The Monkey Festival Bringing Good Fortune to Thailand
The ancient ruins of Phra Prang Sam Yot are a popular tourist destination in Thailand, but for one day a year they are also the location of an incredible banquet thrown in honour of the monkey population that lives here.
The temple in Lopburi hosts the Monkey Buffet Festival on the last Sunday of every November, and the guests can enjoy mountains of fruit and vegetables at their leisure. The diners are actually long-tailed macaques that are native to the region, with locals believing that they bring good luck and fortune to the area. They are certainly popular with tourists, who flock to the temple and pose with the creatures.
The Monkey Buffet Festival commences with an opening ceremony where human performers dress up in costumes as the macaques themselves watch on. The food is then revealed from beneath large cloths, and the guests of honour dive in. The buffet usually consists of delicacies such as pineapple, watermelon and the notoriously smelly (but delightfully tasty) durian fruit.
Monkeys are revered not just for the good fortunes they bring in from tourists, but also because of the religious beliefs of locals. The tale of Monkey King Hanuman and his army winning a famous battle against a demon lord has been passed down for generations.
The historic temple is believed to have been constructed in the 11th century by the Khmer rulers of the period. The former Buddhist place of worship is now better known by travellers as Monkey Temple.
Lopburi is located about 150km (93mi) from Bangkok and can be easily reached by car, bus or train from the capital city. As with all interactions with wild animals, safety is advised, and it’s not unheard of for the monkeys to run away with purses, wallets, items of clothing and other valuables!
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
Culture Trip Spring Sale
Save up to $1,100 on our unique small-group trips! Limited spots.
