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Guide · Monkey Forest
Monkey Forest Ubud: tickets, hours, temples and the rules
Monkey Forest Ubud is a sacred forest in the middle of town, home to more than a thousand macaques and three old temples. Here is what it costs, when to go and how to behave.
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Editorial team, ubuddaytour.comUpdated October 24, 2026read in 6 minutes51 sources
Quick answer
A sacred forest in the middle of town
The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, known to most visitors simply as the Monkey Forest, lies in the village of Padangtegal at the southern end of Ubud and covers about 12.5 hectares.6 It is a working sacred site and a nature reserve at the same time, with quiet corners a few steps from the busy main paths.
The forest holds 186 species of trees, and a new section was planted in the 1990s to give a growing monkey population more room.78 Paths of stone and wood wind between banyan roots, carved dragons and moss-covered statues, down to a river ravine where the light turns green even at midday.
The village runs the sanctuary on the Balinese idea of Tri Hita Karana: harmony between people, with the environment and with God.9 That shows in small things, from the offerings left on the shrines to the staff who keep the paths clean and the monkeys away from your bag. In 2017 alone, 1.3 million visitors came through the gates.10
A walk through
One loop of the forest
-
Start
The lobby
Tickets and information on the east side, at Central Parking.11
-
First minutes
The central point
A banyan at least 100 years old, with paths to each temple.12
-
Northwest
Holy Spring Temple
Beji, for the goddess Gangga and the melukat cleansing.13
-
Southwest
Main Temple
The temple of Shiva, seen from its gate.14
-
Northeast
Cremation Temple
Beside the cemetery of the mass cremations.15
-
Weekends
Open stage
Balinese dances at 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM.16
Tickets, opening hours and what they cost
The sanctuary's own site lists the Monkey Forest Ubud price as IDR 130,000 for an adult and IDR 100,000 for a child.1 It opens every day of the week, from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and the last entry is at 5:00 PM.12 Buy the ticket at the lobby on the east side, by the Central Parking area, which also has an information desk and a cafe.11 Bring small notes; a card machine can fail on a busy morning.
If you would rather walk with someone who knows the forest, a guided visit with the ticket included starts from $16. It lasts about an hour, meets at the main entry 5 minutes before the start, and has 811 reviews averaging 4.85. It is marked wheelchair accessible, with guides in English and Indonesian.
Inside, a monkey selfie session with the staff costs a voucher of IDR 50,000.17 It is the only sanctioned way to get a monkey close for a photo, since visitors may not feed the animals and only the staff do.18 Prices on the official site can change, so check them on the day before you queue.
The macaques
How heavy the monkeys get
kg
At a glance
Fees, hours and extras
| Item | What it is | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Adult entry | IDR 130,000 | Sanctuary site |
| Child entry | IDR 100,000 | Sanctuary site |
| Opening hours | 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM | Every day |
| Last entry | 5:00 PM | At the lobby |
| Monkey selfie | IDR 50,000 | With the staff |
| Weekend dances | 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM | Saturday, Sunday |
Fees, hours and dance times as the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary lists them on its own site; check on the day.121716
Three ways in
Alone, guided or on a tour
Most flexible
This page's pickGuided visit
Ticket and guide included
- Length
- About 1 hour
- Meet
- Main entry
- Languages
- English, Indonesian
Most in one dayDecision helper
Should you go, and how?
Match your situation to the way of visiting.
Walk down on your own
Jalan Monkey Forest runs south from the main street to the gate.20
Book the guided visit
A 1-hour guided visit with the ticket starts from $16.
Join a day tour
A private full day includes 75 minutes in the forest and pickup.
Go at the weekend
Dances on the open stage Saturday and Sunday at 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM.16
If a monkey jumps on you, do not panic or run. Simply stay calm and walk slowly.
