The presence of sacred forest is a demonstration of the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature. In Bali, sanctuaries such as the Monkey Forest are usually in sacred village areas, often surrounded by temples. These cultural sanctuaries are not only an important part of Balinese heritage, but also an important part of everyday live. Temple festivals are regularly held for the villagers and the gods in such areas.
A Balinese temple is more than just a collection of pagodas and pavilions. The area enclosed by temple walls and the forest area surrounding it is sacred. These temples and the forest are essential for renewing contact with the spiritual world. The activities associated with these areas are essential in maintaining harmony between humans, nature and the cosmos. Not only are ancestral spirits and gods given offerings and prayers, but also the spirits of trees and statues in the Monkey Forest are given offerings and prayers by the Pemangku and local villagers
The Trees of the Forest
The Sacred Monkey Forest, in conjunction with Udayana Univeristy in Denpasar have identified 115 separate species of trees.
Some of these trees are considered holy and are used in various Balinese spiritual practices. Examples include the Majegan, which is used exclusively for the building of shrines; or the Berigin, whose leaves are used in cremation ceremonies.
Of special significance is the Pule Bandak, a tree that embodies the spirit of the forest, and is used in the making of powerful masks. These masks are only used inside the temple, and the trees are not killed to make them. An auspicious day is chosen and the Priest asks permission of the tree spirit to cut a small piece of its wood. The spirit thus remains embodied in the mask.
The following provides English as well as Latin botanical names for the trees within the forest.
| No. |
Name |
Information |
| 1 |
ATA
(Lygodium Flexuisum)
Family:
Orchidaceae |
The vine is for ropes and woven products. |
 |
| 2 |
Apokat
(Persea Americana) |
|
 |
| 3 |
ANGGREK TANAH
|
(Arachnis flos-aeris) -
Family: Rutaceae
Used as a decorative plant. |
| 4 |
AMIS MATA
(Mestia ferrea L)
|
Family: Clusiaceae - A wild bush, whose fruit is edible and whose young leaves can be eaten raw as salad. |
| 5 |
AMPELAS |
(Ficus ampelas burm) -
Family: Moraceae
The leaves are for shampoo/ washing hair |
| 6 |
ASEM KRANJI
|
(Pithecalibium duice Benth) -
Family:
MimesaceaeUsed as shade trees, and the fruits are eaten by birds. |
| 7 |
ARA
(Ficis Sillase Blume)
Family:
Moraceae |
The root is used for treating toothache. |
 |
| 8 |
ANCAK
(Ficus rumphi BI. )
Family :
Moraceae |
Used as a shade tree for fish. The young leaves and fruit are edible, and the bark is used for traditional medicine/cosmetics. The fruit is used for making salve for itchy skin and the sap is used for asthma and vermicide. |
 |
| 9 |
ANDONG
(Cordiline
Fructicosa A. Chev )
Family :
Lauraceae |
A decorative plant; the young leaves are edible and the rhizome/root is for treating diarrhea. |
 |
| 10 |
AE |
|
 |
| 11 |
AE BAS
(Gloriosa superba L )
Family :
Lilaceae |
Big tree/ shade tree for reforestation. The leaves are eaten by birds. |
 |
| 12 |
BLALU/ BAKASIA
(Albizia falcafalria (L) Fosberg )
Family :
Myrtaceae |
The wood is for building and sculpture. |
 |
| 13 |
BAMBU TALI
(Gigantocioa apus Kurz )
Family :
Pandanaceae |
The branches can be used as rope, weaving and fencing material. |
 |
| 14 |
BAMBU AMPEL
(Bambusa vulgaris) |
|
 |
| 15 |
BADUNG
(garcinea celebica L )
Family :
Clusiaceae |
The wood is used for building material and the fruit is edible. |
 |
| 16 |
BENTAWAS
(Wrightia pubescens) |
The wood is used for building material |
 |
| 17 |
BENTAKA |
|
 |
| 18 |
BILA
(Aegle marmelos) |
|
 |
| 19 |
BODI
(Ficus religiosa L)
Family:
Moraceae |
|
 |
| 20 |
BUAH GANGGA |
|
 |
| 21 |
BOKAK (Raufolva javarice K&V)
-
Family:
Araliaceae |
|
| 22 |
BLEDO - Family:
Araliaceae
(Trevesia sundeacaMig/Boeriagiodendron molucanum castan / B.palmatum harms) |
| 23 |
BUNGA PAGODA
(Clrerodendron paniculatum) |
|
 |
| 24 |
BUNGA SUNGSANG
(Phyodendron sp.)
