Tales from the Ubud Sacred Monkey Forest: A Local's Perspective

Rand Blimes
May 28
3 min read

Monkey sits among tangled branches, eating a pink fruit. The background is a mix of green and brown tones, creating a natural, serene setting. — Your guest author, Lil' Kiki, having a snack in a tree

Today, we are very fortunate to have a guest writer for a post on the Ubud Sacred Monkey Forest. So here is everything you need to know, from someone who lives there:

By Lil’ Kiki, local macaque & part-time vibe curator

Welcome to the Ubud Sacred Monkey Forest, Besties!

Hey hey heyyyy! 👋 Welcome to the jungle, fam. No, literally. This is our jungle. And not just any jungle—this is the Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud, Bali.

That’s “sacred,” not just “monkey forest,” you culture-skipping normies. Put some respect on the name! You think we hang out in this leafy temple park for the views? No. We are guardians of the ancient wisdom. We are caretakers of the grove. We are… mostly looking for your snacks. But sacred snacks, ya know?

Anyway, lemme give you the lowdown. You’re gonna love it here. For real. Unless you wear hats. Then, like… it might get crazy. That’s why we always say: no cap!

🐒 Monkey Stats (Because Humans Love Bullet Points)

Monkey clings to a person's brown bag, located in a rocky, green moss-covered area. The person is wearing a blue shirt and gray pants. — Monkeys know there are often goodie in any bags people carry

We live in central-ish Ubud. Maybe walkable from town . . . or summon your Grab chariot.
Hours: 9am to 6pm (last call is 5pm—don’t roll up late like it’s a club, you won’t get in).
Entry: IDR 100,000 on weekdays, 120,000 on weekends. I don’t know what “inflation” is, but you’ll be fine. Knock off 20,000 for under 12.
Yes, there are temples. At least… two? Three? Look, we’re not accountants. We’re monkeys.
Over 1200 of us live here in just 12.5 hectares. That’s about 100 monkeys per vibe.

🎩 Please Bring Your Hats (So I Can Steal Them)

Okay listen. You guys are so weird about accessories. You come in here with your little bucket hats and your Ray-Bans and your pastel-colored “Bali Babe” tote bags like this isn’t a THIEVERY ZONE.

Rule of the jungle: if I can take it, it’s mine. That includes your:

Hats (love ‘em, don’t get ‘em).
Glasses (they look like tiny picture windows for your face)
Phones (we assume these have maps to banana stashes)
Water bottles, earrings, scrunchies, half-melted mints, and… just whatevs.

This one guy brought a backpack. My cousin Beans hopped on, unzipped it (mad respect for the zipper skills), and tried to pull out a sack with a camera lens in it. He couldn’t get it—stuff was tied down! That human had some serious prep skills, yo! And then this guy, he starts spinning around. He starts of slow but was soon spinning like crazy. Beans got dizzy from all the spinning. He almost barfed and had to jump off. That human was some kind of mad genius!

Man in red shirt with camera, monkey on his backpack in forest with large trees. Others are walking in the background, creating a playful mood. — A monkey, apparently named Beans, on my back, trying to steal my camera lens

🤳 Pro Tips from Your Local Macaque Influencer

Young monkey climbing a vine in lush, green foliage. It holds a small branch in its mouth, appearing focused and playful.

Don’t bring snacks. We will know. You cannot out-sneaky a monkey.
Don’t wear anything you can’t afford to lose.
Don’t touch us. Consent, people! Also we might bite.
Don’t make eye contact. We don’t want to fight, but we can. And we will win.
Don’t buy bananas from the guy outside trying to sell “monkey treats.” That's just an insurance scam. It ends in rabies.

🙊 What’s It Like Living in a Tourist Hotspot?

Honestly? It’s… weird.

Like, I live in a forest. A sacred one. With temples and banyan trees and hidden paths that whisper ancient truths in the wind. And every day, hundreds of sweaty humans show up wearing tank tops and yelling “WHERE’S THE MONKEYS?!”

I’m the monkey. I’m literally right here. Hi.

Some days I just wanna vibe in the trees, chuck a fruit at someone respectfully, and contemplate life. Other days I have existential crises because I tried to share a mango with a nice Australian lady and she screamed like I was flinging a grenade at her. 🙄

And you need to show some respect, bros! There's temples in here. Coming into the a sacred forest dressed for a day at the beach? This ain't it, Chief!

Man in red shirt crouches to photograph a monkey holding a pink object on a stone-tiled path. Relaxed outdoor setting.

💡 Real Talk

You can see the whole park in an hour. Or you can do it right and chill with us for three. Wander the mossy trails, dodge a few cheeky thieves (👀), and take it all in. Be cool. Be respectful. This place isn’t a zoo. It’s our home.

And maybe—just maybe—if you’re real chill and your energy is ✨unbothered✨, I’ll let you keep your hat. But probably not. Hats slap!

No promises. Because travel is full of surprises. Especially when I’m on the itinerary.

Peace out!