We have all morning to ourselves, as we are visiting Kadek’s family and home this afternoon, so we decide to go to the Monkey Forest again. Why not? We can go right when they open and hopefully avoid the crowds that were there when we visited over the weekend. It is lovely being out this early, actually. Not as much traffic or craziness on the streets and the walk to the forest is quite pleasant. We arrive before opening time and get in line behind 3 other people. Strategy successful! It will be great to have the park all to ourselves for a bit before the hoards drag themselves out of bed and swarm the place.

The gates open and we make our way across the bridge – ignoring the fish this visit – and through the tunnel to greet a bevy of monkeys on the other side. There is a mom and baby and a couple of others perched on the railings, all calm and cute, and as typically ignoring us visitors as we troop in.

But in addition to the calm and “ignoring” monkeys, there is also a feisty monkey who has decided he likes me and my backpack a little too much! The darn thing hops on me and hangs off my backpack – going for a ride! Oh god – it is hysterical. I’m telling him no, get off – but I know I can’t touch him. All the signs say to just calmly walk away, but that doesn’t necessarily work when a monkey is hanging off of you….I finally dislodge the little thing and he goes after Ed. Oh – this is going to be a fun morning! We can tell! And of course we have no good pictures because we are too busy trying to get the damn monkey off my back….pack…..sorry, couldn’t resist! The only 2 we have are of me yelling at the monkey, and the culprit once he has fallen off of me and is starting to lurch for Ed

Adventure? Yes! Proceeding on, we do encounter some more calm monkeys – ok, because they are eating, but still. One is trying to open a coconut. It isn’t very ripe so this goes on for a good long time! Another is on the water fountain getting a drink – this time without any stupid touron trying to touch him. Just us watching as he plays in the water and finally quenches his thirst.

Passing the calm monkeys, we make our way down to the river, crossing the cool bridge and past the iguana statue. There are no monkeys here at all – but then there weren’t the other day we visited either. Apparently no group lives down here – or they are off elsewhere. Right now it is monkey-free and blissfully people free. Because we knew where we wanted to go, we are the first ones here – as the people in front of us have all stopped for the monkey sightings. They start to show up as we are done, and they are sort of following us – guess they figure we know what we are doing, which, well, we do!

From here, we wander up the path by the river, this time heading into the forest conservation area, where we had not visited previously.

This forest has a group of free range monkeys, but also cages for recovering monkeys. Two sweet little monkeys are housed together – Nelson who is virtually blind and Tumsist who had an accident in 2019 and had to have one arm and a foot amputated. Aw. They are really sweet looking though, hanging out in their cage with Nelson chewing on coconut tree bark and Tumsist looking on.

There are lots of families here too – oh and feisty monkeys as well. I don’t know what it is today, but these guys are really into my backpack and I get another one trying to jump on me and ride along as we walk. Sheesh monkeys! Cute – but – well – not while you are on me with no guides or workers around to make sure you aren’t going to go all monkey ballistic on me or anything!

In this part of the forest there are all sorts of monkey toys too – swings and wires to climb on – which the monkey families put to great use. We spend a great deal of time here watching the families play. They are so adorable, with the little teeny monkeys jumping all over the place and all over each other.

More monkeys eating, more monkeys hanging out, monkeys, monkeys, monkeys. And hardly any people. Definitely the right move to come this early in the morning!

Back up at the main temple area, there are definitely more people, and more monkeys! Because they are being fed – and they congregate around the food – of course. These aren’t dumb monkeys! We hang around, taking some photos – yes, we actually brought the selfie-stick with us today, and while it is helpful, it is just a pain in the butt. We are definitely not selfie-stick people – at all. But we did get some decent pictures of us with monkey’s behind us.

We also managed to walk all the way around the main temple, and take photos of what it looked like inside – with the selfie-stick. Ok, so it came in handy there to reach over the big wall to see the temple. But still, not worth it. It is going back into the suitcase, never to return!

Then it is back to the monkeys. Sleepy monkeys, grooming monkeys, 3 monkeys in a row grooming each other and another adorable baby monkey playing on her mother’s tail. Then there are the two sets of moms and babies side by side. Absolutely adorable.

As we make our way toward the cemetery, we pass more monkeys hanging about, as well as some babies who are jumping all over this vine covered wall. Too adorable – we could stand here and watch these guys forever.

In the cemetery the same group is of course there, eating this morning. But there is also this adorable old guy hanging out in the middle of the path. And a sweet employee/guide guy who offers to take our picture with him. So nice!

Photo shoot complete, we circle back to the entrance, taking our final photos of the monkeys perched atop the huge rock sculptures above the tunnel….

….then make our way out of the park proper – stopping to store the stupid selfie-stick only to find I’ve been monkey schmooed! A lasting souvenir of our visit – at least until I wash off their little muddy pawprints when we get home!

Monkey visit complete, we head back toward Bisma, stopping at Wanara Spice for some iced cappuccino and then, later grabbing a quick bite of spring rolls and Mie Goreng at Pici Pici.

Then it is back to the villa to hang out a bit before picking up our laundry and meeting Ayu to go visit the family at their home. Fun morning….with, as you will soon read and see, an equally fabulous afternoon.