In this dense magical forest, you will find ancient Banyan trees, Hindu temples and lots of wonderful long tailed Macaque monkeys!
The trees, temples and large population of macaque monkeys at the Ubud Monkey forest, a site of Balinese Hindu worship, are all considered sacred. The site, also known as Padangtegal Monkey Forest, due to it being owned by the village of Padangtegal, also houses a research centre dedicated to the research and preservation these wonderful creatures as well as the 115 different species of tree found here. There have been buildings including temples, pagodas and shrines on this site since around the mid-14th century, although not all of the buildings you see today are original, many having perished over time. The main temple, and also the largest, is the Dalem Agung Temple, which is used for every day ceremonies. The Holy Bathing Temple is used for bathing rituals as its name suggests, and cremation ceremonies are held at the Prajapati Temple. The temples here are only one part of the attraction. The forest is also home to around 600 macaque monkeys. They are roughly divided into four ‘troops’ or communities in different parts of the forest. An integral aspect of Balinese Hinduism is focused on animism, the belief that souls or spirits exist in animals as well as humans. The monkeys are therefore considered as sacred as the temples. They are also expert thieves who will happily snatch any of your belongings, so keep them out of sight! br />The final significant part of the site are the trees. Various different species are used quite specifically in different religious ceremonies. The Banyan tree leaves are used in cremation ceremonies and masks are cut from the wood of the Pule Bandak tree which grows here in abundance. Situated just outside Ubud, the Ubud Monkey Forest is easily accessible on foot from the town. Parking is available if you are coming by car. Open daily, there is an admission fee to enter the site, which goes towards the cost of essential maintenance.You should bear in mind that this is a place of worship and as such you are required to wear a sarong to cover your legs. Women are also required to cover their shoulders. In addition to this, if you have a child under the age of 4, are currently menstruating or you have buried or cremated a relative in the last week, you are not permitted to enter the main temple.
