Category: Cruise

Everything Cruise related – River and Ocean Cruising, Destinations, Ports of Call, Restaurants, Shows and more! Use the search function to quickly find your interest.

Sacred Monkey Forest

A sanctuary where Monkeys roam free and cause a little havoc!

Monkey and Statue, Bali
Monkey and Statue, Bali

The Sacred Monkey Forest is a definite attraction you don’t want to miss! At time of publication, the entrance fee is a mere IDR 50,000 which is approximately USD$3.50 or €3.00. The park without Monkeys already justify the cost, but with monkeys, well it is a whole lot more fun!

Entrance, Sacred Monkey Forest, Bali
Entrance, Sacred Monkey Forest, Bali

As you wander the immaculate paths of the forest, you spot the Balinese Long Tailed Monkeys everywhere! About 600 of these Macaques are roaming the grounds, protecting territories and being mischievous. 5 different groups rule the forest and sometimes, you will spot them fighting over territory.

Monkey See - Sacred Sanctuary, Bali
Monkey See – Sacred Sanctuary, Bali

When not swinging from tree to tree, they may try to steal your sunglasses, so beware and leave all valuables in your room. Do not feed these adorable animals – you may regret it. They could bite trying to get more. It is very important to follow ALL of the rules posted at the entrance, otherwise you may learn the hard way, and quite frankly, deserve it!

Baby with Parents - Sacred Monkey Forest
Baby with Parents – Sacred Monkey Forest

In addition to beautiful walking trails and monkeys, there are rivers, bridges, temples, statues and a cemetery in this sanctuary which is approximately 10 hectares or 27 acres. Sometimes, there are special shows, so always be sure to check the schedule if you are in the area.

A short Video:

Get There:

Info:
Website:  Monkey Forest Ubud
Entrance Fee:  Adult IDR50,000 / USD$3.50 / €3.00 – Child IDR40,000
Opening Hours: 8:30 AM to 6 PM
Guidelines: General Recommendations

Kotor Montenegro – Cruise Port of Call

Nestled in the limestone cliffs of Mount Lovćen on the beautiful Adriatic Coast, Kotor Montenegro.

Kotor – beaches, shopping, cruise port, cathedral and the best preserved Medieval town in the Adriatic!

We arrived in the cruise port town of Kotor via a gorgeous coastal drive from Dubrovnik, Croatia. The border crossing was a little uncomfortable – read more about the Croatia Montenegro border crossing at the end of this blog.

The waterfront was a perfect place to go for a walk and stretch our legs. Beautiful vistas and friendly people were already preparing for the cruise ship arrival.  After awhile, we headed through the thick stone walls into the old town.

Like most old towns, enchanting architecture, lots of shops, restaurants and ice cream. Beware of the many gypsy beggars and make sure your pocketbooks are secure.

The town is not big, so it is an easy walk – even in the heat.

Cruise Ship Cruiser Info:
For those of you who are lucky enough to be cruising into Kotor, this is a tender port.
How to:
1. Exit the tender area and go left across the little bridge to the park. Walk to the waterfront for tours. Some available tours include the Blue Cave, Kayaking, Canyoning, Budva, Jaz Beach, St. Stefan Island (Sveti Stefan) and more.
OR
2. Exit and go right to the Old Town
OR
3. Exit and go left to get to the swimming / beach area.

All of the above options are within walking distance.

Border Crossing Info:
Huge line up at the border. We wait 45 minutes on the border before we are finally stamped out of Croatia.
Then we are in a shorter line to be stamped into Montenegro. The customs police are very short fused and when they see our passport, ask for ownership. Then they ask for our green card. We have no idea what they are talking about and they are getting angrier. Finally he calms down and tells us it can be BOUGHT at the little shop in FRONT of us, to park and get it – he kept our passports, but he had also calmed down when he realized our naive innocence. I am not sure how we were supposed to have this green card when we arrived, if we were not able to buy it before passing through customs. Anyway, it is proof of international insurance, we buy the GREEN paper (which is white) for €15 without complication, present it to him and move on.