Angaur's Wild Monkey Forest
Nowhere else in Palau will you lock eyes with a wild monkey swinging through the canopy — Angaur's resident macaques are one of the Pacific's most improbable wildlife encounters. Descendants of animals introduced during the Japanese occupation, they now roam the island's interior jungle entirely on their own terms.
A Population Unlike Any Other in the Pacific
Angaur is Palau's least populated state, with no large resorts and only a handful of guesthouses, yet it hosts a thriving colony of wild macaques that have made the island's dense interior their permanent home. These animals were brought over by the Japanese during their wartime occupation and have lived freely ever since, adapting perfectly to the tropical forest environment.
The best sightings happen in the early morning when the monkeys descend toward the forest edge to forage. Move slowly, keep your voice low, and you may find yourself just metres away from a troop grooming, playing, and watching you back with equal curiosity.
How to Find Them
There are no official guided monkey tours, so ask your guesthouse host which jungle trail is producing sightings that week — the troop's range shifts with the fruiting season. The interior paths are manageable on foot, though long trousers and insect repellent are essential.
Bring a long lens if you have one; the monkeys are wild and unpredictable, and keeping a respectful distance makes for better photos and a safer encounter. Never offer food — it disrupts their natural behaviour and habituates them to humans in ways that cause long-term harm.
Combining the Visit
The monkey forest sits in Angaur's interior, making it an easy half-day pairing with the island's circumference walk. Start at first light along the jungle trail, watch for macaques, then loop back to the coast before the midday heat sets in.
The island is relatively small, with a circumference of just over 8 miles, so you can cover a surprising amount of ground in a single morning before retreating to the shade of a beach palm.
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