Monkey Buffet Festival — the monkey banquet of Lopburi (Thailand)
Picture a feast laid out among the ruins of a 13th-century Khmer temple: pyramids of watermelons, durians, pineapples, fresh lettuces, ice sculptures. Now picture the guests: hundreds of macaques, waiting for the covers to be lifted. Welcome to Lopburi, Thailand, for the Monkey Buffet Festival — quite possibly the most irresistible festival on the planet.
The ceremony opens with music and dancers in monkey costumes. Then the covers come off, and the town's macaques hurl themselves at the tables. Why such a feast? Because in Lopburi, monkeys are revered: in the Ramayana epic, the monkey god Hanuman and his army help Prince Rama rescue Sita — ever since, the macaques have been signs of luck and prosperity, and the town thanks them in grand style. Atlas Obscura speaks of nearly 2 tons of offerings; other guides mention up to 4 tons, around 3,000 macaques and more than 10,000 visitors — tourist-guide figures, which we quote with the caution they deserve.
Another rarity: this is one of the few unusual festivals whose birth is precisely documented. It was created in 1989 by a local hotelier, to thank the monkeys and boost tourism in Lopburi. A municipal celebration with no dedicated official website, carried by the town and its tourism operators — and now a global star of quirky imagery.
The next banquet will take place, as always, on the last Sunday of November: meet on Sunday 29 November 2026 among the ruins of Phra Prang Sam Yot (the 2027 edition is expected on 28 November, to be confirmed). Number 7 of our Top 10 of the most unusual festivals in the world: the only one to arrive before the guests... because after, there is nothing left.
Practical information
Monkey Buffet Festival
Where: Phra Prang Sam Yot temple, Lopburi, Thailand
Next edition: Sunday, 29 November 2026 (last Sunday of November); 2027 edition expected on 28 November, to be confirmed
Organiser: local celebration of the town of Lopburi (municipality and tourism operators) — no dedicated official website
Tickets: prices not published in the sources consulted (checked on 17 October 2026)
— Moïse 1er, the Festival Explorer