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Monkey Hill Viewpoint

Free, sweaty and full of macaques who will absolutely try your bag, even if you're carrying no food.

4.4(3,544)
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Why go, and how to do it well

Come for the monkeys, not the summit. The macaques line the paved trail in serious numbers, sitting on the path, climbing, play-fighting, and you'll have seen a hundred of them long before the top. The top itself is broadcast towers and a small drink stall, with the better outlooks over Phuket coming a little before you get there. Plenty of people turn around early and lose nothing by it.

It's around 5km up, roughly 90 minutes round-trip, a steady climb through shade that takes the edge off the heat without making it easy. Walkers describe it as exhausting even when fit. Drink your water before you start, because a monkey watching you open a bottle will go for it. Several reviewers with no food at all still had monkeys go for their bags. Hold your things firmly and don't feed anything, whatever you see locals doing. People waving sticks and banging them on the sidewalk make the animals jumpier, which is worth knowing before you copy it.

Written by Mac Kiley · Updated Oct 2026

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Around here, on foot

Well-rated places within a short walk of Monkey Hill Viewpoint, nearest first. Minutes are at an easy pace in the heat.

Experience hints

Reviews from Google

I visited this park a couple of times. There are many monkeys and quite a lot of visitors as well. Some people behave in ways that can frighten the animals — waving sticks and hitting them against the pavement near the monkeys. Because of this, the monkeys can act unpredictably and aggressively. I noticed that some locals feed them, and the monkeys often run up and grab food directly from people’s hands. I wouldn’t recommend doing this. Park workers also ride through the area and feed the monkeys bananas, which is interesting to watch. At the entrance, bags are checked to make sure no food is brought inside. If food is found, it must be left at the entrance and can be collected when leaving. Some visitors suggested carrying a stick for protection, but I chose not to. This is the monkeys’ natural habitat, and visitors are guests here. It’s best to behave calmly: stay quiet, avoid eye contact with the monkeys, keep your distance, and don’t hold or wave objects. When the monkeys are not disturbed, they remain relaxed and quietly groom each other. In any case, stay alert, but don’t panic. I saw one situation where a group of four men were being loud and waving sticks. One of them even fell to the ground, and a monkey reacted aggressively. After that, one of the monkeys suddenly ran after a passing man and grabbed onto his pants. This kind of behavior should be avoided. Panic-driven behavior not only agitates the monkeys but can also put other visitors at risk. The viewpoint itself is not particularly remarkable. The most interesting part is the walk up and the opportunity to observe the monkeys in their natural environment.

I love 🐒 and I was not disappointed. I saw probably a hundred or two in total. The view near the top is nice. There is no real need to walk all the way to the top. It is just the local tv and radio broadcasting towers. There is a little drink store at the very top for the people who absolutely needed to walk to the top but no views. It is about a 5 km walk to the top. The path is paved but you my need to walk around monkeys to use the path. There is also a body weight gym you can use while the monkey coach, cheer you on or just clean their but while you work out.

Pros: nice hike, some nice views, nice winds and shadows and see plenty of monkeys. Cons: it’s exhausting and hot, even for fit people. Took us 1 1/2 hours up and down. Monkeys might go for your bag, even if you don’t bring any food or other attractive stuff. Had to protect my bag twice. Grabbing a stick or firmly holding on to your stuff helps. Recommendations: Drink lots of water beforehand because you cannot drink if a monkey is watching you (they’ll try to steal your water). Would not go in the middle of the day!

A sample of visitor reviews from Google. Read all 3,544 reviews on Google.

Ratsada, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000, Thailand

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Tips for Visiting Activities & Tours

Do Outdoor Activities in the Morning

Heat and humidity peak from noon to 3 PM. Schedule jungle treks, cycling tours, and outdoor cooking classes for early morning. Water activities are more flexible since you're in and out of the sea.

Monkey Hill Viewpoint: Frequently Asked Questions

Is Monkey Hill Viewpoint worth visiting?

Monkey Hill Viewpoint holds a 4.4★ rating from 3,544 Google reviews — a strong rating for activities & tours in Phuket.

When is the best time to visit Monkey Hill Viewpoint?

The best months to visit Phuket are November – April, with the most reliable weather. Crowds peak in December – January — going early in the day usually means fewer people. Months to think twice about: May – October (rough seas).

Where is Monkey Hill Viewpoint located?

Monkey Hill Viewpoint is at Ratsada, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000, Thailand, in Phuket. Getting around Phuket: Grab (widely available); Tuk-tuks (fixed routes, negotiate).

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