village of Padangtegal. For the village residents, the Monkey Forest is an important spiritual and economic center. The forest is very close to the center of Ubud, so it is very convenient for tourists and locals to visit the Monkeys.

There are 1 260 monkeys in Monkey Forest. They live in 10 separate groups, each with their home range:

Central Group
Temple Group
Selatan Group
Cemetery Group
Michelin Group
East Group
New Forest Group
Ashram Group
Atap

How can you reach Monkey Forest:

Shuttle bus – drives back and forth from Ubud center every 15 minutes, free of charge
Walking 15 minutes from the center of Ubud
You can book a personal driver for the day, that will walk you everywhere you need. I paid 400K IDR (27€ or 26 USD) and my driver was at all times with me, showing me around, entering with me everywhere I went, and, taking very nice pictures for me. They go the extra mile to make you feel comfortable and deliver a bespoke service.
Take a taxi scooter. For instance, if you need to go for a relatively short distance and spend the day there, just look for locals that propose to drive you with their scooter. I usually paid between 50K and 80K IDR (3-6 €/USD), depending on the distance. They provide you with a helmet, as it is forbidden in Bali to ride without a helmet.
Use the Go-Jek or Grab app to book a taxi. There is a standard base fare for Bali taxis of around 0.44 €/USD (7K IDR), and an additional charge per km of around 0.47 €/USD (7.5K IDR).
Rent a bike and ride like Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, Love for total satisfaction.
Book the tour on Get Your Guide HERE. Includes Bottled water, All entrance fees, Hotel pickup and drop-off, Jungle swing (if option selected), and Lunch (if option selected).

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Balinese LONG-TAIL Monkeys

The Balinese long-tailed monkeys – in English called Macaque (Macaca fascicularis) live in groups of 100 – 120 monkeys. They are active during daylight and rest during the night. The long tailed macaques are omnivores. In the Monkey Forest Ubud, the main food of the monkeys is sweet potato, given 3 times a day and combined daily with banana, papaya leaf, corn, cucumber, coconut, and other local fruit.

Around 10 000 monthly visitors pass the door of the Monkey Forest. It is one of Ubud’s most visited attractions. It has an area of 12.5 hectares and many attractions to see once inside. One of the main attractions would be the selfie with the monkey. You will see some pictures where it appears that the monkey is taking the selfie. In reality, the monkey is reaching out for food and the caregiver is taking the picture.

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IMPORTANT GUIDELINES

Before you go to the Monkey Forest, there are a few guidelines you should know and by all means, abide if you want to have a good experience with the Monkeys.

1. Don’t bring any food at all. There will be people trying to sell you bananas for the Monkeys. Food can transform a cute monkey into the devil itself.

2. If the monkeys get close to you or jump on you, drop any food you have and let them have it. The best would be not to have any visible food on you, bottle of water included.

3. Keep calm and don’t scream. Screaming frightens them and makes them even more aggressive.

4. Don’t touch, grab or disturb the monkeys. Don’t get too close to them to film them or photograph them.

5. Don’t feed the monkeys peanuts, cookies, bread, snacks, or drinks. The monkey’s diet is very important and so it is maintaining their health. They follow the strict diet that I’ve stated above.

6. Don’t wear long dresses, as I did. Monkeys love them, they will play with them and things can turn ugly.
I moved my feet just a little bit and the Monkey bit me. It wasn’t too deep so I did not need first aid medical attention.

Check here for the best Instagram spots in Bali.

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Best time to visit the Monkey Forest

The best time to visit the Monkey Forest is in the morning. The tourists have not yet rushed into the forest, so it will be more peaceful and quiet for you to observe the monkeys. Remember not to disturb the monkeys in their habitat. I went in the afternoon and the light was amazing for video and photography.

The Ubud Monkey Forest is open every day from 8.30 AM to 6 PM. The last entry will be at 5.30 PM.

Tickets: The ticket price for adults in Monkey Forest is IDR 50 000 (3 €/$). A child’s ticket is IDR 40 000 (2.6 €/$).

CHECK OUT THE BEST ACTIVITY TOURS IN BALI

DID YOU FIND THIS ARTICLE USEFUL?

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