The Sacred Monkey Forest

It's impossible to visit Ubud without hearing about the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary. It's one of the major tourist attractions, and it's easily found at the end of one of the main crossroads in town, appropriately named Jalan Wanara Wana (Monkey Forest Rd). One morning, I was visiting all the local shops on Monkey Forest Road when I reached the end of the street and decided to wander into the forest on my own. What I thought would be a 30 minute pit stop during my shopping day, turned into three or four hours of exploring.

The monkeys found in the Monkey Forest of Padangtegal are long-tailed macaques. There are four different troops that call the forest their home, creating a community of more than 600 monkeys, a population that has tripled since 2006. 

Check out those teeth! The macaques are beautiful animals, but they will bite or scratch humans if they are provoked. Here are a few safety tips to remember when visiting the Monkey Forest:

-Resist the temptation to feed the monkeys. Locals will try to sell you fruit outside of the entrances. Realize that you're putting yourself at risk if you choose to feed the monkeys. Never feed them peanuts, chips, candy or other snack foods which can cause serious harm to their health.

-Don't tease or try to touch the monkeys. Provoking them will only cause them to feel threatened and increase your likelihood of being harmed.

-Don't initiate a staring contest. Prolonged eye contact is considered a threat to macaques.

-Keep a close eye on children. Don't allow them to play near water or feeding areas.

-Don't carry loose items with you. Keys, sunglasses, plastic water bottles and other belongings should be kept securely in a backpack. It's not uncommon for tourists to have their loose belongings snatched by monkeys.

-Ask a staff member for help. The Wenara Wana staff members are easy to identify by their green uniforms. They'll be able to help you with directions, answer questions about the monkeys and let you know when and where the next feeding will be. You should also seek their assistance if one of your belongings is taken by a monkey or if you've been injured.

The Balinese have a love-hate relationship with the macaques. In Balinese Hinduism, monkeys can embody both positive and negative forces. When they are found raiding tourist shops or crop fields, they are considered pests. But in the form of a Barong, monkeys are known to guard sacred holy temples from evil spirits, which is why the macaques in the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary are revered and protected by the local people. 

During my visit to the Monkey Forest, my embarrassing sense of direction and cat-like curiosity led me off the paved pathways. I somehow managed to get lost even with the brochure map in hand. I crossed over a stream on a bamboo bridge and passed decorated shrines and temples until I reached the forest's edge and was standing at rice field. A farmer walked by with two children and a dog in tow. I waved and kept wandering.

I continued on a trail that went downhill toward the sound of trickling water. When I reached the bottom, there was an unmarked cave with basket offerings and a running fountain. It looked like a place of religious significance, but I couldn't find it anywhere on my map and there was no sign or other tourists around to consult. I desperately wanted to know what it was, so I cautiously climbed the steps, looking over my shoulder to see if I was being watched. I poked my head inside the narrow entrance, but couldn't see past a few feet. It was pitch black. Although I'm ordinarily up for a good caving adventure, I retreated this time. I wasn't about to explore an unknown cave without a flashlight, knowing its cultural importance and having someone aware that I was down there on my own. I guess it will remain a mystery until my next visit.

If you're visiting Ubud, I highly recommend checking out the Monkey Forest. It's open daily from 8:30am-6pm, and only costs about $3 USD. Every visitor is sure to find something memorable whether it's the playful macaques, beautiful temple architecture, flora and fauna, tranquil streams or mysterious caves.

Nyepi

{MARCH 12, 2013}

Outside is a quiet like I've never known. The silence is so heavy I'm afraid to even open the creaky wooden door of my bungalow. There's no movement in the surrounding rice fields; no automobiles or motorbikes honking in the streets. The only creatures that defy the stillness are roosters and crickets. Today is Nyepi, Bali's version of New Year's Day. The Balinese begin their calendar year with a day of silence. Nobody is allowed to leave their home from sun up to sun down. Even tourists are required to remain in their hotel, resort or homestay. If found wandering the streets, police will ask you to return indoors. The cultural idea behind Nyepi is that if the island is quiet enough, it will fool the evil spirits into thinking it has been abandoned, so that they will go elsewhere. For the Balinese, it's a day of prayer, meditation and reflection. For me, it's been a day of introspection, to catch up on reading and writing and correspondence. I think every country could use a holiday like this, where everything shuts down (even the airport) for a true day of rest.

{MARCH 11, 2013}

What a contrast this state of tranquility is to yesterday's celebrations. On the eve of Nyepi, the streets are busy and far from quiet. Locals are dressed in their best attire for morning temple ceremonies and the echo of the gamelan can be heard from anywhere along the main road in Ubud. Monsters (called ogoh-ogoh) crafted from foam and papier mâché are carried into town from nearby villages. The ogoh-ogoh represent evil spirits and are made by different organizations in each village. A considerable amount of monetary donations and weeks of labor go into making each one. I was impressed with the level of detail, creativity and individuality expressed. They are built on a grid of bamboo poles so that they can be carried by the boys in the organization.  

 

In Ubud, these artful statues are brought to the football field where they can be admired by the public. Some of the ogoh-ogoh are as tall as buildings and others light up at night or have a robotic mouth that opens to breathe steam. I got to the football field in the early afternoon and ordered a Bintang from one of the pubs facing the grassy lot. I sat down at a table that was reserved by a local expat, a Danish-Senegalese artist. He invited me to join his party where I got a taste of Ubud's colorful and thriving expatriate community. When the sun set, I rejoined the crowd on the field. The Balinese organizations were wearing matching t-shirts and sarongs. Entire families came out for the parade of ogoh-ogoh. Drums sounded. The young men carried the giant monsters, spinning them in circles while chanting. The girls led the procession into the street with blazing torches and a banner bearing the name of the organization. After the parade, the ogoh-ogoh are carried back to their home villages, where they're either destroyed (by fire until recent years) or put up for sale.

It was a loud and festive celebration in the streets of Ubud that night--surreal, spellbinding and sensational. The following morning was so impossibly quiet, I wondered for a moment if I had merely dreamed it all.