monkeying around at alas kedaton...

Friday 3rd April 2009

Bali seems to have its fair share of monkey forests and there i was thinking there was only one...Monkey Forest in Ubud. but alas, no...it seems there are a plethora of monkey forests lying in wait around the island for us to wander into and be attacked by aggressive monkeys!

Alas Kedaton is located in Tabanan, and is quite a sizeable forest, with a temple located at the site. there are of course, hundreds of monkeys, running freely around the location and their 'tame-ness' is in large part to the fact that bananas and nuts are readily for sale which people buy and give to the monkeys...they are beautiful, with their brown eyes and ash grey fur. but one feels the necessity to hold tight to one's belongings for fear one might be held to ransom - camera or a bunch of nuts...

the site is also home to hundreds of bats, who were sleeping rather unpeacefully in the trees whilst i was there. the sound of them is quite eerie and frightening...like high-pitched children's screams. (i realise i'm not doing a great job of selling this spot!) but the bats are huge and some with a wing span of up to 1 metre. i was quite mesmerised looking up at them and at the same time wondering if bats poop while sleeping and hoping that i don't get one in the eye!

it also didn't help that i went here on a public holiday and so the place was full of people out for the day...i'd definitely recommend a weekday when one can have the cheeky monkeys and the squealing bats all to oneself!