There are plenty of reasons to travel to another country — visiting family, chasing adventure, or finally checking something off your bucket list. But no matter the purpose, one thing often makes a trip truly unforgettable: unexpected encounters with local wildlife. Whether it’s a planned zoo visit or a spontaneous moment in the wild, those experiences tend to stand out long after the vacation ends.
For one traveler named Julie, it was a bold little spider monkey that turned her Mexican getaway into a viral memory.
Monkeys are a common sight around Xcaret on the Mayan Riviera, but they don’t usually wander straight into hotel rooms. That’s exactly what happened in a video Julie shared on social media on January 23, after a curious monkey casually walked inside like it owned the place.
The monkey showed no hesitation at all, even with someone watching. What had viewers laughing was the way it calmly sat down on a pillow, perched like a person settling into a chair.
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“He really said, ‘Oh, this is nice,’” one commenter joked.
Some eagle-eyed viewers even noticed the monkey appearing to eye a souvenir on the bed, as if considering taking it for himself. Clearly, the comforts of resort life suited him just fine.
The monkey seemed completely unfazed by the idea that someone might later sleep on the pillow he’d claimed or wear whatever caught his attention. That carefree attitude only added to the charm of the moment, turning a brief encounter into an unforgettable vacation story — even if Julie may have needed to request fresh sheets afterward.
The clip also inspired other travelers to share their own experiences at the resort.
“We love Xcaret!” one commenter wrote. “We were standing on the balcony one time, and a monkey came up, jumped on my daughter’s shoulder, then jumped to me. It was a wild time! We love it there!”
Xcaret is home to both spider monkeys and howler monkeys, two species considered endangered. Despite that, visitors often spot them if they know where to look — or listen. The monkeys are most active during the day, moving through the trees, though it’s not unusual for them to spend afternoons napping.