Monkey Forest, Ubud
A must do while in Bali is Ubud and its Monkey Forest. Ubud is the art craftsmen center of the island. The Monkey Forest is an open forest that is protected, allowing monkeys to have free reign without any development. The video shows just some of the fun you'll experience.
Monkey Forest Tips
Some very important things you should know before entering the Monkey Forest.
• Don't bring sunglasses.
• Have a strap for your camera.
• Don't bring anything you don't have to.
• Follow the Paths.
• Buy Bananas at your own risk.
• Ladies, where your hair up.
• Don't chase or act aggressively towards the monkeys.
• Be prepared to take a shower afterwards.
You should see the nipples on momma!
OK, don't freak out. I know this all sounds a little foreboding, but the monkeys are pretty harmless (unless they have rabies.) One of the things our doctors all told us before going to Indonesia was to not touch monkeys or dogs. Rabies is a bit of a problem in Indonesia, and the world is short in supply of Rabies Vaccines so you can only get the vaccination if you've been exposed through a bit or scratch. This is why we don't recommend you bring things that they might be interested in.
We did NOT want to have monkeys on us, but it happened anyways. I had a bottle of water hidden in my pocket, and they knew it. They wanted it, and they immediately jumped on me for it. Once I was sitting on a short wall while Natalie was shooting photos. I was in a monkey's way, so he walked over me. I freaked out and stood up, so that's how we came up with the picture above.
It seems it's the teenage monkeys that are the most aggressive. The old ones are relaxing and the babies rarely leave their mother's side. If you buy bananas, you'll be swarmed. We think most people buy them right away thinking that will be the only way to get their attention, but just being in the forest is enough to get their attention.
It's a lot of fun, so be prepared and bring a camera with a strap. We had a really great time their.
Check out our page on the Komaneka Monkey Forest Resort. This is the best place to stay in Ubud, but it's also the most expensive. If you want a real treat while in Bali, stay here for at least a couple nights. Also, while in Ubud, See the Ubud Show.
