From Temple Day by Lora_D

Some holidays just aren’t complete without a little monkeying around. If you harbor a fascination for these complex, playful, intelligent primates, you may enjoy visiting some monkey-friendly destinations around the world. From unique conservation centers in the United States and England, to monkey temples in Southeast Asia, to National Parks and reserves in South America, monkeys can be safely visited as they forage for food, swing from trees, feed their young, and monkey around in the wild. Here are just a few unique places to see monkeys while traveling.

Monkey Jungle in Miami, Florida

Almost 400 monkeys from 30 different species call Monkey Jungle home. What is special about Monkey Jungle is that all of the monkeys roam free over 30 acres of jungle and rain forest, climbing and swinging in the trees, foraging for food, capturing crabs and shellfish from riverbanks and mangrove swamps, and living their lives as they would in the wild. Visitors walk along caged wire pathways from which they can see the monkeys in action. On the grounds of Monkey Jungle, you’ll find an Amazonian Rain Forest, the only semi-natural tropical rain forest in North America. Peruvian plants, an intricate irrigation system, and wildlife indiginous to the amazon rain forest make the monkeys here feel at home. Howler Monkeys, Black-Capped Capuchins and Squirrel Monkeys live in the Monkey Jungle rain forest. If you like Orangutans, you’ll love the Hangin’ With Orangs program, which takes visitors through a full training session with these friendly animals. Another highlight is the Wild Monkey Swimming Pool, where you can see monkeys wading for food, and even diving.

Learn More:
Monkey Jungle
Welcome to Monkey Jungle
Miami Attractions

The Monkey Sanctuary in Cornwall, England

Dedicated to the conservation and well being of primates, The Monkey Sanctuary is home to 13 colonies of Woolly Monkeys, extremely social monkeys who are native to the amazon rain forest. The monkeys are the decedents of Woolly Monkeys who were taken from the wild to be kept as pets — the Monkey Sanctuary is helping these monkeys re-acclimate to the wild and learn how to socialize with one another, a key to survival in the Woolly Monkey community. Visitors to the Monkey Sanctuary may see them feeding, caring for their young, taking baths, playing, and climbing in the trees. The sanctuary is also home to a population of rare bats called the Lesser Horseshoe Bat, which visitors may see via an infra-red pan and tilt camera that allows for close-up views of these fascinating creatures.

Monkey Temples

Want to see dazzling temples, learn about culture, and see hundreds of monkeys at the same time? Travelers to India, Nepal, and Thailand may do just that. In Kathmandu, travelers will find the Swayambhunath Temple, one of the most holy sites in Nepal, and also home to hundreds of wild monkeys. The temple stands upon a hill in west Kathmandu, and its stunning cubic top decorated with the eyes of Buddha can be seen from all over the city. The temple is visited each morning by pilgrims who climb the 365 stairs that lead them up the hill to the temple. Throughout the temple grounds, visitors will encounter monkeys. They climb the walls and trees, eat bananas and other treats given to them by passersby, drink out of the fountains, or perch on the temple itself to watch the day. RealTraveler Lora_D visited Swayambhunath where she was awed by sights and sounds she experienced:

“As we approached, the first thing you notice is the massive quantity of prayer flags swaying above you in the breeze. The distance they span and the sheer quantity seem like an impossibility for the delicate structure of these strands. But, there they are, like a multi-color cloud hanging above you as you climb the final stairs to the top. From the moment you enter this enchanting little complex monkeys dart in front of you, pigeons fly overhead, the prayer flags blow in the wind, you hear the sounds of bells chiming from the stupa, dogs and monks wind their way through the compound, and you just stare, mouth agape, at this amazing menagerie. I don’t know if you can tell yet, but this was one of my favorite places in Kathmandu. The energy and sounds of this place were just incredible.” (more…)

Travelers to Jaipur, India may visit Galwar Bagh, a beautiful temple complex and pilgrimage site located on the outskirts of town. The waters here are considered holy, as they have a spiritual connection with the Ganges River. Galwar Bagh is a lovely place to escape thick tourist crowds, see exceptional architecture, and, of course, visit with a multitude of playful monkeys. If you’re traveling to Thailand, you’ll find many temples in the city of Lopburi that are home to wild monkeys, particularly Crab-Eating Macaques. Read about RealTraveler BritishJen’s exciting experience with Macaques in Lopburi here!

More Useful Links:

RealTravel Monkey Encounters:
Time Out in the Jungle by Jennie and David
Cute Ones, Scary Ones, and Ones With Huge Noses by Ben and Gini
Snorkeling and Monkeys by Lisa and Jeff
City of the Apes by BritishJen