Monkey Hill Phuket

Welcome to Monkey Hill or as the locals call it, Toe Sae Hill. This is the one place in Phuket where you can finally spot the elusive monkeys you’ve been looking for. No, seriously, you’d think there would be monkeys everywhere, but nope, they’ve all gathered here.

The population of wild macaque monkeys here is estimated to be around 400, which means you’ll have plenty of chances to snap a selfie with a furry friend. Just make sure you bring some bananas or peanuts, because let’s be real, the monkeys don’t really care about your Instagram likes.

Did you know that macaques are non-human primates native to South, Central, and Southeast Asia? They mostly eat fruit, seeds, and roots, but they’ll also chow down on some meat and insects. And get this, they even have cheek pouches to temporarily store their food. Talk about a built-in snack holder!

The social groups are matrilineal, whereby a female’s rank is decided by the rank of her mother. The macaques communicate with a variety of facial expressions, vocalisations, body postures, and gestures. Facial expressions are used to appease or redirect aggression, assert dominance, and threaten other individuals, and vocalisations may be made to elicit grooming, while moving, or in threatening situations. They spend most of the day feeding and resting; the rest is occupied with traveling, grooming, and playing. Kind of like us on vacation, am I right?

Due to its relatively easy upkeep, wide availability, and closeness to humans anatomically and physiologically, it has been used extensively in medical and biological human health-related research. It has facilitated many scientific breakthroughs including vaccines for rabies, smallpox, and polio and antiretroviral medication to treat H.I.V. A rhesus macaque became the first primate astronaut in 1948, but died during the flight, followed on 14 June 1949 by next macaque Albert II, who became the first primate and first mammal in space.

On the way to uphill there are couple of observation decks with a view of Phuket Town. However, there is not much of a view from the hill as there are many big trees blocking the view.

As you make your way up the hill, you’ll pass a couple of observation decks with a view of Phuket Town, but don’t get your hopes up for a great view from the top. There are a lot of big trees blocking the way, but you’ll still get to see the telecommunication company antennas at the summit, which is 270 meters above sea level.

The walk uphill is about 2 kilometers, but don’t worry, the monkeys will keep you company. Just make sure you’re careful when feeding them, as they tend to get a little too excited about their snacks. And whatever you do, don’t touch or reach out to them, you don’t want to end up with a monkey bite or scratch. Remember, you’re just a visitor in their home, so treat them with kindness and respect, and you’ll have a great time on the Monkey Hill. But let’s be real, you’re here for the monkeys, so enjoy your time with your new furry friends!