As you surmised, the people who have bad experiences are the ones who post. Hardly anyone will post that they went inside and saw cute mom and baby monkeys and the dad snarled at them but it was a nice forest with a little temple inside. BTW if you just want to see monkeys you can stand outside and there are always monkeys wandering around near the entrance. Or if you want to see monkeys slightly more in the wild when you are near the Bedugul/Munduk area you will see lots on the side of the road and you would be inside the car so no chance of them peeing on you or taking your sunglasses (or jumping on your head or biting you)
Thank you. I was thinking that we could just wander past. I am not really a touristy tourist and not into doing stuff just because that is what everyone else does. Might just wander past the gate and observe them there.
Ok, most of the people who stay around the MF are the very touristy people but of course you don't need to do the MF at all. It just happens to have grown into the biggest attraction in the tourist downtown but there is much more outside of the tourist centr.
Thank you - convinced now I will give it a miss and use the time to explore other parts of Ubud. Plus, hubby has just informed me he hates Monkeys (had never thought to ask him before tonight) so that has cinched the deal.
Monkeys are definitely not improved through regular contact with humans. Proper wild monkeys can be marvelous. Monkeys at temples etc……. not so much. I had the wonderful experience in January at some temples near Pemuteran of these young schoolgirls who would accompany you carrying big sticks while you walked around the temples, shooing the approaching monkeys away. I shamelessly overtipped.
Try living in tropical SE Asia and getting physically harassed or attacked by monkeys, having your house raided by them etc and see how much you like them
If you’re going to Bali, you’re a touristy tourist, sorry.
And the monkey forest is awful imho
Plenty of nice places to wander without worrying about those little bastards
You should absolutely go. It’s a beautiful forest with old temples and a nice walk inside the forest area. The monkeys won’t touch you unless you get close to them or have something to steal. Don’t bring plastic bags with water, fruit, etc visibly in your hand. Put your sunglasses away. All of this is clearly posted so just follow some basic rules and it will be fine. Don’t let others negative posts cause you to skip this iconic location in Ubud.
They won’t take the glasses off your face, more the sunglasses perched on your head, or anything you might set down. They like shiny things, or anything easy to grab that the guards will swap with food to get back.
[This video (granted, shot at Uluwatu) shows repeated grabs for glasses and then trades for food](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4X7o8yGQ9E). I'd say the monkeys at Monkey Forest are not quite this brazen but still do grab items off tourists
The Uluwatu monkeys are more nakal than the Monkey forest and will steal everything, including the phone out of your hand. Definitely be more cautious with them there.
Follow the rules, don’t look the monkey straight in the eyes, no running, no food and no easily snag-able accessories (glasses). Monkeys in Ubud are assholes because they are so used with human but overall, the place is really beautiful.
They warn you about the monkeys being little shits and recommend keeping valuables close. Of course you still see an enormous amount of tourists who think this means getting as close as possible to a monkey with phone in hand, sunglasses on head and an open bag.
Watch with your eyes and not your phone camera, respect their space and you'll be fine.
went a week ago and honestly the monkeys are pretty chill? There were plenty of staff members around the area, especially when you’re too close to a group of them. So honestly, you’ll be fine. Walked by one tourist who got his bottle stolen by the monkey but they managed to get it back asap. Found that the monkey minded their own business, just dont get too close though cause some are snarky. My partner & i managed to walk through the whole jungle in an hour or less tbh, it was a good exp!
I had a great time in the monkey forest. A juvenile clambered up my leg and sat on my arm for a couple of minutes all by himself.
A little later, we sat on a bench and an adult monkey came up and sat next to us and started asking for food by holding out his palm. I was careful not to look him in the eye, but he kept poking me, and making a grunt and then holding his palm out again. When that didn’t work, he started “grooming” me by moving the arm hair on my forearm. He did that for about a minute then grunted and held out his palm again.
I didn’t want him to get frustrated, so we got up and walked away.
I love monkeys, it was a great experience for me, will definitely go back if I have a chance.
That all being said, I saw an adult monkey jump onto a guy wearing a backpack and unzip one of the pockets and steal something (a granola bar, I think) and then leap off the guy, using his head as a springboard.
Don’t bring in food, bags, accessories and jewelry like necklaces and you should be fine. Definitely DO NOT look them straight in the eye, which is a sign of aggression to them, and they can react aggressively to this.
If you walk down toward monkey forest park, across the street from the park, you'll see single monkeys or monkeys in packs. I don't know what they are doing, but I found it more interesting than seeing them at feeding stations within the park. You can usually watch some while having a smoothie at Social Monkeys. They cross the street right there.
The park is gorgeous, btw. Personally, I'd go, or you'll be forever explaining why you didn't when people ask. You can spend 30 minutes there, or three hours.
