Ubud Monkey Forest: Tickets, Entrance Fee & Opening Hours 2026 (Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary)

✅ Tickets can be purchased on-site or online via the official website or travel partners.
❌ Tickets are non-refundable.
✅ Keep bags zipped and belongings secure — monkeys are curious and playful, and will grab anything shiny or food-related.

✅ Recommended visiting time is 1.5–2 hours — enough to explore the walking trails, visit all three temples, watch the monkeys, and take photos. Add extra time if a traditional dance performance is scheduled during your visit.

✅ Modest clothing is recommended, especially near temple areas. Sarongs are provided free for visitors who want to access sacred temple sections.
✅ Eco gift shop, toilets and rest areas, first-aid station, staff guides and security, educational signage in English and Indonesian, and parking for motorbikes, cars, and buses are all available on-site.

The forest traces its origins to the 14th century, during the Pejeng Dynasty and later the Gelgel Dynasty, when local communities built sacred temple complexes here following guidance from Pura Purana, ancient palm-leaf scriptures. The temples were designed not only as places of worship but as guardians of natural harmony.

Balinese have long regarded the forest as a spiritual sanctuary, believing guardian spirits inhabit the area and viewing the macaques as temple protectors and messengers between humans and the divine. By the 20th century, local government and community leaders formally transformed it into a protected sanctuary, expanding its mission to conservation, education, and eco-friendly tourism. Today a dedicated team — researchers, veterinarians, local priests, and conservation experts — maintains its sacred and sustainable character.

The sanctuary operates according to Tri Hita Karana, a foundational Balinese philosophy of three essential harmonies:
✅ Pawongan — harmony among people
✅ Palemahan — harmony between humans and nature
✅ Parahyangan — harmony between humans and the spiritual realm

These principles are applied in daily practice, not just symbolism — the community regularly performs ceremonies such as Tumpek Uduh (for plants) and Tumpek Kandang (for animals) to honor and protect every form of life within the forest.

The sanctuary is home to approximately 1,200+ Balinese long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis), living in 10 distinct social groups — including the Temple Group, Central Group, East Group, Michelin Group, and Cemetery Group — typically 110 to 230 individuals per group.
✅ Diet: mainly boiled sweet potato, fed at least 9 times per day, plus bananas, papaya leaves, cucumber, and coconut.
❌ Do not give the monkeys processed or sugary human food — it causes long-term health problems for them.
✅ Gestation is about 6 months; mothers keep infants close for roughly 10 months. Males typically live to 15 years, females to 20.

The sanctuary holds three major temples, each with a distinct spiritual purpose:
✅ Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal — dedicated to Lord Shiva; considered the spiritual heart of the forest.
✅ Pura Beji — a purification temple where worshippers cleanse body and soul before entering the main temple.
✅ Pura Prajapati — associated with cremation ceremonies and ancestor worship.

Beyond the temples, look for Candi Terbelah (the split gate, representing duality and cosmic balance), statues of Goddess Durga (protection) and Goddess Sri (prosperity), the Four Brotherhood Statues (universal guardianship), and Durgama Cave, symbolizing the soul’s spiritual journey. The forest itself spans 12.5 hectares and 115+ tree species — including the Majegan tree (temple shrines), Berigin tree (leaves for Ngaben cremation rituals), and Pule Bandak tree (believed to embody the forest spirit).

✅ Pura Dalem Agung (main temple)
✅ The monkey bathing area near the river
✅ Sacred Banyan tree and stone dragon bridge
✅ Pura Beji purification temple
✅ Durgama Cave and the ancient stone steps

✅ Lubdhaka Dance (Tari Lubdaka) — a fisherman’s spiritual devotion, rooted in the Mahabharata epic. Saturday & Sunday, 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
✅ Frog Dance (Tari Katak) — a playful dance celebrating transformation. Sunday, 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
✅ Ngaben Ceremony (Pitra Yadnya) — the cremation ritual helping the soul reach Moksha. Public mass cremation held every 5 years in Padangtegal village.

Ubud Monkey Forest sits at Jalan Wenara Wana, Padangtegal village, Ubud, Bali 80571 — within walking distance of Ubud Palace and Ubud Market.
✅ From Ngurah Rai International Airport: about 1 hour 15 minutes (36 km).
✅ From Kuta or Seminyak: about 1 hour 30 minutes (43 km) — best to avoid peak traffic hours.
Google Maps: Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary Ubud

✅ On foot — if you’re staying in central Ubud, it’s within walking distance of most hotels and guesthouses.
✅ Scooter or car — drive yourself, on-site parking available. See Ubud Scooter Rental.
✅ Private driver or tour package — the most recommended option for first-time visitors. See Private Driver Bali or Ubud Tour Package.

✅ The monkeys aren’t typically aggressive, but they are opportunistic — they’ll grab sunglasses, water bottles, or anything food-scented without hesitation. Zip your bag before you go in.
✅ Only Balinese Hindus conducting ceremonies may enter the temples themselves — visitors view them from outside, which surprises some travelers expecting full temple access.
✅ There are no lockers — travel light and keep valuables on your person, not in an open bag.

Our drivers are based in Ubud and have more than 10 years of experience guiding travelers around Bali.
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