Guest blogger Julie Miller discovers a monkey city in the famous macaque temple of Lopburi.

When our tour guide said we'd be stopping in Lopburi, 93 kilometers northeast of Bangkok, at a "monument where monkeys live," I assumed she meant a temple in the jungle. When our bus pulled into a chaotic town square, I was confused—where were the trees?

Then I glanced over at the crumbling ruins of the Khmer temple Prang Sam Yot, situated right in the middle of a busy intersection… and saw that it was indeed teeming with macaques – quite literally. Hundreds of them scampered across the sidewalks, hung from power lines, and picked fleas off the temple steps.

The whole city is absolutely teeming with monkeys… and I have to admit, it's a bit unsettling! Fed by locals and tourists alike, these cheeky, flea-ridden beggars show absolutely no fear and will jump onto your shoulder or head at the slightest provocation. Hold on tight to your sunglasses, hat, and wallet—they'll steal from you if you let them!

Since there wasn't a tree in sight, I wondered how these monkeys had gotten here and settled in this seemingly inhospitable environment. Well, when the temple was built in the 11th century, the area was densely forested and, of course, inhabited by long-tailed macaques. Gradually, civilization encroached on the monkeys' world, pushing them further and further inward… and eventually into the temple's sanctuary. Here they were fed, even worshipped – and so they stayed.

In Hindu folklore, monkeys were considered lucky charms and embodiments of the god Hanuman. Recently, increasing numbers of tourists have been coming to take photos with the monkeys, bringing additional prosperity to the town. In gratitude, Lopburi now holds an annual festival in honor of the monkeys, offering them a lavish fruit feast instead of their usual stolen treats.

These monkeys are clever, funny, and entertaining—at least for a few minutes. Legend has it that when their food runs out, they jump onto a passing train, go to the nearest market for dinner, and then return on the next train. One particularly clever monkey is even said to have gone on holiday all the way to Chiang Mai… or so the story goes.