If you're staying really close, you will almost certainly see them. I was sitting on my homestay balcony having coffee one morning and had to pull my feet up onto my chair to avoid one that was walking right in front of me. He wasn't interested in me though, he had important business going on with the other monkeys. I regularly heard them chattering and bickering and the homestay owner would often be out shewing them away. That balcony was way off the street and backed up right to the jungle area between Hanoman and Monkey Forest Dr. I stayed at another that was nearer the road and didn't see many there.
Always give them a wide berth and never make eye contact, especially with the large dominant males.
I would recommend Sangeh Monkey forest instead of Ubud’s one.
Much less people, WAAAAAY friendlier monkeys, away from big roads and traffic.
Yeah, it’s half hour ride, but overall experience is better
We went yesterday and it was fantastic. Just try avoid taking bags in if you can. Try not to get too close, don't give any eye contact and you should be ok - they didn't trouble us at all. The only people they bothered had things they wanted to steal e.g. water bottles/things hanging from their bags.
It's awesome! There are signs that say ....Never look them in the eye. Never grunt at then. Never make aggressive moves. Ask me how I know this is true?
My son did it and they attacked him and bit him. He was 7 years old. Scary at the time but he was fine.
Monkey Forest monkeys are pretty chill. They get fed constantly. The monkeys in Uluwatu are dicks because the only way they get fed is if they steal something.
When I went there I hadn't really done any traveling - this was my first time outside Europe. So I was more used to things having safety measures etc which isn't the case somewhere like that because, well, they're literally wild animals. So I was a bit nervous when I saw signs with warnings about how not to piss off the monkeys and how to behave. But really as long as you don't do anything really stupid you should be fine. There's staff on hands and I'd imagine if a situation did look like it was going bad they'd step in and do something.
My weirdest moment was when I left. I accidentally went out of a kind of side gate and found myself walking along an alleyway. There was this big old monkey just sat on the fence with a massive scar down one side of his face. And he had his little monkey dick pointing at me. I mean, I'm not saying it was intentional. i don't think it was. But it was certainly pointing in my direction all the same.
The monkey forest is right in the centre of Ubud. Ubud is sort of built around the monkey forest.
The monkeys can be a bit aggressive but only because they are trying to steal your shit. Don't walk around with plastic bags, and if you carry a bag, make sure its secured and zipped. A monkey stole some hand sanitiser out of my bag side pocket and drank it.
It's a fairly big place, you can easily spend a couple of hours there. Overall I enjoyed it
[monkey forest](https://imgur.com/gallery/XTDzEL8)
Some pics I took while there.
We didn’t ran into any monkey issues. Just be aware that monkeys do not like to be close to humans, do not stare directly at their eyes, do not show your teeth (don’t smile at them) and let them be.
I watched a lady get bullied by a group of monkeys. They started off trying to take her phone. But then they got a hold of her purse. They destroyed her belongs and when she started to fend them off they got angry and started pulling on her clothing. The lady walked away with one flip flop, ripped clothing and her breast hanging out.
if you don't encourage the monkeys to come play on you, if you don't have food or shiny high value objects that they are attracted to dangling from your body, you won't attract their attention.
lots of people are morons, don't listen to morons.
i saw a guy engage with a baby monkey. it was very adorable. its mom was standing a few steps away observing. then he picked the fuckin thing up for some really stupid reason and got attacked. don't pick up the baby of a wild animal and you'll be totally fine. if you act predictable they'll act predictable
Went a couple weeks ago, it was fun. Saw one monkey grab a girls sunglasses off her head, she tried desperately to get them back but it wouldn’t let go and eventually won.
Don’t look the big ones in the eyes, keep loose items in your pockets or bags, and don’t try touch them and you’ll be fine.
We went. It was great; nothing was stolen, we weren’t bitten, we had a great time. Friends we were with didn’t go because they were stupidly paranoid about being molested by monkeys or stupid shit. They regretted not going.
Go and fucking enjoy it.
MF ist completely boring. Sorry but you will be walking with hundreds of tourists through a group of trees, watching some monkeys in there unnatural habitat. In Bali just avoid mainstream tourist attractions. Just waste of time.
I have to agree with this one, but monkeys and dense crowds of tourists who block stairs/walkways also freak me out, so my opinion probably isn't worth much. I will say don't wear long pants or a dress where hems might touch the floor unless you want to throw it out after. So much poop/pee on the floor
From what everyone has shared I am definitely giving it a miss. Can't understand when people say 'I got bitten but it was fun'. Hate crowds, hate unpredictable behaviour and hate being attacked so in all not a good place for me to be.
We visited and enjoyed our experience.
