Visitors to Son Tra Peninsula in Da Nang, central Vietnam have recently noted an increase in wild monkeys approaching tourists for food, snatching personal belongings, and even attacking people.

As tourists make their way along Hoang Sa Road, the monkeys emerge from the forest, eagerly anticipating food handouts.

Despite signs along the road prohibiting feeding the monkeys, many visitors still offer them candy, milk, and other treats, often taking the opportunity to film and photograph the interactions with the wild animals.

Unfortunately, these interactions have emboldened the monkeys.

Some monkeys now brazenly cling to tourists' arms and legs, while others go so far as to snatch food and belongings directly from visitors’ hands.

“This is my first time visiting Son Tra Peninsula. I had no idea the monkeys here were so bold,” said Hieu, a 27-year-old tourist from Quang Binh Province, who had a bag of cakes and candies stolen right out of his hands by the monkeys.

"At first, I was excited to see them, but now I feel uncomfortable because I have to stay on guard all the time," Hieu added.

Beyond the negative impact on tourism, feeding the monkeys has also caused them to abandon their natural foraging habits, becoming increasingly dependent on humans for food.

Instead of searching for food in the forests, these monkeys now rummage through garbage left by tourists.

"I couldn't even sit down because the monkeys would jump on me to steal my fruit," one tourist shared.

"Some even scratched my legs and hissed at me when I tried to shoo them away.

"This is wild monkey territory, so I feel helpless. I'm also worried about getting sick from their scratches."

Besides causing trouble for tourists, the monkeys also swarm the streets in search of food, posing a danger to commuters.

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