The long-tailed macaques and their seven groups
About 1,054 monkeys live here, split into 7 groups with names like Temple, Central and Cemetery, each of about 140 to 171 animals.3 They are Balinese long-tailed macaques, Macaca fascicularis, the same species you see along roads across the island.22 Females weigh 2.5 to 5.7 kg on average and males 3.5 to 8 kg.19
The groups have territories, and when one has to cross another's ground, for a bath in the river in the dry season for example, there can be noisy squabbles. Males live up to 15 years and females up to 20.23 Mating happens all year but peaks from May to August, and a pregnancy lasts about 6 months, usually with a single infant.24 Watch how the mothers carry their young under the belly while they climb.
The staff feed the monkeys sweet potato at least 9 times a day, with banana, papaya leaf, corn, cucumber, coconut and local fruit.25 They are active by day and rest at night.26 Outside the sanctuary the species is in trouble: the long-tailed macaque is listed as Endangered, last assessed for the IUCN Red List in 2022.27
Map
Ubud, the stops of the day and the trips beyond
First the town between the palace and the forest, then the terraces and the waterfalls around it, then the volcano, the north and the harbour for Nusa Penida.
1Ubud Palace2Ubud Art Market3Museum Puri Lukisan4Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary5Pura Gunung Lebah6Campuhan Ridge Walk7ARMA
1Ubud Palace8Tegallalang Rice Terrace9Tirta Empul10Tukad Cepung11Tibumana12Kanto Lampo13Tegenungan
1Ubud Palace14Mount Batur15Sekumpul Waterfall16Kusamba harbour17Ngurah Rai airport
- 1Ubud Palace
Puri Saren Agung, the royal residence at the corner of Jalan Raya Ubud and Jalan Monkey Forest; evening dances in the courtyard.282930
In Google Maps ↗ - 2Ubud Art Market
Stalls of handicrafts made in Bali, beside the palace.31
In Google Maps ↗ - 3Museum Puri Lukisan
The town's art museum, opened in 1956.32
In Google Maps ↗ - 4Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary
About 12.5 hectares of forest in Padangtegal, home to about 1,054 long-tailed macaques; open 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.631
In Google Maps ↗ - 5Pura Gunung Lebah
The temple at the Campuhan river confluence, tied to an 8th-century legend of Rsi Markandya.33
In Google Maps ↗ - 6Campuhan Ridge Walk
A walk suggested for the cooler afternoon hours.34
In Google Maps ↗ - 7ARMA
The Agung Rai Museum of Art, one of the town's museums and a Kecak venue.35
In Google Maps ↗ - 8Tegallalang Rice Terrace
Subak terraces about a 20-minute drive north of Ubud; the site tour's first stop.36
In Google Maps ↗ - 9Tirta Empul
The water temple on the site tour, where guests can join the bathing ritual.
In Google Maps ↗ - 10Tukad Cepung
A fall inside a rock cleft, reached by about 200 steps and shallow water.
In Google Maps ↗ - 11Tibumana
A single fall into a pool where the site tour allows a swim.
In Google Maps ↗ - 12Kanto Lampo
A broad fall in Beng village, Gianyar; busy at peak hours.37
In Google Maps ↗ - 13Tegenungan
A fall in Gianyar with a pool where visitors swim.3839
In Google Maps ↗ - 14Mount Batur
A 1,717 m volcano in Indonesia's first UNESCO Global Geopark.4041
In Google Maps ↗ - 15Sekumpul Waterfall
A waterfall in the north of Bali, a private 10-hour hiking day.
In Google Maps ↗ - 16Kusamba harbour
The harbour for the speedboat to Nusa Penida, 30 minutes across.
In Google Maps ↗ - 17Ngurah Rai airport
Bali's airport, closed for the 24 hours of Nyepi.4243
In Google Maps ↗
Pack and leave behind
What to carry into the forest
01
Bring
- Water in a closed bag
- Shoes that grip on wet stone
- Cash or a card for the ticket
- A bag that zips shut
02
Leave at the hotel
- Snacks and drinks of any kind
- Earrings, hair clips and loose jewellery
- Plastic bags and bottles you can do without
Party price
Price a visit for your group
Add your party to see a guided visit or a day tour.
