Dong Ling: Nestled in between the vast rice paddies of Ban Dong Muong sits a 3 hectare (7.5 acre) forest inhabited by three separate troops of monkeys. The local people revere all the monkeys of Dong Ling (Monkey Forest), believing they contain the spirits of their ancestors. They also believe a tragic disaster will befall the family of anyone who harms them. For that reason, the monkeys have been able to grow their numbers to over three thousand, many of which feel safe interacting with humans.
Monkey Troops: One troop of monkeys inhabit the area near the local market, Monkeyhome Market, eating the scraps of food left over from patrons frequenting the place. A second troop of monkeys live in and near the temple on the edge of the forest. Unique to this temple, the halls here are enclosed with chain link fence, keeping the monkeys out and permitting the monks inside to pray and eat without being harassed. Finally, the third troop of monkeys reside deep in the forest, near a group of spirit houses, where offerings of food are made. The three troops of monkeys are completely separate and do not interact with each other.
Also protected from harm by the villagers, the trees within Dong Ling are very large and serve not only as a suitable habitat for the monkeys, but also provide a good environment for edible mushrooms, bee's nests, honey, and plants used in traditional medicines for the villagers.