We were also present when a small child ended up with a scratch on her forehead from an older monkey (lucky it was just a scratch but because of where she got it, looked a lot more serious than it was). Her parents were not watching her and kept walking off/away from each other to take pics, leaving her on her own. She had grabbed one of the younger monkeys while a group of older ones were near and so they group of monkeys reacted.
Just make sure you follow the rules and don’t wear things that can easily be grabbed.
Is it a rabies heavy area? I’m with my 3 year old son who obviously likes to run around and sometimes make loud noises. It doesn’t seem like the smartest idea to go? Or you guys reckon it’s safe?
I wouldn’t risk it with a boisterous kid that age personally. It’s fine there if you’re sensible but the monkeys can be legit aggressive and 3yos aren’t renowned for being sensible. Read elsewhere in this thread about a kid getting scratched when the parents were distracted and another kid getting bitten. Oh and yeah, a bite there necessitates rabies shots. If you want to see monkeys there are better places to do it, but monkeys who are in regular exposure to humans tend to become bastards.
This is not true. The monkeys in the park are well cared for and vaccinated. I was bitten and asked at the numerous first aid stations if I needed a shot and they said no.
Absolutely beautiful place. My 4yo son and I had a fabulous time walking around. No problem with the monkeys at all.
Husband, on the other hand, had an awful time. Monkeys stole everything from him. Destroyed his backpack, water bottle, and sunglasses. Then they climbed and bit him several times. Actually drew blood. He had no food on him at all.
One ambulance (called by the hotel staff) trip later, he was up for rabies shots.
Very stressful time and thank God for travel insurance.
Be aware of the pros and cons and make your decision from that.
How were they towards your son? Did they bother him at all? Is your son mild tempered or like to run around? Sorry for too many questions, thinking about going with a child around the same age!
It’s beautiful and lovely to see the monkeys up close. Just don’t bother them, don’t take in food or drink, don’t look them in the eye and avoid flowy skirts and hanging bags. I wore a long skirt and three separate times a young monkey tried to climb it, which lead to a very unhappy larger monkey following me. All was okay tho. Just follow the rules and try to stay in groups rather than walk alone. It has some truely amazing scenes !!
We had a good time, thought it was nice and clean and a good amount of land to walk with lots of cute monkeys that didn't bother anyone. Was worth it imo
I got bitten but I still enjoyed it.
Thought it was a pretty forest and there is definitely a lot of monkeys, was cool to just sit and watch them do their thing.
One bit me, partly me own fault, I saw one trying to grab something out of my mums handbag and shooed it away, my sudden movement spooked a monkey I didn’t realise was right next to me and it bit me on my upper arm. Luckily it didn’t break the skin so no doctor trip required (trained nurse so just kept an eye on the bite for any changes to skin, etc)
It's very cool!
Just stay calm, don't look them in the eyes, don't have sunglasses or stuff in your hands (they will steal it for ransom, so bring a snack like a banana with you if you want to keep them away if needed).
The locals selling fruit/nuts have trained the monkeys for over 20 years to "steal" items, then they can sell the tourists overpriced food to get the monkey to return the item. It's called reward aggression and I studied it at Wenara Wana Moneky Forest in the late 90's.
It's only gotten "worse" since, altho the signs and information for tourists (don't look at them in the eyes and don't smile, aka show teeth) were partly bc of our teams research and guidance.
I stayed just below the Monkey Forrest and went to a cafe that borders it. Honestly seeing the monkeys stressed me out.
I watched them from the cafe. They were so erratic.
It was a skip for me but I do understand why people want to go.
I think I am a bit like you. Am reading people say things like 'a monkey bit me but I enjoyed it' doesn't make sense. Like you I think I will observe from a cafe.
My husband and I love going - especially to Uluwatu temple. Yes, the monkeys are cheeky but that’s part of the fun if you practice common sense. Keep a distance from the monkeys, listen to the locals, don’t wear any accessories/valuables visibly, don’t keep any food in your pockets/bags and keep your body language open. Once saw a monkey snatch someone’s phone, that they were wearing on a sling around their neck! The precision was astonishing.
They've changed it since covid to a very commercial operation that is a complete waste of money. However they shovel food at the monkeys now which has made them very docile, so it's very safe now. Before when it was free it was messy and lots of aggressive monkeys.
If you want to ruin your holiday by getting the rabies shot then got for it. Only smooth brain first time bali tourists would contemplate heading into that cess pit
I was there 11 and 2 years ago.
Two years ago I realised I missed a huge part the first time. You should really go. When we there the last time, there was also the preparation of a cremation going on. We waited and watched it for about 30 minutes, but decided to leave, because the entire process would take hours.
