The Lopburi Monkey Banquet, the town’s yearly feast for its macaques, traditionally falls on the last Sunday of November, which in 2026 is 29 November. The organisers have not yet confirmed the 2026 date or venue, so Explera DMC Thailand advises agents to hold the day rather than sell it. This briefing, from a Thailand DMC for travel agents, sets out what happens on the day, how to build the trip around it and what to tell clients before they arrive.
Explera handles ground arrangements as a Thailand DMC for travel agents. Its Thai company, Explera DMC Co., Ltd., holds TAT licence 14/05119, the Tourism Business Licence issued by the Department of Tourism, and the group is IATA TIDS-registered (96215733) and a member of ASTA (900408341). Write to b2b@explera.co.th.
What happens at the Lopburi Monkey Banquet?
Lopburi lies just under 150 kilometres north of Bangkok, and its old town is home to hundreds of free-roaming long-tailed macaques. On festival day, tables of fruit, vegetables and desserts are laid out for them at the Phra Prang Sam Yot temple, the three-towered Khmer-era shrine at the centre of town, and around the nearby San Phra Kan shrine. The festival began in the 1980s as a local hotel owner's way of thanking the monkeys, and Thai press now describes it as a creative tourism event for the province. The monkeys arrive as soon as the food is out, and the crowd watches from around the tables. In November 2024, Reuters footage showed monkeys being fed in a cage during the festival, so check the venue and format as well as the date.
Why the date needs reconfirming
The festival is usually held on the last Sunday of November, and in some past years TAT announced the exact date only in November. Lopburi has also been sterilising macaques and moving some of them out of the town centre to a dedicated enclosure, so the number of monkeys in the streets has changed in recent years and the format of the day may change with it. Hold 29 November 2026 for clients who want the banquet itself, reconfirm the date before you issue documents, and build the rest of the day so that it still works if the timings move.
How to sell it
Lopburi is a long day trip from Bangkok or a stop on the way north. The simplest format pairs the morning in Lopburi with an afternoon at the Ayutthaya historical park, then a return to Bangkok by road; our Ayutthaya destination guide and our guide to Ayutthaya day-trip formats cover that half. Ask your Thailand DMC to start early, because the crowds and the heat build by late morning, and to place the vehicle close to the old town so the group is not walking far through the monkeys. A Thailand DMC with its own vehicles can also drop the group and wait nearby. Our day trips team builds the itinerary, our licensed guides handle the briefing and the crowd, our transport team runs the vehicles, and every other service is on our Thailand DMC services page. Send your dates through our contact page. Our Lop Buri destination guide covers the rest of the town.
What to tell clients before they go
The macaques are wild animals and they take what they can reach. Tell clients to leave sunglasses, hats and loose items in the vehicle, to keep bags zipped, to carry no food or plastic bags, and not to touch or feed the monkeys outside the organised tables. Children should stay close to an adult. Clients who are uneasy around animals can watch from the edge of the crowd with the guide. Covered shoulders and knees are polite at the temple on any day.
Sources
- TAT Newsroom: Lopburi Monkey Buffet Festival 2020
- Nation Thailand: Lopburi prepares for the annual Monkey Buffet Festival (2023)
- Reuters: caged monkeys offered their annual banquet in Lopburi (2024)
Frequently asked questions
When is the Lopburi Monkey Banquet in 2026?
It is traditionally held on the last Sunday of November, which in 2026 is 29 November. The organisers had not published the 2026 date at the time of writing, so reconfirm it before you issue documents.
Where does the festival take place?
Traditionally in Lopburi’s old town, at the Phra Prang Sam Yot temple and around the nearby San Phra Kan shrine, just under 150 kilometres north of Bangkok. In 2024 Reuters showed monkeys being fed in a cage, so reconfirm the venue along with the date.
Can clients combine it with Ayutthaya?
Yes. A morning in Lopburi and an afternoon at the Ayutthaya historical park make a full but workable day trip from Bangkok by road.
Is it safe for clients to be near the monkeys?
It is safe with a briefing. Clients should keep bags closed, carry no food and leave loose items in the vehicle, and children should stay close to an adult.
