Is it safe to feed wild monkeys in Bali?
Based on 1 discussion with 2 participants · Last activity: 14 days ago
TL;DR
Feeding wild monkeys in Bali with nuts or fruit from your hand is common practice, but bites and scratches carry a real risk of rabies or scabies, so caution is advised.
What the community said
One traveler warns that feeding monkeys is risky: they're major rabies carriers in the tropics, and monkey bites/scratches are a common reason tourists end up needing medical care.
16 days ago rabies risk
Another commenter downplays the risk: rabies doesn't spread within a troop (if one monkey is infected, the rest aren't), and the realistic worst case is scabies. The key advice is not to grab a monkey by the tail — just feed calmly from your hand or toss fruit toward them.
16 days ago scabies, not rabies
Practical tip: bring nuts and fruit along your route — wild monkey families are often encountered and will eat calmly right out of your hand.
16 days ago nuts and fruit for monkeys