Data reveals 350% rise in monkey-related holiday mishaps

Monkey encounters are becoming a common travel risk abroad. These simple precautions can help you avoid becoming one of the statistics.

Are you dreaming of a tropical escape to Bali’s lush forests and rice terraces, complete with a visit to the famous Monkey Forest in Ubud? Or perhaps you’re planning a primate-spotting adventure on Thailand’s Monkey Island. Maybe Japan is on your 2026 itinerary, with stops at Jigokudani Monkey Park in Nagano or Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama in Kyoto, home to the iconic Japanese macaques, or “snow monkeys,” who famously bathe in natural hot springs during winter.

Wherever your monkey-chasing travel plans lead you, be aware that visiting these wild primates comes with risks. New data collected and analysed by Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) has recorded a 350% increase in monkey-related travel insurance claims over the past two years, including injuries and theft.

Most claims (78%) were medical, covering bites or scratches, but theft by monkeys is also on the rise. Reported incidents include monkeys breaking into villas in Bali to steal phones, snatching sunglasses and prescription glasses, and a child visiting Ubud Monkey Forest who was hit in the eye and required two rabies shots plus a course of antiviral medication. The spike highlights the unexpected risks travellers can face when encountering primates abroad.

How to behave around monkeys

• Do not touch or feed the monkeys
• Avoid direct eye contact
• Hide all of your valuables in a securely zipped and/or locked bag, including phones, wallets, glasses and jewellery.
• If a monkey takes something from you, do not fight for it back or chase it
• Keep your distance, especially from baby monkeys
• If a monkey jumps on you, stay calm, quiet and still until it moves on – do not run away
• Do not bring plastic bags, water bottles or food
• Avoid wearing jewellery that jangles
• Visit earlier in the day when there are less tourists, as monkeys are likely to be more relaxed and less aggressive

What to do if you are bitten by a monkey

• Immediately wash the wound with soap, detergent or povidone-iodine and clean water for at least 15 minutes
• Irrigate the wound for up to 20 minutes
• Apply an antiviral antiseptic
• Seek immediate emergency medical care, as monkey bites can transmit diseases such as rabies and Herpes B, in addition to the usual infection risks of animal bites.

Keep reading:

• Things to do in Bali with kids
• Family friendly guide to Thailand

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