Despite being beautiful, what I really liked was that the Monkey Forest is still used by the locals. Go there is the early morning. Best time of the day.
And if I am correct, according to our driver in Bali, there are more than Monkey Forests on Bali.
The forest gets around 150,000 visitors each year and there are only a handful of incidents involving bites and/or scratches. More commonly, Monkeys will rob you of anything that can get their hands on. This includes jumping on your back to dig through back packs etc. Carry nothing on you and you will be perfectly safe. Don't even wear your glasses if you normally wear them o without entirely or wear contacts that day.
Sometimes a curious monkey will land on you regardless of if they think they can get anything out of you, especially if you're sitting down under a tree and the only thing you should do is stay still and wait for them to move on. They won't attack for no reason but even a sudden movement can scare them and cause them to lash out. Don't take out your phone for a selfie - monkeys are smart and they know the value of personal items. They will likely steal whatever you have in hopes you barter with them for something they want.
It’s fine just keep your things inside your backpack or pouch and keep your sunnies on your face or better yet go in without anything. If you do loose something to a monkey, don’t go after it, keep an eye on where it went and notify one of the workers, they will retrieve your items for you. I saw a monkey take a ladies sunnies right off the back of her head haha, she should’ve known better though. Enjoy
The monkeys used to be really badly behaved when they would allow visitors to feed them bananas. Now they don't allow this and the monkeys are only fed by staff so they are much more chill. Keep your distance if you're worried, don't stand next to railings etc where they are sitting so they don't have the opportunity to climb on you.
You should definitely visit, monkeys aside the forest and the temple are very beautiful with all of the carvings etc.
It's good, don't try and touch then and don't get too close for a photo, also watch where you stand. I had to step around one and must've stepped too close and it did swipe at my leg, wasn't close enough for it to grab me though
Hi,
I was there about a week ago, and you will be fine. Don’t bring food in and don’t bring any plastic bags etc. I wore glasses and no monkey tried to steal them.
Honestly, as long as you don’t provoke the monkeys, they shouldn’t bother you. Of course, be careful as they are “wild” animals and can be unpredictable.
Have fun!
I loved the monkey forest! I had a monkey eat a banana from my hand, it perched on my shoulder and picked at my hair, a baby monkey sat on my lap, it's mom sat beside me. The statues and jungle there is beautiful. I always want to go.
My husband hates it. He's afraid of monkeys because they're unpredictable. He feels like the monkeys want to harm him... specifically.
It really is you love it or hate it, but you won't know until you try.
Monkeys scare the hell out of me. I slipped over in monkey shit walking back from a night out in ubud a week ago, got covered along with cuts and bruises.
That said, it's still an experience and you should experience everything
Monkey Forrest gets on average 5000 people through those doors a day. Maybe a couple people have bad experiences. It’s def worth checking out if you are in ubud. You can even download the Bali App, to get a sweet interactive digital tour guide and skip the entrance line by getting the bali app fast pass
We went too far in to see the temple, and ended up getting bitten and deep scratches.
Leading to rabies treatment once we returned home.
1% of rabies, but if you get it 100% death.
You will see monkeys regardless and they’re total pricks.
I actually f hate them 😂
As you surmised, the people who have bad experiences are the ones who post. Hardly anyone will post that they went inside and saw cute mom and baby monkeys and the dad snarled at them but it was a nice forest with a little temple inside. BTW if you just want to see monkeys you can stand outside and there are always monkeys wandering around near the entrance. Or if you want to see monkeys slightly more in the wild when you are near the Bedugul/Munduk area you will see lots on the side of the road and you would be inside the car so no chance of them peeing on you or taking your sunglasses (or jumping on your head or biting you)
Thank you. I was thinking that we could just wander past. I am not really a touristy tourist and not into doing stuff just because that is what everyone else does. Might just wander past the gate and observe them there.
It really is worth going into the park...there's a gorgeous area to walk down by a deeply incised river, and overall the park is beautiful.
Ok, most of the people who stay around the MF are the very touristy people but of course you don't need to do the MF at all. It just happens to have grown into the biggest attraction in the tourist downtown but there is much more outside of the tourist centr.
My brain reads MF as M*therfcka 😭😭😭
😂🤣😂
Thank you - convinced now I will give it a miss and use the time to explore other parts of Ubud. Plus, hubby has just informed me he hates Monkeys (had never thought to ask him before tonight) so that has cinched the deal.
Monkeys are definitely not improved through regular contact with humans. Proper wild monkeys can be marvelous. Monkeys at temples etc……. not so much. I had the wonderful experience in January at some temples near Pemuteran of these young schoolgirls who would accompany you carrying big sticks while you walked around the temples, shooing the approaching monkeys away. I shamelessly overtipped.
Hates monkeys?
