Sacred Monkey Forest

The Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud is a defining tourist attraction. Which is probably, perversely, why we had never gone in despite many visits to Ubud over many years. Oh we had passed by, watched the monkeys on the road in the late afternoon, but had never walked through the forest itself.

Too many tourists;  too much monkey theft of cameras, handbags, sunglasses; stories of mother monkeys biting anyone paying too much attention to their babies; the rabies potential of that last scenario. Nah, all missable.

When we finally did visit, a week or so ago, it wasn't really to see the forest. We had been invited to see the progress of a villa being built by a friend of a friend in the village of Nyuh Kuning. The long way round is by road, and a bit convoluted. The short way is to walk a pretty pathway alongside the Monkey Forest.

The villa is making good progress and we spent a pleasant time with the owners, Eddie being interested in materials, particularly the beautiful polished concrete.

On the return walk we diverted from the path and went into the forest. And it's really lovely. Cool, shady, the village temple in the middle. Monkeys and tourists (to which we added numbers), no hassle.

We were wrong. Again.

Meanwhile, on the outside...