Ubud & the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

Ubud is the cultural heart of Bali, a former royal town in the hills of Gianyar where painters, carvers, dancers and musicians have worked for generations, and where most first-time visitors spend at least part of their trip. Its most famous address sits at the bottom of the street named after it: the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, known locally as Mandala Suci Wenara Wana. This is not a zoo but a protected forest and temple complex owned and run by the traditional village of Padangtegal, laid out along a ravine thick with towering trees, hanging roots and ferns. More than a thousand Balinese long-tailed macaques live here in several troops, and they rule the paths: grooming on stone walls, nursing babies on temple steps, chasing one another across the moss-covered statues and, given half a chance, opening a careless visitor's bag. Three temples stand within the forest and are still in daily use: the main Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal, a temple of death and of Shiva the transformer; Pura Prajapati beside the village cemetery; and Pura Beji, a holy spring temple used for purification before ceremonies. Visitors cannot enter the inner courtyards, but the carved gateways, guardian statues and gloomy, beautiful setting are the point. The forest walk takes in the Dragon Bridge over the stream, a sacred spring in a mossy gully and giant banyan trees that look like they belong in a film set. The sanctuary is a short walk from the centre of town, so it pairs naturally with an Ubud morning: the royal palace on the main road, the art market opposite, Saraswati temple and its lotus pond, the galleries of Jalan Hanoman and a long lunch in one of the town's many warungs.

How to visit: the sanctuary opens from nine in the morning until six in the evening, with last entry an hour before closing, and adult tickets cost a little over one hundred thousand rupiah, with a lower rate for children. You can buy at the gate or in advance through the official website, which sells e-tickets for a chosen date. Arrive at opening, when it is cooler and the tour buses have not yet arrived, and allow about an hour and a half for a relaxed loop. In the wet season the paths can be slippery and the forest is at its greenest; a short downpour rarely stops a visit, so carry a light rain jacket rather than an umbrella, which the monkeys love to grab.

The monkey rules matter. The macaques are wild animals that have learned that humans carry food and shiny things. Do not bring food or drink into the forest, do not feed or touch the monkeys, avoid staring at them, and put sunglasses, hats, earrings and phones away in a closed bag. If a monkey climbs on you, stay calm and still and it will usually leave by itself; staff in green uniforms are on hand to help. Bites are rare but possible, so keep small children close and do not let them reach out to the animals. These rules are not about spoiling the fun: they keep the troops healthy and the visit safe.

Making the most of Ubud: stay at least two or three nights in or near town rather than visiting on a day trip from the coast, because Ubud is at its best early and late. Watch a traditional dance performance in the evening at the palace or one of the village stages around town, walk the Campuhan ridge path at sunrise, and use the town as your base for Tegallalang, Tirta Empul and the Batur sunrise trek. Traffic on the main roads in and out of Ubud is heavy from late morning, so plan day trips to leave early.