Most nature conservatories maintain a strict, no-monkey-business policy when it comes to maintaining the cultural integrity of their grounds. However, with the Sacred Monkey Forest located in the town of Ubud in Bali, these folks make monkey business their life’s work. When you’re visiting the colourful isle of Bali for your own particular brand of play, consider staying at some of the luxury villas Bali has to offer its visitors. In particular, the Alila Villas Soori present a stunning selection of luxury villas in Bali that accommodate all manner of fun in the sun. Venture down to one of Ubud’s most popular cultural spots – the Sacred Monkey Forest which provides a sanctuary for several local species of primate, in addition to also hosting an ecological village as well as some beautiful Hindu temples. The forest sanctuary houses around 340 specimens of crab-eating macaque of various ages, with four groups located in specific territories within the expansive park grounds, spanning 27 acres. Nature lovers will feel as if they have stumbled upon a tropical paradise, as the grounds also feature 115 different species of trees under special conservation, as part of the area temple’s spiritual conviction of establishing harmonious relations with the natural environment. A group of monks have taken it upon themselves to guard and protect the trees in the forest, which they venerate via festivals and various ecological events. The forest is owned by the village of Padangtegal, and under the management of the Padangtegal Wenara Wana Foundation, the Sacred Forest and all it contains is promoted as a sacred site that presents an ideal locale for tourists to commune with nature.
Angela Fernando is an impassioned travel writer who composes pieces under the pen name Sumaira Narayan. She loves writing about new and exciting places around the world and intends to visit them all someday.