Tourists Visiting Bali Monkey Forests Must Be Extra Vigilant This Season

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Tourists visiting Bali’s famous monkey forests, jungle landscapes, and forested areas must be extra vigilant this season.

Bali is in the middle of the rainy season, and the extreme weather conditions are triggering trees to fall, landslides, and even sinkholes to open up across the island. 

On Sunday, 11th January, traffic in the Monkey Forest area of Ubud came to a standstill after a Hibiscus Tree fell on Jalan Raya Ubud. The tree fell around 2.15 pm in the heart of Bali’s arts and cultural capital, damaging a local shopfront. 

Ubud Police Chief, Commissioner Wayan Putra Antara, explained the situation to reporters. He shared, “Based on the results of our members’ inspections in the field, the hibiscus tree allegedly fell because its roots were rotten, coupled with unstable soil conditions, so the tree was unable to support its own weight and finally fell towards the road and hit the rooms of the shop belonging to Nyoman Yasa.”

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A post shared by Monkey Forest Ubud Official (@monkey_forest_ubud)

The fallen tree caused panic amongst those nearby and triggered massive traffic jams in the already congested town centre.

The shop front is estimated to have incurred IDR 3,000,000 in damage, but police confirmed that there were no casualties. The Ubud Monkey Forest remained open throughout the clear-up operation on Jalan Raya Monkey Forest, and police units were quickly on hand to redirect traffic and clear the fallen tree. 

Antara explained, “Our priority is smooth traffic flow, considering that Jalan Monkey Forest is the lifeblood of Ubud’s tourism industry. By 3.15 pm, traffic had returned to normal, and vehicles could safely pass.”

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Antara urged business owners and local residents to regularly check the condition of large trees on their land.

He noted, “We ask the public to remain vigilant against potential natural disasters, especially during extreme weather. If you see a tree that is leaning, or whose roots appear fragile and endanger road users, report it immediately to the authority so that preemptive pruning can be carried out.”

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A post shared by Monkey Forest Ubud Official (@monkey_forest_ubud)

This is not the first time in this rainy season that an old-growth tree has fallen in a top tourist area. On 3rd December 2025, a Nyoman Suamba, a monkey keeper at Sanegh Monkey Forest just outside of Ubud, was killed as a tree fell over Pucak Sari Temple within the forest complex.

The incident saw several trees, measuring over 50m in height, fall within the Monkey Forest tourist attraction area, destroying 80% of the temple. 

Following the incident, Ida Bagus Gede Pujawan, Head of the Sangeh Tourism Object Management, spoke to reporters to confirm that Standard Operating Procedures and risk assessments have long been in place at the attraction and that, despite all best efforts, the incident on the 3rd December was beyond human control.

He noted Pujawan explained, “Previously, I had established a rule that if it rained, guests would be evacuated out of the forest. Because, considering the height of the trees and the characteristics of nutmeg tree roots, they grow sideways, so their roots don’t penetrate the ground.” 

Adding “So, going forward, we will have a manual alarm setup. If it rains or something, I will provide a code there, informing guests to evacuate, and they will be taken out immediately.”

In December 2024, two tourists were killed by a falling tree in the Ubud Monkey Forest, and a third tourist sustained serious injuries. 

Tourists are urged to keep a close eye on the weather forecast and weather warnings throughout their vacations in Bali. It is highly advisable that tourists have multiple itinerary options available to them, should extreme or poor weather make outdoor activities unsafe.