September 11: On the morning of our last day in the jungle, Andreas mentions that he spotted on Google Maps – a temple inside a mountain cave about a half-hour walk from where we’re staying. That sounds cool in itself, BUT what really appeals to us isn’t the temple itself, its the monkeys that apparently hang out right outside and all around it. The kids are immediately interested! We decide to head there around lunchtime so we can stop at a highly rated restaurant along the way. The reviews turn out to be spot-on, and we’re all pleased with both the food and the friendly owner.

When we arrive at the entrance, we immediately see lots of monkeys climbing around and hanging from branches and power lines. Andreas tell the kids that monkeys have a habit of snatching things from visitors and often like to jump onto people’s laps or shoulders if they get too close. He explains how important it is to stay calm and avoid waving our arms or screaming, as that can startle them and lead to bites. At this point, Sabina realizes she absolutely wouldn’t be able to stop herself from screaming or flailing wildly if a monkey jumped on her! Sabina is afraid of wild animals that get too close or flutter about (birds are the worst of all!). Fully aware of this ”weakness,” and a bit disappointed in herself, she decides to stay back at a safe distance while Andreas and the kids go in to see the monkeys.

We walk through the large turquoise gate leading into the temple grounds. Inside, there is an identical turquoise booth where a woman sits collecting the entrance fee. Admission for one adult and three children, plus a bunch of bananas to feed the monkeys, costs 200฿. The monkeys know what to expect and flock around us. The woman steps out of her booth and shows us how to feed them; you shouldn’t hold the banana too tightly and must let go immediately when a monkey grabs it—otherwise, they might bite. Also, if the monkey she calls the ”Mafia Boss” approaches, you should toss the banana to him before he gets right up to you; he tends to bite regardless of whether you let go quickly or not.

Once the bananas are gone, we move further into the grounds. The woman who took our payment explains that there isn’t a finished temple yet—it is currently under construction—and that they fund the project through visitors like us. Sure enough, there was a half-finished temple on the site. However, the woman mentions a Buddha statue in a ”cave” that we really ought to see. We head to the cave and find the statue, but also a passageway continues into the mountain behind it. We decide to explore it. Since we only have one mobile phone with us, the person in the lead has to shine the light forward to see the path, and then backward so those following can see where they are going, too. We follow the cave passage 20–30 meters in before we are forced to turn back; the path begins to slope steeply downward, making it difficult to keep our balance on the wet stones. We turn back and get ready to reunite with Sabina, but before we leave, everyone takes the opportunity to use the restroom on the premises. Those not using the facilities wait by a large swing, and as soon as we sit down, the monkeys return. They climb on us, sit on our laps, and try to look cute—presumably to get more food. But we’ve run out of bananas, and after a while, one monkey gets fed up and bites Penny! It leaves a big red mark, and we’re glad we got all those vaccinations before the trip 😂.

After the visit, we regroup and head back. The kids are happy and content; they talk about how the monkeys sat on their laps and how they fed them bananas, showing photos and videos. When Sabina sees the pictures, she realizes she made the right choice not to come along 😂.

Now it’s time to start packing and get ready for the next leg of the journey: Chiang Mai. We’re all excited and ready to leave the jungle behind and head toward civilization and a more urban environment. We wrap up our stay with a visit to the smallest restaurant we’ve seen in the village—it’s located right outside a woman’s home. She speaks hardly any English and doesn’t have many dishes on the menu, but we leave full and satisfied.

//Sabdreasworld