Sangeh Monkey Forest

The place in a few words

Located in Sangeh village, around 30 minutes from Ubud depending on traffic, this forest is home to hundreds of free-roaming macaques among towering trees. It also contains the Hindu Pura Bukit Sari temple, built in the 17th century and still used for religious ceremonies. We chose it over Ubud’s famous Sacred Monkey Forest for its more authentic feel and the staff’s guidance during encounters with the monkeys.

What we loved

We picked Sangeh over Ubud’s much more touristy Monkey Forest and didn’t regret it for a second! On arrival, we were each given a small bag of bananas and peanuts to feed the monkeys. Staff were around throughout the walk, helping us interact with them and even letting them climb onto us for photos. The monkeys seemed fairly calm, and the staff made us feel safe. We enjoyed it so much that we came back a second time! On that visit, we had a great chat with a staff member who taught us lots about the temple and the monkeys, making the experience even more interesting.

Our tip

The trail is short: you can walk around it in just a few minutes, but allow about an hour to enjoy watching the monkeys without rushing. We wholeheartedly recommend Sangeh if you’re staying in Ubud! Although we haven’t visited the Monkey Forest in central Ubud, Sangeh’s more authentic feel and reassuring staff made all the difference for us. Keep your valuables secure and always follow the staff’s advice: these are still wild animals.