Sangeh

Like so much on Bali, the monkey forest of Sangeh (20 km (13 mi.) from Denpasar, 10 km (6 mi.) from Mengwi) has been taken over by the tourist trade. Before reaching the forest in which hundreds of monkeys live in natural conditions, visitors must run the gauntlet of the souvenir shops which line the path from the car park. It goes without saying that both the souvenirs and the peanuts which are fed to the monkeys are dearer here than elsewhere.

According to legend the monkeys are descended from the monkey king Hanuman and are therefore sacred. They are venerated in the Pura Bukit Sari, a temple in the forest which probably dates from the 17th century. More impressive than the temple, however, are the mighty trees of the forest. It