If you’ve ever spied a monkey on your travels, you know how entertaining their mischievous moves can be. Guided by the many hundreds of monkey photos you’ve shared, we found 10 exotic locations guaranteed to please with photogenic primates.
Agra, India
Photo by francelvr
Agra officials may seek to ban monkeys from their city, but what traveler could resist this face? This little monkey was photographed while “begging for food” at francelvr’s hotel. He was “quickly chased off,” however, by the larger Macaque watch-monkey the hotel keeps.
Amazon Region, Ecuador
Photo by rodeime
In the Amazon region of Ecuador, three days are “barely enough” to catch a glimpse of the plethora of wildlife, says rodeime, including the squirrel monkeys that “launch themselves” between trees. The “honey-brown and white” rascals move fast, but a good camera will capture this “exhilarating” experience.
Bali, Indonesia
Photo by sueta
Travelers visit Bali for its beautiful beaches, gentle people, and lush mountainsides. Once they’re on this Indonesian island, however, it quickly becomes apparent that monkeys must appreciate all Bali offers, too. Local photographer sueta snapped this photo of a baby with its mother in the rain forest near Lake Buyan.
Boracay Island, Philippines
Photo by Sirenna
There’s plenty to see and do on Boracay Island in the Philippines, and as local Sirenna attests, there are plenty of “bars, restaurants, and activities to enjoy.” Besides sailing, horseback riding, and the beach, there’s the chance to spot monkeys in a natural habitat.
Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Photo by ambers678
One lucky traveler got to hold this baby Howler monkey on a trip to Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Visitors to Monkey Park, a “rescue park for injured animals,” can interact with babies like this who are “so sweet.”
Monkey Island, Panama
Photo by wanderluster
White-faced Capuchins were easy to spot on a tour of Monkey Island in Gatun Lake, which is part of the Panama Canal. According to the photographer, the boat the spectators took to the island “vibrated and jerked” while the monkeys’ little white faces “popped out of the trees, staring at us with curiosity.”
Mount Misen, Japan
Photo by Composthp
Mount Misen, Japan, was the site of this tender moment of monkey love. Take a “cable car to the summit” where you’ll find Monkey Park and be “greeted by red-faced monkeys huddled together for warmth,” says Composthp. Keep in mind that while “cameras are allowed,” feeding the monkeys is “forbidden.”
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Photo by thetravelgoose
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is perhaps better known for its beautiful people than its beautiful primates, but the IgoUgo member who snapped this photo says there are “lots of them” on Sugarloaf Mountain (also known as Pão de Açúcar), one of Rio’s top attractions.
Sarawak, Malaysia
Photo by Composthp
The traveler who snapped this picture of the “rare and unusual Proboscis monkey” in Bako National Park in Sarawak, Malaysia, called their potbellies and pendulous noses “comical.” Look atop the mangrove trees to spot some of the clowns yourself.
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Photo by raycarstairs
When in Victoria Falls National Park in Zimbabwe, advises daredevil raycarstairs, “ignore all the guidebook advice” and let yourself get soaked by the “spray and the roar of the thunderous torrent.” While you’re taking in the falls’ majesty, check out the wildlife that includes “mobs of Vervet monkeys.”