Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, known locally as Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, is the most visited sight in central Ubud and one of the easiest to reach on foot. It sits at the southern end of Jalan Monkey Forest in the village of Padangtegal, which owns the forest and runs it through a management body whose council is drawn from village members. The sanctuary is run on the Hindu principle of tri hita karana, which describes harmony between people, nature and God, and it serves as a place of worship, a conservation area and a research site as well as a visitor attraction.

The forest covers about ten hectares and holds more than 115 species of tree. Its best-known residents are the Balinese long-tailed macaques, which live in several groups, each with its own territory. Counts change from year to year, and recent figures put the population at well over a thousand. Staff feed the monkeys sweet potato several times a day along with leaves, maize, cucumber, coconut and local fruit, so visitors should not bring snacks to share.

Three temples stand inside the forest, all thought to date from around 1350. Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal, the main temple, lies in the south-west and is used for the worship of Shiva. Pura Beji in the north-west is a holy spring temple where people cleanse themselves before ceremonies, and Pura Prajapati in the north-east sits beside a cemetery used before the village's mass cremations. The inner temple areas are reserved for worshippers in Balinese dress, but the paths, the carved Dragon Bridge and the wooden walkways give a good view of the setting.

The monkeys are semi-wild, and the official guidelines ask visitors not to touch them or tease them with food. Keep bags closed, secure sunglasses and phones, and avoid carrying food in plain sight, since monkeys will grab bags they think contain something to eat. The sanctuary's website lists opening hours of 9am to 6pm with last entry at 5pm, and tickets can be bought on arrival or booked online through the link on the official site.

The forest suits families and anyone interested in Balinese temple culture, though young children should be kept close because the monkeys are wild animals that grab at loose items. It is one of the busiest sights in Ubud, with well over a million visitors a year, so arriving soon after opening gives a calmer walk. The sanctuary lies near the southern end of Jalan Monkey Forest, which runs north to Ubud Palace on Jalan Raya Ubud, and the ARMA museum is a few hundred metres to the east.