Ubud Monkey Forest, Sacred monkey sanctuary in Ubud, Indonesia
Ubud Monkey Forest is a wooded sanctuary in Ubud, Gianyar, where roughly 1,260 long-tailed macaques live among old stone structures and temple compounds. Several paths wind through dense rainforest with banyan trees, stone bridges and sculptures overgrown with moss and roots.
The forest area has housed shrines since medieval times, used for cremation rituals and community celebrations. Local families later transferred the grounds into communal care to protect the animals and temple sites.
The place takes its name from the free-roaming primates that have been considered holy here for centuries and remain part of daily village life. Visitors can see worshippers praying at shrines while the animals move freely among them.
The entrance sits centrally in Ubud and is easy to reach on foot or by scooter. Bags should be closed tightly, as the primates try to grab food or shiny items.
The groups divide into four family territories, each claiming its own zone within the forest. During feeding times, visitors can watch rank order and social rituals unfold among the animals.
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