The Monkey Sanctuary is on the island of Bali, in the town of Ubud. Ubud is a popular tourist destination for the beautiful landscape of rice paddies, magical temples and tiny villages. It is a decent size, but tends to act bigger with the proximity of 13 villages near by.
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Ubud Monkey Sanctuary
The Ubud Monkey Sanctuary is a nature reserve and Hindu temple complex off one of the main roads in Ubud. Over 10,000 tourists visit this area in one month and I definitely was one of them. People everywhere call it the Ubud Monkey Sanctuary but it’s actually in the Village of Padangtegal. In this village, the Pura Dalem Agung Padangetegal temple is found as well as a “Holy Spring” bathing temple, a temple used for cremation ceremonies and the Monkey Sanctuary. The Padangetegal village owns the Monkey Sanctuary and views it as an important spiritual, economic, and educational center for the village.
The villages mission is to use the area as a conservation according to the Hindu principle of Tri Hata Karana, which means Three ways to reach spiritual and physical well being. The Ubud Monkey Sanctuary is respected by tourist and villagers a like and a place to create a relationship between humans and the natural environment.
The Need to Knows
There is an entrance fee:
Adults: IDR 50.000. Children: IDR 40.000. Their website here.
Don’t bring plastic:
To keep the park clean and animals safe they don’t allow in plastic bottles, paper bags or plastic bags. Tourists are able to leave at ticket counter, but try to avoid bringing.
Monkeys:
The monkeys are scientifically known as Macaca fascicularis or Balinese long-tailed macaque
Don’t be stuck at the entrance:
10 feet from the entrance you will find your first cart selling bananas, the crowd is huge and so many monkeys. Keep walking, there are plenty of carts and huge areas with even more monkeys. Don’t clog the entrance.
Put valuable items away:
Monkeys will love to pull at valuables and anything else they can grab. Tuck your wallet in a bag, moped keys in a zipper pocket and if not using your camera, put in backpack.
Even your flip flops:
Yes, monkeys will steal anything not attached to you. Adjusting your flip flop? They will take it.
Purchase a banana:
Throughout the park there are carts of bananas guests can buy. These bananas can be given to the monkeys.
Women will help monkeys climb on you:
At the cart, there are women that will set guests up with their bananas to allow the monkeys to climb on them.
Climb on you:
Monkeys will climb on you to get what they want: bananas.
Bring your own bananas:
To save some money, bring your own bananas.
Human snacks:
To keep the monkeys safe, only feed them bananas and reframe from giving them any other human snacks.
Don’t pull bananas away:
Pulling away bananas will anger the monkeys to attack and fight for the bananas.
Threatening moves:
As well as pulling bananas away, making threatening moves can also lure the monkeys to attack. There is a first aid center on site.
They will enjoy themselves:
We are in their home, they will enjoy themselves how they want to.
They protect their babies:
Babies are present with their mothers, give them space. Aka Zoom in on your camera.
Children:
Children are children, but, as a parent, don’t let them run around the park trying to grab the monkeys. Never know when the monkeys will be threatened by the child.
Sidewalks:
Don’t walk off the sidewalks, we want to keep the Monkey Sanctuary beautiful, walking on the grass/rocks will kill the area and the beauty.
Be careful when driving:
The monkeys aren’t in a cage; while driving on the main street, to the Monkey Sanctuary, be careful as the monkeys are running around in the streets and the shops.
Parking:
Across from the entrance of the Monkey Sanctuary there is a parking lot for cars and mopeds.
Walking distance:
The Monkey Sanctuary is in the center of the town and the town is all walkable. Wear good shoes.
Tours:
There are plenty of tours from all over Bali that include the Monkey Sanctuary and other places in the area.
Visit the Temple with only good intentions:
The Monkey Sanctuary has local Temples that are used. Some parts are prohibited for the public to see or visit and can only be accessible for whom is willing to pray and wear proper Balinese praying dress
Ubud Monkey Sanctuary is a magical place, even if you don’t like monkeys. It could be labeled as a “cliche” thing to do in Ubud, but guests won’t be disappointed. .
