Ubud and the monkey paradise, or a visit to the Monkey Forest

January 9-21, 2016

The next stop on my Bali trip was the famed Ubud. I decided to use it as my base. It's located roughly in the center of Bali, and since it's a small island, everything is within easy reach.

I found the hotel in the center of Ubud, right across from the famous Monkey Forest. As we were driving to the hotel, I saw monkeys on the street; you have to be careful not to run over someone. Upon arriving at the hotel, I saw posters with a picture of a nasty monkey with bared fangs, along with a caption that monkeys come to the hotel and that they ask that you not feed them or leave your belongings exposed, as they are not only thieves but also biters. I've been bitten by a monkey more than once, so I wasn't fazed. I usually follow the rules, but "don't feed" and "don't pet" are impossible for me.

Of course, where did I start my exploration of Ubud? With a visit to the monkey house. The monkeys were waiting at the entrance, and I regret not buying bananas earlier. You can feed the monkeys bananas. You can buy them on site, but obviously, they're much more expensive than in the store. I did buy some, but not as many as I would have liked. I didn't offer each monkey a treat. It would have been difficult, in fact, because, as I learned, there are about 660 of them! Monkeys are everywhere, spoiled, mischievous, but also sweet. They jump on people, and some are bothered or afraid of them. I felt like a fish out of water; the more monkeys, the better. The monkeys seemed to sense I was a loyal fan and eagerly jumped on me. Some were selfless, wanting to hang out, perhaps expecting me to give them a ride, but there were also some who immediately dug into their bags, looking for treats.

The site is beautiful, located in the heart of the city, yet wild. It's not only a home for monkeys but also a sacred place with three temples. The main temple, Dalem Agung, is located in the southwest. In the northwest is the Beji Temple, and the final temple, the Prajapati Temple, is located in the northern part. The last temple intrigued me, or rather, the cemetery adjacent to it. It's only used occasionally, awaiting the mass cremation that takes place every five years. This time, I wasn't able to make it to that event.

Of course, there were some mishaps and funny moments. One monkey bit me, but luckily there's no rabies there, and I have all my vaccinations because I'm constantly attacked by something :). I read somewhere that as many as 6% visitors will feel the monkey's fangs in their bodies. The friend I was with got a right hook from a disgruntled monkey. Not enough bananas! And that wasn't the end of it. At one point, a very nice monkey jumped on me and sat sweetly on my shoulder. It was like something out of a fairy tale, until I felt something warm dripping down my arm. Yes, the monkey pissed on me!