Monkeys dominate the wildlife of Bali, and there are plenty of Monkey Forests around the island available as tourist destinations. But compared to the popular Ubud Sacred Monkey Forest. Sangeh Monkey Forest sadly is the one less recognized. Fortunately, Sangeh can be a good alternative for travelers looking for monkey forest to visit with fewer crowds. It is also located not far from Denpasar, on Brahmana Road, Sangeh Village, Badung Regency. Sangeh is unique because of the nutmeg trees covering most of the area. Historians argue that once upon a time, an ancient community planted those trees deliberately.

The temple was constructed in 1634, a project that was overseen by I Gusti Agung Putu, the then-Raja of Mengwi. The temple underwent major restorations in 1937 and still stands as an important temple today. It is not uncommon to hear the locals referring to the temple as the ‘Pura Kawiten’ and represents a place of honour for the ancestors of the Raja Kingdom in Mengwi. Pura Taman Ayun is surrounded by canals which means that the only way to access the temple is through a bridge that leads to the split gate, locally known as candi bentar. The splendid gate leads to the first courtyard, which is the outermost section of the temple. This courtyard then leads to a pond and majestic nine-jetted water fountain before opening up to the second gate. This second courtyard is a bit more elevated and it leads to the third and the most sacred courtyard that is home to the holiest shrines. The inner courtyard hosts festivals during the celebration of the temple’s inauguration which happens after every 210 days and last for a couple of days.