Martinis & Miles

If you are visiting Bali, then the Monkey Forest Ubud is definitely something you need to see.

The Sacred Monkey Forest is like walking through the Jungle Book with lush greenery and wildlife roaming free. Here are some tips to ensure that you and your family have a great time.

First things first, make sure that you are completely healthy. Monkeys (and some other animals) can catch a lot of diseases from us, which includes the common cold. A case of the sniffles may big no big deal to us, but could be fatal to one of the inhabitants of the Monkey Forest.

When you arrive, you will buy your tickets to the Monkey Forest (the restrooms here are nice and clean as well) and enter the forest through the walkway. As you head down the path, the first thing you notice is the quiet. If you have time, you can sit and just enjoy the forest and its peace.

Ok, the whole point here is to see monkeys right? Many of the monkeys hang out around the food stalls. Periodically, there are employees who sell small bunches of bananas to tourists. The monkeys know this and will be all over you. Trust me, they are not hard to find, and they are in no way afraid of you.

Seriously, there is no personal space with a bunch of monkeys. They will leap on you and grab bananas from you. Do not scream and yell when they do approach you. No one likes someone screaming in their face, plus you look like a jackass tourist. Stay clam and the monkeys will come hang out with you even if you don’t have food.

I walked over to a bench and sat down calmly (no food) and within a minute or two a few monkeys come over to sit in my lap, hold my hand, and just generally check me out. They were really sweet, calm, and happy as long as I was too. Just try not to look the big males in the eye too long, as they can see this as a sign of aggression, and NEVER take anything from a monkey. This is a good way to have a bad experience. One of the monkeys grabbed my iPhone to check it out. I just let him satisfy his curiosity and he eventually gave it back unharmed.

I love love loved my visit to the Ubud Monkey Forest, and I know your whole family will have a magical time with unforgettable photos as long as everyone respects the animals.

Also, pro tip- its a bit dark in there so plan accordingly with your camera settings.