Sangeh Monkey
Forest. Populated by a larger troupe of monkeys, this thick stand of nutmeg
trees is believed by legend to have fallen out of the sky during a mythic
battle between the gods, carrying with it a battalion of Wisnu’s Monkey
Army.This former court temple is located inside large a nutmeg grove inhabited
by tame monkeys near the village of Sangeh. The temple was built by Anak Agung
Ketut Karangasem, an adopted son of the ruler of Mangwi, whose territory at the
beginning of the 17th century included parts of Java’s Blambangan
peninsula.
It is located near to Sangeh
village; the renowned 6 hectares of Bali Sangeh Monkey Forest are
filled with giant nutmeg trees capable of growing as high as 40m. Sangeh
Monkey Forest near the village of Sangeh, in southwestern Bali,
has six hectares of forestland with giant nutmeg trees. The main attractions
here are the hordes of funny yet wise Balinese monkeys inhabiting both the
trees and the temple, Pura Bukit Sari, found in the heart of the
forest. The monkeys of the forest are believed to be sacred and indeed
will approach anyone paying respects at the temple. But visitors should be
aware that these monkeys are attracted to shiny objects, so cameras and jeweler
should be left behind or kept well hidden under clothes or in a bag when exploring
Sangeh Bali.
Near Sangeh village, about 20
km north of Denpasar. This forest of approximately 6 hectares is filled with
giant nutmeg trees that can grow up to 40m high. The main attractions are the hordes
of Balinese monkeys that inhabit the trees and the temple, Pura Bukit
sari, located in the heart of the forest. The temple, Pura Bukit Sari, was
originally built around the 17th century as an agricultural temple and has been
restored several times, most recently in 1973. In the central courtyard, a
large statue of Garuda, an old carving of uncertain date, symbolizes freedom
from suffering and the attainment of amerta, the elixir of life. The forest of
nutmeg trees in which it lies was presumably planted deliberately a long time
ago, for it is unique in Bali.