DENPASAR – An Australian tourist recounted a shocking experience after her 12-year-old daughter suffered an Ubud monkey bite, leaving the family with a medical bill of Rp 69 million. The incident, now circulating widely, has reignited concerns about safety at the popular Ubud Monkey Forest.

Flavia McDonald from Sydney flew to Bali with her husband and daughter, Lorena, to celebrate Father’s Day. The holiday was intended as a surprise gift from Lorena for her father.

“My daughter had the idea to seek some sunshine after heavy rains in Sydney as a surprise for her dad on Father’s Day,” McDonald said.

On September 5, Lorena revealed the surprise, and the next day the family departed with hopes of enjoying Bali’s sun. However, rainy weather continued to follow them.

Staying in Seminyak, the family decided to head to Ubud after weather forecasts showed less rain there.

“So we decided to spend half a day in Ubud on Wednesday. With a storm predicted in the afternoon, we thought we could spend about an hour and a half in the park in the morning and then head back to Seminyak by noon,” she explained.

The Monkey Forest Incident

Their chosen destination was the famous Ubud Monkey Forest. Initially, it was a calm visit as the family walked around and admired the surroundings. McDonald made sure they followed the safety rules around the monkeys.

“We walked around for about 40 minutes, and in one area of the park there is an amphitheater where people can sit,” she said.

Suddenly, the situation changed. A monkey leapt onto her husband’s shoulder and then onto Lorena’s.

“She was scared. We were told not to make sudden movements. The monkey started pulling at her clothes, her pockets, and her body. When I tried to shoo it away, the monkey bit Lorena on the neck,” McDonald recalled.

Trying to remain calm to avoid further panic, McDonald noticed blood coming from her daughter’s neck. Despite the crowd of visitors, no staff came to assist them. Lorena, in shock, did not immediately feel the pain.

McDonald rushed her daughter to the park’s first aid post. Staff there insisted the monkeys were “clean” and that there was no need to worry about rabies, advising only to wash the wound with soap and water.

“They kept saying we didn’t need to worry,” McDonald said.

Unsatisfied, she took Lorena to a clinic where doctors administered rabies shots.

Medical Shock

Her relief turned into another shock when she received the bill.

“Then I was shocked again when I got the medical bill of Rp 69 million (about USD 4,165),” McDonald said.

Although she had travel insurance, the coverage was not immediate, forcing her to pay the costs out of pocket.

According to McDonald, Lorena received several injections in different parts of her body.

“It was ridiculous,” she said. “One injection above the bite, one below it, one in the arm, and one in the leg. There were two types of rabies vaccines, and both were administered. She also had to take medication for herpes B virus, six tablets a day for two weeks.”

The incident has raised further questions about medical preparedness, tourist safety, and the high cost of emergency treatment for foreign visitors in Bali.