People
Total from$32
per head from $16
Check availabilityfree cancellationThis sum multiplies a listing's GetYourGuide starting price by the number in your party and converts it with the day's ECB rate; checkout shows the binding amount.
Video
Is the Monkey Forest dangerous? A visit in Ubud
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The temples under the banyan trees
The sanctuary's temples date from the 14th century, about 600 to 700 years ago, and are used for Balinese prayer only.4445 You cannot go inside, but you can stand at the gates and look in at the carved courtyards, and the statues around them are worth a slow look. Dress respectfully near them, as you would at any temple.
The Main Temple in the southwest is dedicated to Shiva.14 The Holy Spring Temple in the northwest, also called Beji, is dedicated to the goddess Gangga and is used for melukat, a spiritual and physical cleansing.13 The Cremation Temple in the northeast stands next to the village cemetery, where the dead wait for a mass cremation held every 5 years.15
Between them, at the central point of the forest, stands a huge banyan tree that the sanctuary says is at least 100 years old.12 Its hanging roots are where many of the best photos are taken, and where monkeys sit on the stone walls watching people who are watching them.
The rules that keep you and the monkeys safe
The rules are short and worth taking seriously. Bringing food or drinks into the forest is prohibited, and plastic is not welcome either.446 The monkeys go for small objects, from toys and jewellery to beads or anything that looks like peanuts, so keep earrings, sunglasses and hair clips out of reach.47 Zip every pocket before you pass the gate.
Looking a monkey straight in the eyes can be read as aggression, so glance, do not stare.5 If one jumps on you, do not run or panic: stay calm and walk slowly, and it will usually move on.21 Revealing clothing is discouraged because this is a sacred place.48
Bites happen when people touch or play with the animals. The sanctuary runs a first aid clinic with a nurse for exactly that.49 It also works with the Primate Research Center of Udayana University to monitor the monkeys' health, and its site cites 14 years of research that never found rabies in any monkey in Bali.5051 The best Monkey Forest Ubud tips fit in one line: empty hands, zipped bags, calm steps.
How long to stay and when to go
Guided visits are listed at about an hour, and that is a fair answer to how long to spend at Monkey Forest Ubud if you follow the main loop. Add half an hour if you want to sit by the river ravine or wait for a quiet moment at the banyan. Day tours that include the forest give it 1 hour to 75 minutes.
The forest opens at 9:00 AM, and going at opening time puts you on the paths while the air under the trees is still cool.1 One tour operator notes that humidity in the sanctuary can reach 97%, so light clothes and water you keep in a closed bag make the walk far more pleasant.
On weekends there is more to see: the open stage beside the cafe hosts Balinese dance performances every Saturday and Sunday at 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM.16 Time your visit around one of them and you get the forest, the temples and a dance in a single morning or afternoon.
Getting there and fitting it into a day
Jalan Monkey Forest runs south from Jalan Raya Ubud, the main street, and the palace stands at the junction where the two meet.2029 From the palace it is a pleasant walk downhill past shops and cafes to the sanctuary, and back again uphill after your visit.
Several day tours from Ubud stop here. A private full day spends 75 minutes in the forest before the terraces, Tirta Empul, a coffee plantation and Tibumana. A half-day option pairs the forest with Tegalalang and a swing in under 6 hours. The private waterfall tour on this site does not include the forest, so plan it for another morning if you book that day.
If you stay in town, the simplest plan is to walk down in the morning on your own ticket, then visit the palace and the art market on the way back. If you stay on the coast, a tour that collects you and includes the ticket saves the hassle of parking and queues. Either way, leave room in the day: the forest is no place to hurry.
Your day in Ubud
Terraces, a water temple and three falls.
Pick a date, get collected in the Ubud area, and cancel free up to 24 hours before.
You ask,we answer.
How much is the entrance fee?
IDR 130,000 for adults. Children pay IDR 100,000, as listed on the sanctuary's own site.1
What are the opening hours?
9:00 AM to 6:00 PM daily. Last entry is at 5:00 PM, and the sanctuary welcomes visitors every day.12
Can I feed the monkeys?
No. Only the staff feed the monkeys, and food and drink may not be brought in.184
Is it safe for children?
