Lopburi Monkey Banquet 2026: A Day Trip for Groups

Some festivals you sell. The Monkey Banquet is one you hold. Every client who has seen the photos wants to be there, the organisers announce the details late, and the town itself has changed a lot in the last few years. Our Thailand team has written the full Lopburi Monkey Banquet briefing. This note is the Lopburi Monkey Banquet day trip in short, for agencies that sell Thailand next to other destinations.

What Is the Lopburi Monkey Banquet?

Lopburi is just under 150 kilometres north of Bangkok, and hundreds of long-tailed macaques live free in its old town. On festival day, tables of fruit, vegetables and desserts are laid out for them at Phra Prang Sam Yot, the three-towered Khmer-era temple in the centre of town, and around the San Phra Kan shrine nearby. A local hotel owner started it in the 1980s to thank the monkeys. The moment the food is out, the monkeys arrive, and the crowd watches from around the tables.

Why Do We Hold the Date Instead of Selling It?

• The date is a tradition, not an announcement. The last Sunday of November gives 29 November 2026. Some listings also show Saturday 28 November. In past years TAT has announced the exact date only in November.
• The format has changed. Lopburi has been sterilising macaques and moving some of them out of the centre to an enclosure. In November 2024, Reuters footage showed the monkeys being fed in a cage. So we reconfirm the venue and the format, not just the date.
• The day has to work either way. We build the trip so that it is still a good day if the banquet moves or shrinks.

How Do We Plan the Day Trip?

• Lopburi first, Ayutthaya second. A morning in Lopburi and an afternoon at the Ayutthaya historical park make a long but workable day from Bangkok by road.
• An early start. The crowds and the heat build by late morning, so we leave Bangkok early.
• The vehicle close in. We park as near the old town as we can, so the group does not walk far through the monkeys, and the guide briefs everyone before they get out.
• A short briefing. No food, no plastic bags, bags zipped, sunglasses and hats left in the vehicle, children close to an adult. Covered shoulders and knees at the temple.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Lopburi Monkey Banquet in 2026?

It traditionally falls on the last Sunday of November, which in 2026 is 29 November. The organisers had not confirmed the date when this was written, so reconfirm it before you issue documents.

Where does the Lopburi Monkey Banquet take place?

Traditionally at Phra Prang Sam Yot and around the San Phra Kan shrine in Lopburi's old town. In 2024 the monkeys were fed in a cage, so check the venue and format as well as the date.

Can a group combine it with Ayutthaya?

Yes. A morning in Lopburi and an afternoon in Ayutthaya make a full day trip from Bangkok by road.

Is it safe for clients to be near the Lopburi monkeys?

Yes, with a briefing. The macaques are wild and take what they can reach, so clients keep bags closed, carry no food and leave loose items in the vehicle.

Sources

• TAT Newsroom: Lopburi Monkey Buffet Festival 2020
• Reuters: caged monkeys offered their annual banquet in Lopburi (2024)

Where Explera Fits

If a group wants the banquet, or a day out of Bangkok without it, read these next:

• Explera DMC Thailand: the desk that runs our Thailand day trips.
• Thailand destination page: what we arrange across Thailand, Lop Buri and Ayutthaya included.
• Tours and experiences service: guided day trips, festivals and excursions.
• Transfers and transport service: vehicles and drivers for the road north.
• The Night at Lumpini Park: another seasonal Bangkok event for groups.

Write to b2b@explera.co.th or message +66 93 656 8090 on WhatsApp. Explera DMC is IATA TIDS-registered (96215733) and an ASTA member (900408341). Our Thai company, Explera DMC Co., Ltd., holds TAT Tourism Business Licence 14/05119.