Thousands of visitors rushed to attend a festival for monkeys held on an island off Nha Trang City in the central province of Khanh Hoa on June 4.

At the annual Monkey Festival held on Lao or Monkey Island, tonnes of fresh fruit was served to trained monkeys at a banquet.

Visitors had the chance to see monkey dance and play sports as well as take part in various events, including a bamboo raft race, a stilt race, and a net weaving contest to explore local fishermen's life.

Monkeys sitting on dogs and racing

Many people could also feed the monkeys on their own, which they believe to bring them good luck.

Over 1,200 monkeys inhabit the island, making it a popular tourist attraction. It is also where the largest troop of monkeys in the country lives.

The first monkeys were bred here in the late 1970s, and a troop of over 1,200 monkeys now thrives on the island. Monkeys are special to the island, and people refer to it as Monkey Island rather than its original name now.

Members of the organising board dressed up as monkeys

A monkey sitting on a dog

Visitors at the festival 

Monkeys riding bikes