If you are traveling in North Bali and would like to see the funny behavior of monkeys, you do not need to come all the way to Ubud or Sangeh Monkey Forest. Simply come to Wanagiri Monkey Forest, your wish to see this four legged animal will definitely be fulfilled. The monkeys living in the tropical forests are classified as tame, so that visitors can feed, even take pictures.

“As long as you do not make them annoyed and angry, the monkeys will definitely not be fierce,” said Acting Section Head of Promotion and Cooperation at the Buleleng Tourism Office, Gede Tegar Suardana.

This cool and peaceful tourist attraction is located at Puncak Wanagiri, Wanagiri Village, Sukasada, Buleleng. If you come from the south of Bali, you can take the Mengwi route via Lake Beratan, Bedugul, and then Pancasari. Well, after the uphill road to the hill, then you will meet Wanagiri, a stopover on the main Denpasar-Singaraja highway, covered with dense tropical forests and inhabited by hundreds of tame monkeys.

From this Wanagiri area, you can see natural attractions with views of Lake Buyan and Lake Tamblingan. There is a parking area, food and beverage stalls that can be taken advantage by visitors to relax, while enjoying the tame behavior of the monkeys. Drivers and tourists usually stop in the incline area of Wanagiri Village to feed and take pictures with the monkeys. “Apart from being known as monkey forest, this tourist spot has many lush old trees,” said Tegar.

The age of these trees is estimated to have been around hundreds of years, some even up to three hundred years. The trees have a good structure, growing straight up. It is said, the trees could not grow anywhere else. Similarly, local people do not dare to cut the trees, even though the trees have withered and died. Well, the inhabitants of the forest are monkeys that visitors usually see. In this place, they are quite tame monkeys, so visitors can provide food in person to the monkeys.

These monkeys are divided into six groups. One group reaches 400 to 500 individuals. Here, the monkeys are of good character, not naughty, stealing or biting guests, both local and foreign. Wanagiri Monkey Forest is not only in demand by local tourists but also foreign tourists, among others, from Australia, Germany and the Netherlands.

“According to the story, these monkeys have always been wild, but because they have mingled with the people here, they seem good and live in the forest with an area of ​​about a dozen hectares,” added Tegar.

This tourist area is located on the highway crossing from Denpasar to Buleleng. So, tourists themselves must be careful. Nevertheless, they do not need to worry because parking spaces for motorcycles and vehicles have been provided. Moreover, along the road, street vendors and hawkers are lined up. Thousands of monkeys only occupy the forest on the left side of the road, so the view is only in one direction. (BTN/015)