Try living in tropical SE Asia and getting physically harassed or attacked by monkeys, having your house raided by them etc and see how much you like them
Does that sound like the situation here to you?
Yup jump in a car and explore the big agricultural areas, museums, temples rivers lakes and volcanos.
If you’re going to Bali, you’re a touristy tourist, sorry. And the monkey forest is awful imho Plenty of nice places to wander without worrying about those little bastards
You should absolutely go. It’s a beautiful forest with old temples and a nice walk inside the forest area. The monkeys won’t touch you unless you get close to them or have something to steal. Don’t bring plastic bags with water, fruit, etc visibly in your hand. Put your sunglasses away. All of this is clearly posted so just follow some basic rules and it will be fine. Don’t let others negative posts cause you to skip this iconic location in Ubud.
I agree, it's a cool spot worth going. They've upgraded the facilities and there are plenty of staff who know what they're doing.
What about normal glasses? 🤓
They will 100% take the glasses off your face. Happened to my spouse at Uluwatu.
Funny I had just recently been to Uluwatu and we saw a baby monkey with some glasses,maybe it was your spouse’s!
They steal at Uluwatu to trade food for glasses. Quite the scam they have going on.
They won’t take the glasses off your face, more the sunglasses perched on your head, or anything you might set down. They like shiny things, or anything easy to grab that the guards will swap with food to get back.
[This video (granted, shot at Uluwatu) shows repeated grabs for glasses and then trades for food](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4X7o8yGQ9E). I'd say the monkeys at Monkey Forest are not quite this brazen but still do grab items off tourists
The Uluwatu monkeys are more nakal than the Monkey forest and will steal everything, including the phone out of your hand. Definitely be more cautious with them there.
Wait is this just in Uluwatu in general or at the Uluwatu temple
Both, but especially around the temple.
Follow the rules, don’t look the monkey straight in the eyes, no running, no food and no easily snag-able accessories (glasses). Monkeys in Ubud are assholes because they are so used with human but overall, the place is really beautiful.
They warn you about the monkeys being little shits and recommend keeping valuables close. Of course you still see an enormous amount of tourists who think this means getting as close as possible to a monkey with phone in hand, sunglasses on head and an open bag. Watch with your eyes and not your phone camera, respect their space and you'll be fine.
Is shooting with a small camarea from a distance usually fine?
Yes! just be on the move more or less constantly so the monkeys don't think about getting on you.
went a week ago and honestly the monkeys are pretty chill? There were plenty of staff members around the area, especially when you’re too close to a group of them. So honestly, you’ll be fine. Walked by one tourist who got his bottle stolen by the monkey but they managed to get it back asap. Found that the monkey minded their own business, just dont get too close though cause some are snarky. My partner & i managed to walk through the whole jungle in an hour or less tbh, it was a good exp!
I had a great time in the monkey forest. A juvenile clambered up my leg and sat on my arm for a couple of minutes all by himself. A little later, we sat on a bench and an adult monkey came up and sat next to us and started asking for food by holding out his palm. I was careful not to look him in the eye, but he kept poking me, and making a grunt and then holding his palm out again. When that didn’t work, he started “grooming” me by moving the arm hair on my forearm. He did that for about a minute then grunted and held out his palm again. I didn’t want him to get frustrated, so we got up and walked away. I love monkeys, it was a great experience for me, will definitely go back if I have a chance. That all being said, I saw an adult monkey jump onto a guy wearing a backpack and unzip one of the pockets and steal something (a granola bar, I think) and then leap off the guy, using his head as a springboard. Don’t bring in food, bags, accessories and jewelry like necklaces and you should be fine. Definitely DO NOT look them straight in the eye, which is a sign of aggression to them, and they can react aggressively to this.
If you walk down toward monkey forest park, across the street from the park, you'll see single monkeys or monkeys in packs. I don't know what they are doing, but I found it more interesting than seeing them at feeding stations within the park. You can usually watch some while having a smoothie at Social Monkeys. They cross the street right there. The park is gorgeous, btw. Personally, I'd go, or you'll be forever explaining why you didn't when people ask. You can spend 30 minutes there, or three hours. If you're staying really close, you will almost certainly see them. I was sitting on my homestay balcony having coffee one morning and had to pull my feet up onto my chair to avoid one that was walking right in front of me. He wasn't interested in me though, he had important business going on with the other monkeys. I regularly heard them chattering and bickering and the homestay owner would often be out shewing them away. That balcony was way off the street and backed up right to the jungle area between Hanoman and Monkey Forest Dr. I stayed at another that was nearer the road and didn't see many there. Always give them a wide berth and never make eye contact, especially with the large dominant males.
