Bali and the Monkey Forest

Bali, population 4.5 million, is an island province of Indonesia and a popular vacation destination. In contrast to the rest of Indonesia it is 90% Hindu. (The rest of Indonesia is predominantly Muslim.) Almost every home, every block and every village has a temple modest or extravagant. The economy is 80% tourism since it is well known for its beaches and Hindu culture.

Two things stand out immediately: it is hot and the traffic is awful. One of the drivers said there were 2 traffic rules--don't hit anyone and don't get hit. Dodging the myriad scooters and other cars is a challenge. The drivers seem incredibly calm.

The Hindu culture has a lot of gods and beside them you often see monkeys who are considered soldiers that guard the temples. So it is no surprise that Bali has a monkey forest--sort of a rain forest in the middle of the city complete with families of Macaque monkeys.

There are also meticulously terraced rice fields. Bali produces enough rice to support its population but not enough to export.Read more