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It is perhaps the strangest and certainly the hairiest festival in Thailand: the annual one Monkey festival of Lopburi. This year it will take place on Sunday 28 November. There are four rounds, at 22:00 (Saturday), 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00. Free entrance.
📍Map: https://goo.gl/maps/vLjANZFbQWU8Wu957
The city of Lopburi is located 140 kilometers north of Bangkok and has a long and turbulent history. Today, however, Lopburi is best known for its vibrant population of macaque monkeys. You see this one apes therefore everywhere: on top of temples, bathing in the river and foraging on the streets, looking for food.
In 1989, a smart businessman came up with the idea of organizing a complete event around the presence of these prominent hairy inhabitants. Goal: to attract tourists to the city. The Lopburi Monkey Festival was born and over the past 29 years has grown into an event that is known far beyond Thailand. Also this year, a sloppy 4.000 kilos of food is ready for the approximately 3.000 monkeys who live in the city.
The ancient Khmer temple of Phra Prang Sam Yot is where the spectacle takes place annually. Tables full of fruit, plates of rice and bowls of sweets are displayed at the temple, while the monkeys watch curiously from the roof and trees. Eventually their curiosity gets the better of them and they slowly descend towards all those goodies. Cautious and shy at first, they soon clamber exuberantly over the tables, stuffing as much as they can into their mouths. A drink has also been thought of. There are large blocks of ice, which are expertly broken by the monkeys to get the surprise hidden in the middle of the block.
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It will come as no surprise that the possibilities to take fun and original photos of the partying macaques are almost endless. But be careful: no matter how friendly and funny the monkeys seem, they are still wild animals. They are fast, strong and mischievous by nature and if given the chance they will take your phone, camera or wallet. Before you know it, they are somewhere high in a tree with your belongings. And having a whole table of food up for grabs is fun. But maybe they find your ice cream just a little more interesting.
These five hotels, which can be booked through Agoda, are conveniently located for the Monkey Festival.
- Ajcharavadee Apartment, 3*: Ajcharavadee Apartment
- Benjatara Boutique Resort, 3.5*: Benjatara Boutique Resort
- Lopburi Inn Hotel, 3*: Benjatara Boutique Resort
- Lopburi Inn Resort, 3*: Lopburi Inn Resort
- MDR Hotel, 3*: MDR Hotel