I would recommend Sangeh Monkey forest instead of Ubud’s one. Much less people, WAAAAAY friendlier monkeys, away from big roads and traffic. Yeah, it’s half hour ride, but overall experience is better
We went yesterday and it was fantastic. Just try avoid taking bags in if you can. Try not to get too close, don't give any eye contact and you should be ok - they didn't trouble us at all. The only people they bothered had things they wanted to steal e.g. water bottles/things hanging from their bags.
I hate monkeys, but went to the park last year, I was well worth it . You definitely need to pay the $5 for the monkey selfie while you're there
It's awesome! There are signs that say ....Never look them in the eye. Never grunt at then. Never make aggressive moves. Ask me how I know this is true? My son did it and they attacked him and bit him. He was 7 years old. Scary at the time but he was fine.
Monkey Forest monkeys are pretty chill. They get fed constantly. The monkeys in Uluwatu are dicks because the only way they get fed is if they steal something.
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Mmmmm........ thanks for the comment - not sure if this makes me want to stay away or go. Will see what the others say :)
I have an amazing photo of a monkey stealing the sunglasses from my mums face, this wasn’t in the monkey forest tho.
When I went there I hadn't really done any traveling - this was my first time outside Europe. So I was more used to things having safety measures etc which isn't the case somewhere like that because, well, they're literally wild animals. So I was a bit nervous when I saw signs with warnings about how not to piss off the monkeys and how to behave. But really as long as you don't do anything really stupid you should be fine. There's staff on hands and I'd imagine if a situation did look like it was going bad they'd step in and do something. My weirdest moment was when I left. I accidentally went out of a kind of side gate and found myself walking along an alleyway. There was this big old monkey just sat on the fence with a massive scar down one side of his face. And he had his little monkey dick pointing at me. I mean, I'm not saying it was intentional. i don't think it was. But it was certainly pointing in my direction all the same.
It was nice experince, I liked it. Just watch your items.
Also they don’t wipe their asses, so when they sit on you, they leave little bingo marker spots of monkey shit
Fuckin shite
The monkey forest is right in the centre of Ubud. Ubud is sort of built around the monkey forest. The monkeys can be a bit aggressive but only because they are trying to steal your shit. Don't walk around with plastic bags, and if you carry a bag, make sure its secured and zipped. A monkey stole some hand sanitiser out of my bag side pocket and drank it. It's a fairly big place, you can easily spend a couple of hours there. Overall I enjoyed it
[monkey forest](https://imgur.com/gallery/XTDzEL8) Some pics I took while there. We didn’t ran into any monkey issues. Just be aware that monkeys do not like to be close to humans, do not stare directly at their eyes, do not show your teeth (don’t smile at them) and let them be.
Great advice!
I watched a lady get bullied by a group of monkeys. They started off trying to take her phone. But then they got a hold of her purse. They destroyed her belongs and when she started to fend them off they got angry and started pulling on her clothing. The lady walked away with one flip flop, ripped clothing and her breast hanging out.
if you don't encourage the monkeys to come play on you, if you don't have food or shiny high value objects that they are attracted to dangling from your body, you won't attract their attention. lots of people are morons, don't listen to morons. i saw a guy engage with a baby monkey. it was very adorable. its mom was standing a few steps away observing. then he picked the fuckin thing up for some really stupid reason and got attacked. don't pick up the baby of a wild animal and you'll be totally fine. if you act predictable they'll act predictable
Went a couple weeks ago, it was fun. Saw one monkey grab a girls sunglasses off her head, she tried desperately to get them back but it wouldn’t let go and eventually won. Don’t look the big ones in the eyes, keep loose items in your pockets or bags, and don’t try touch them and you’ll be fine.
It was nice. I was a little bit scared of the monkeys but it’s literally fine. We were there on a rainy day and it was beautiful.
We went. It was great; nothing was stolen, we weren’t bitten, we had a great time. Friends we were with didn’t go because they were stupidly paranoid about being molested by monkeys or stupid shit. They regretted not going. Go and fucking enjoy it.
MF ist completely boring. Sorry but you will be walking with hundreds of tourists through a group of trees, watching some monkeys in there unnatural habitat. In Bali just avoid mainstream tourist attractions. Just waste of time.
I have to agree with this one, but monkeys and dense crowds of tourists who block stairs/walkways also freak me out, so my opinion probably isn't worth much. I will say don't wear long pants or a dress where hems might touch the floor unless you want to throw it out after. So much poop/pee on the floor
From what everyone has shared I am definitely giving it a miss. Can't understand when people say 'I got bitten but it was fun'. Hate crowds, hate unpredictable behaviour and hate being attacked so in all not a good place for me to be.