Family:
Araceae |
The branch is a remedy for eczema, ringworm, scabies, gonorrhea and difficulty in labor. |
| 25 |
BASANG ALU
Family:
Vitaceae |
(Trestastigma lanciolarium plance/vitis lanceolaria wall
)
The leaves are for food for pigs. |
| 26 |
BAYUR
Family:
Sterculiaceae |
(Pterospermum javanicum jungh)
The wood is for building material/ matches. The bark is for melena (blood in stools). |
| 27 |
BOK
(Dracontomelon celebicum Kds )
Family :
Meliaceae |
The fruit is edible and the hardwood is used for building material. |
 |
| 28 |
BULUNBON |
In Bali, it is usually used for food flavoring/ cooking herbs or as a substitute for daun salam [Eugenia polyantha, Indonesian bay leaf]. |
 |
| 29 |
BUN PERON (Anamirta cocculus W . 7A .)
Family :
Menispermaceae |
The fruit contains picrotoin, and is used for stunning fish. The tree is planted as shade tree; the wood is used for building and sculpture. |
 |
| 30 |
BONI TAI
(Anttidesmus gheasimbela gaertn )
Family :
Tiliaceae |
A building material, and the fruit is edible. |
 |
| 31 |
BUNUT
(Ficus glabela BI. )
Family :
Moraceae |
The bark is used as a weaving material, and the root is used as a herbal medicine ingredient; the fruit is eaten by birds. |
 |
| 32 |
BERINGIN
(Ficus benyamina)
Family :
Moraceae |
The tree is planted as a shade tree and the leaves are used as part of offering ingredients for cremations (ngaben). |
 |
| 33 |
BONI
(Antidesmus bunius Spreng)
Family:
Eupihorbianceae |
The wood serves as building or sculpture material; the fruit is eaten; the leaves and fruit are used for medicines for high blood pressure, anemia, menstrual bleeding, syphilis and gonorrhea. |
 |
| 34 |
CAMPLUNG
(Calophylium)
Family:
Clusiaceae |
The wood is material for small boats, carvings; the oil from its fruit is used for lamps; the skin for childbed/puerperal fever, hemorrhoids, urination difficulties, leucorrhea/vaginal discharge, nausea/vomiting, blood/discharge in urine, constipation, swollen glands, scaly skin. The leaves are for antipyretic medicine (obat panas). The seeds are also used for medicines. |
 |
| 35 |
CANGING
(Erythrina fusca lour)
Family:
Fabaceae |
The leaves are edible and used for remedies for chicken pox, yaws, itch, and as a lactagogue (to stimulate milk flow in lactating women). |
 |
| 36 |
CENDANA
(Santalum album) |
|
 |
| 37 |
CERORING
(Lansium domesticum Corr)
Family:
Meliaceae |
A building material, and the fruit is edible. |
 |
| 38 |
CEMARA
(Casuarina junghunniana) |
|
 |
| 39 |
CEMPAKA
(Michelia champance)
Family:
Magnoliaceae |
A decorative plant; the wood is used for sculpture and the leaves in remedies for arthritis/lumbago, tonsillitis and rheumatism. The flower buds are used for treating gonorrhea and candidiasis; roots and bark are for irregular menstruation and fever. The bark is also used for high temperature and weak body. |
 |
| 40 |
CELAGI
(Tamarindus Indica L )
Family :
Fabaceae |
A medicinal herb whose fruit and seed are edible. The leaves are used for boils; the root is a remedy for venomous snake bite and breathing difficulties. |
 |
| 41 |
CEMCEM
(Spondias pinnata KURZ.) |
|
 |
| 42 |
COKELAT (Theobroma caccao L}
Family :
Sterculiaceae |
The seeds are for cacao powder, contain alkaloid, theobromin. |
 |
| 43 |
DAU
(Pometia pinnata Forst.)
Family :
Sapindaceae |
Lamp oil |
 |
| 44 |
DAPDAP
(Erythrina lithosperma) |
|
 |
| 45 |
DEWAN DARU
(Eugenia uniflora) |
|
 |
| 46 |
DURIAN
(Durio zibethinus) |
|
 |
| 47 |
DELUNDUNG
(Erythrina veriegata)
Family:
Fabaceae |
The tree is planted as shade tree. Both leaves and bark can be used for menstruation, fever, asthma, dysentery, hematuria (blood in urine), as a lactagogue, and for toothache, tympanitis (inflammation of the membrane lining of the middle ear). Sap from the leaves is used for treating scabies and boils. |
| 48 |
DAUN KUPU-KUPU
(Ficus quercifolia Roob )
Family :
Moraceae |
The sap from the leaves is for whooping cough. |
 |
| 49 |
FLAMBOYAN
(Delonix regia) |
|
 |