Yes, with care. Keep children close and away from the monkeys, and follow the rules on food and small objects.474
Can I go inside the temples?
No. The temples are used only for Balinese prayer; you can look in from the gates.45
What if a monkey bites me?
Go to the first aid clinic. The sanctuary's nurse treats bites; its site cites research finding no rabies in Bali's monkeys.4951
Are there dance shows?
On weekends. Balinese dances on the open stage every Saturday and Sunday at 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM.16
Sources
Sources and evidence
- 1Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Opening Hours & Maps↩
- 2Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Opening Hours & Maps↩
- 3Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Long-Tailed Macaque↩
- 4Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Dos, Don'ts & Answers (Guidelines & FAQ)↩
- 5Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Dos, Don'ts & Answers (Guidelines & FAQ)↩
- 6Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)History, Mission & Conservation↩
- 7Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Opening Hours & Maps↩
- 8Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Opening Hours & Maps↩
- 9Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)History, Mission & Conservation↩
- 10WikipediaUbud↩
- 11Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Opening Hours & Maps↩
- 12Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Dos, Don'ts & Answers (Guidelines & FAQ)↩
- 13Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Opening Hours & Maps↩
- 14Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Opening Hours & Maps↩
- 15Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Opening Hours & Maps↩
- 16Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Opening Hours & Maps↩
- 17Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Dos, Don'ts & Answers (Guidelines & FAQ)↩
- 18Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Dos, Don'ts & Answers (Guidelines & FAQ)↩
- 19Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Long-Tailed Macaque↩
- 20WikipediaUbud↩
- 21Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Dos, Don'ts & Answers (Guidelines & FAQ)↩
- 22Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Long-Tailed Macaque↩
- 23Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Long-Tailed Macaque↩
- 24Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Long-Tailed Macaque↩
- 25Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Long-Tailed Macaque↩
- 26Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Dos, Don'ts & Answers (Guidelines & FAQ)↩
- 27Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Long-Tailed Macaque↩
- 28Indonesia Travel (Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia)Istana Ubud, Kediaman Resmi Keluarga Kerajaan di Bali↩
- 29WikipediaUbud↩
- 30Indonesia Travel (Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia)Istana Ubud, Kediaman Resmi Keluarga Kerajaan di Bali↩
- 31Indonesia Travel (Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia)Find Serenity in Ubud, Bali↩
- 32WikipediaPuri Lukisan Museum↩
- 33WikipediaUbud↩
- 34Indonesia Travel (Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia)Find Serenity in Ubud, Bali↩
- 35Indonesia Travel (Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia)Find Serenity in Ubud, Bali↩
- 36Indonesia Travel (Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia)Tegallalang Rice Terrace: A Charm of the Green in Ubud↩
- 37Indonesia Travel (Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia)Find Serenity in Ubud, Bali↩
- 38Indonesia Travel (Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia)Keindahan Air Terjun Tegenungan, Pesona Alam di Bali↩
- 39Indonesia Travel (Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia)Keindahan Air Terjun Tegenungan, Pesona Alam di Bali↩
- 40WikipediaMount Batur↩
- 41Indonesia Travel (Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia)Geopark Batur↩
- 42Indonesia Travel (Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia)Planning to Spend Nyepi in Bali? Read These Frequently Asked Questions↩
- 43Indonesia Travel (Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia)Planning to Spend Nyepi in Bali? Read These Frequently Asked Questions↩
- 44Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Dos, Don'ts & Answers (Guidelines & FAQ)↩
- 45Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Dos, Don'ts & Answers (Guidelines & FAQ)↩
- 46Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Dos, Don'ts & Answers (Guidelines & FAQ)↩
- 47Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Dos, Don'ts & Answers (Guidelines & FAQ)↩
- 48Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Dos, Don'ts & Answers (Guidelines & FAQ)↩
- 49Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Dos, Don'ts & Answers (Guidelines & FAQ)↩
- 50Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Dos, Don'ts & Answers (Guidelines & FAQ)↩
- 51Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, Padangtegal, official site)Dos, Don'ts & Answers (Guidelines & FAQ)↩