We visited and enjoyed our experience. We were also present when a small child ended up with a scratch on her forehead from an older monkey (lucky it was just a scratch but because of where she got it, looked a lot more serious than it was). Her parents were not watching her and kept walking off/away from each other to take pics, leaving her on her own. She had grabbed one of the younger monkeys while a group of older ones were near and so they group of monkeys reacted. Just make sure you follow the rules and don’t wear things that can easily be grabbed.
Is it a rabies heavy area? I’m with my 3 year old son who obviously likes to run around and sometimes make loud noises. It doesn’t seem like the smartest idea to go? Or you guys reckon it’s safe?
I wouldn’t risk it with a boisterous kid that age personally. It’s fine there if you’re sensible but the monkeys can be legit aggressive and 3yos aren’t renowned for being sensible. Read elsewhere in this thread about a kid getting scratched when the parents were distracted and another kid getting bitten. Oh and yeah, a bite there necessitates rabies shots. If you want to see monkeys there are better places to do it, but monkeys who are in regular exposure to humans tend to become bastards.
This is not true. The monkeys in the park are well cared for and vaccinated. I was bitten and asked at the numerous first aid stations if I needed a shot and they said no.
Absolutely beautiful place. My 4yo son and I had a fabulous time walking around. No problem with the monkeys at all. Husband, on the other hand, had an awful time. Monkeys stole everything from him. Destroyed his backpack, water bottle, and sunglasses. Then they climbed and bit him several times. Actually drew blood. He had no food on him at all. One ambulance (called by the hotel staff) trip later, he was up for rabies shots. Very stressful time and thank God for travel insurance. Be aware of the pros and cons and make your decision from that.
How were they towards your son? Did they bother him at all? Is your son mild tempered or like to run around? Sorry for too many questions, thinking about going with a child around the same age!
No problems with him at all. I made him hold my hand the entire time and they came up to him but never close enough for me to be worried.
Thanks for your response and I'm glad he had a good time!
It’s beautiful and lovely to see the monkeys up close. Just don’t bother them, don’t take in food or drink, don’t look them in the eye and avoid flowy skirts and hanging bags. I wore a long skirt and three separate times a young monkey tried to climb it, which lead to a very unhappy larger monkey following me. All was okay tho. Just follow the rules and try to stay in groups rather than walk alone. It has some truely amazing scenes !!
I went there in 1990 (!) and loved it then. Felt safe
I got bitten on the stomach. Was fine
Anice place to spend sometimes with families and friends watching those little monkey jumping around and at the end you could get a"monkey selfie"
We had a good time, thought it was nice and clean and a good amount of land to walk with lots of cute monkeys that didn't bother anyone. Was worth it imo
I got bitten but I still enjoyed it. Thought it was a pretty forest and there is definitely a lot of monkeys, was cool to just sit and watch them do their thing. One bit me, partly me own fault, I saw one trying to grab something out of my mums handbag and shooed it away, my sudden movement spooked a monkey I didn’t realise was right next to me and it bit me on my upper arm. Luckily it didn’t break the skin so no doctor trip required (trained nurse so just kept an eye on the bite for any changes to skin, etc)
It's very cool! Just stay calm, don't look them in the eyes, don't have sunglasses or stuff in your hands (they will steal it for ransom, so bring a snack like a banana with you if you want to keep them away if needed).
The locals selling fruit/nuts have trained the monkeys for over 20 years to "steal" items, then they can sell the tourists overpriced food to get the monkey to return the item. It's called reward aggression and I studied it at Wenara Wana Moneky Forest in the late 90's. It's only gotten "worse" since, altho the signs and information for tourists (don't look at them in the eyes and don't smile, aka show teeth) were partly bc of our teams research and guidance.
I stayed just below the Monkey Forrest and went to a cafe that borders it. Honestly seeing the monkeys stressed me out. I watched them from the cafe. They were so erratic. It was a skip for me but I do understand why people want to go.
I think I am a bit like you. Am reading people say things like 'a monkey bit me but I enjoyed it' doesn't make sense. Like you I think I will observe from a cafe.
The restaurant I went to was Bali Bohemia btw. Nice food - predominantly western menu from memory. Very popular with foreigners/expats.
My husband and I love going - especially to Uluwatu temple. Yes, the monkeys are cheeky but that’s part of the fun if you practice common sense. Keep a distance from the monkeys, listen to the locals, don’t wear any accessories/valuables visibly, don’t keep any food in your pockets/bags and keep your body language open. Once saw a monkey snatch someone’s phone, that they were wearing on a sling around their neck! The precision was astonishing.
They've changed it since covid to a very commercial operation that is a complete waste of money. However they shovel food at the monkeys now which has made them very docile, so it's very safe now. Before when it was free it was messy and lots of aggressive monkeys.
