Lopburi Monkey Banquet Festival

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The annual Monkey Buffet Festival takes place in November in Lopburi, a town in Thailand 150 km North of Bangkok. During this festival hundreds of long-tailed macaques are treated to more than 2,000 kilos of treats. The popular event is a combination of monkeys and temples which make it a funny, bizarre and yet interesting day.

Lopburi is famous for the small long-tailed macaques that live around the ancient temples.  The monkeys are considered to be a good luck for the city. As these monkeys are regarded as the descendants of Hanuman, The Monkey King, no one dares to say no to them. Many of the inhabitants of Lopburi regard the makaen descendants of Hanuman and therefore hold this festival every year to honor them.

Th city is not yet well known among tourists, however you will find numerous historical sites. When you walk out of the station, you immediately see the Wat Phra Si Mahathat. A temple complex in fairly good condition. When you continue your way towards the center, you understand why this is also called the monkey city. You see monkeys everywhere; on the street, in the fountains, at the temples and even on the electricity cables. Most monkeys hang around the Phra Prang Sam Yot temple.  In addition to the old town, there is also a new, trendy section with shopping centers and a cinema. 

Where to stay

If you are looking for a  perfect location near Lopburi, but like staying in a traditional style wooden house over the water we recommend Thakrayang Brass Artisan Stay. The complex is surrounded by nature and the owner and daughter are the nicest people ever.


We will return because since it was so beautiful. On booking.com they get an average rating of 8.2.