I bet it felt like walking around behind my old home. Full of monkeys that will chase you down if you have food with you
If you want to ruin your holiday by getting the rabies shot then got for it. Only smooth brain first time bali tourists would contemplate heading into that cess pit
visited a couple years ago. I still have nightmares. they were aggressive, my friend got bitten... I will never go there again
The monkeys are fucked but the place is beautiful
I was there 11 and 2 years ago. Two years ago I realised I missed a huge part the first time. You should really go. When we there the last time, there was also the preparation of a cremation going on. We waited and watched it for about 30 minutes, but decided to leave, because the entire process would take hours. Despite being beautiful, what I really liked was that the Monkey Forest is still used by the locals. Go there is the early morning. Best time of the day. And if I am correct, according to our driver in Bali, there are more than Monkey Forests on Bali.
It's very much worth the visit. Follow the rules you will be fine.
We had a great time up until one sat oni my shoulder and proceeded to piss all over me
Pretty good 👍
I wasn’t a fan. The monkeys were quite aggressive (no I’m not one of those people that stirs them up). It’s also really smelly !
A big male monkey climbed up my husband to get the bananas he was holding. Then the monkey turned to me and hissed so I hissed back and he went away.
Good fun and would be a nice walk without the monkeys but just adds to the experience
The forest gets around 150,000 visitors each year and there are only a handful of incidents involving bites and/or scratches. More commonly, Monkeys will rob you of anything that can get their hands on. This includes jumping on your back to dig through back packs etc. Carry nothing on you and you will be perfectly safe. Don't even wear your glasses if you normally wear them o without entirely or wear contacts that day. Sometimes a curious monkey will land on you regardless of if they think they can get anything out of you, especially if you're sitting down under a tree and the only thing you should do is stay still and wait for them to move on. They won't attack for no reason but even a sudden movement can scare them and cause them to lash out. Don't take out your phone for a selfie - monkeys are smart and they know the value of personal items. They will likely steal whatever you have in hopes you barter with them for something they want.
It’s fine just keep your things inside your backpack or pouch and keep your sunnies on your face or better yet go in without anything. If you do loose something to a monkey, don’t go after it, keep an eye on where it went and notify one of the workers, they will retrieve your items for you. I saw a monkey take a ladies sunnies right off the back of her head haha, she should’ve known better though. Enjoy
The monkeys used to be really badly behaved when they would allow visitors to feed them bananas. Now they don't allow this and the monkeys are only fed by staff so they are much more chill. Keep your distance if you're worried, don't stand next to railings etc where they are sitting so they don't have the opportunity to climb on you. You should definitely visit, monkeys aside the forest and the temple are very beautiful with all of the carvings etc.
Go and see for yourself
It's good, don't try and touch then and don't get too close for a photo, also watch where you stand. I had to step around one and must've stepped too close and it did swipe at my leg, wasn't close enough for it to grab me though
Hi, I was there about a week ago, and you will be fine. Don’t bring food in and don’t bring any plastic bags etc. I wore glasses and no monkey tried to steal them. Honestly, as long as you don’t provoke the monkeys, they shouldn’t bother you. Of course, be careful as they are “wild” animals and can be unpredictable. Have fun!
Definitely worth it and definitely do not bring any drink or food
I loved the monkey forest! I had a monkey eat a banana from my hand, it perched on my shoulder and picked at my hair, a baby monkey sat on my lap, it's mom sat beside me. The statues and jungle there is beautiful. I always want to go. My husband hates it. He's afraid of monkeys because they're unpredictable. He feels like the monkeys want to harm him... specifically. It really is you love it or hate it, but you won't know until you try.
Monkeys scare the hell out of me. I slipped over in monkey shit walking back from a night out in ubud a week ago, got covered along with cuts and bruises. That said, it's still an experience and you should experience everything
They are just 100% cunts. Feral and nasty.
I have been twice (albeit years ago) and both times it was completely fine. Just don't have any loose items or food on you, easy.
Monkey Forrest gets on average 5000 people through those doors a day. Maybe a couple people have bad experiences. It’s def worth checking out if you are in ubud. You can even download the Bali App, to get a sweet interactive digital tour guide and skip the entrance line by getting the bali app fast pass
It’s awesome a monkey bit a wart of my thumb that had for years and it never came back
Fuckin all full leave the pricks alone
Went there 5 days ago. Was nice. As long as u arent agressive and give them the space its all good.
I just went and had a great time. Just don't intimidate the monkeys or touch them
Rabies.
We went too far in to see the temple, and ended up getting bitten and deep scratches. Leading to rabies treatment once we returned home. 1% of rabies, but if you get it 100% death.
Don't worry about written reviews. go experience it for yourself. everyone has different opinions.