The Magical Heaven: Hampi

I think I need to hire a writer to explain centuries-old Hampi, because I know I can’t do this place justice. It’s seriously one of the top places to visit in India and home to some incredible landmarks. If you feel like skipping my awesome intro (you really shouldn’t), I have listed halfway down the page things to do in Hampi during your trip. There are actually so many things to do in Hampi that you’ll want to extend your time here!

It’s like walking on a movie set or as if you’ve teleported back in time. The GIANT boulders scattered around Hampi had me day-dreaming about dinosaurs jumping around on them while the palm trees swayed overhead. The mass quantity of intricate towering Hindu temples on barren sandy land had me envisioning Shiva wandering around with chillum.

What is Hampi?

Hampi is a UNESCO world heritage site in Karnataka, India, about 7 hours by bus from Bangalore or 14 hours from Pune by train and bus.

Unlike Stonehenge, where the attraction is in a small area,  the entire town of Hampi is the attraction. Hampi is sort of in the middle of nowhere.

I chose to ride during the day on my birthday with my friend on my newly bought Royal Enfield instead of taking other routes (flight, train, bus) so that we could see the jungle and experience the road on the bike.

It was 2nd September 2018 3.00 AM in the morning when we started our journey from Pune to Hampi, a total distance of 567KM via Pune>>>Satara>>>Kolhapur>>>Belgavi>>>Dharwad>>>Hubli

Over condition of the roads is very good, except for small patches between Koppal and Hospet, and Pune Satara section. You may encounter some traffic as you cross Hubli and Hospet. But on most sections, you can easily cruise at 120kmph+.

The bike ride helps you be the person and experience everything to the minute details and gives you a different feeling which really cannot be expressed by any bike rider. You will get to know the people at the core just with the glance and small talks and tells you the identity of the Indian people. No matter what which state you are in and from where you belong Indian people will always be there to help you and be good to you when they know you have come to visit the places of their state and welcomes you. (Also, plenty of question from them on the bike gears and attire of me of traveling on the bike :D )

With Bike Gear en route Hampi

It was one of the best rides of mine till date.

The Companion 

Where to Stay in Hampi:

We stayed at Hema Guesthouse which was 1200 for 3 nights (in offseason). That price included breakfast and laundry and was in September. The cottages are along the rice paddies and you are GUARANTEED a badass view of the greatest sunset of all time from a swinging porch bed.

The Best Sunset 

If you want another option for where to stay in Hampi, We have also stayed at Padma Guesthouse which is pretty identical and has similar reviews online. They have the same exact view of Virupeksa temple from the rooms.

The service was great and added to that the view that counts, so I don’t think it’ll matter. Hampi doesn’t have a lot to offer for accommodation so these are your best bet. If you want to stay in luxury in Hampi or to stay at an eco-resort, there are options for that too.

Rent a bike if you are not riding from the source like me :P

Take a tour up the empty winding paths to the reservoir. No one will be around so you’ll have all the space you need to learn to drive. Take time to get off and photograph the locals, village life, and the fields.

Places to Visit in Hampi:

One can spend hours in the hot sun taking a rickshaw or renting a bike from temple to temple. You’ll walk through the mazes of boulders (the ruins of Vijayanagara) wondering how in the hell this all came to be (apparently volcanoes and erosion).

The hills and boulders surrounding Hampi made for a great hideout for Kings of India’s past. Many battles were fought here, and many important words from India’s rich history were written here.

It’s known to have once been the home of Lord Rama. You’ll see the Queen’s baths, Narasimha statue which is my favorite all carved out from one stone, the chariot of the Vijaya Vittala temple, and, just a short walk up, the giant Hanuman statue.

Place where the Ramayan unscripted on the wall

In the center of town is the impressive 49-meter tall Virupaksha temple, the only temple to have its own elephant!

Hampi is said to be the Vanara Sena, or Kingdom of the Apes, which as Hindus believe, is where Lord Rama fought in the Ramayana.

The corridor-Lotus Mahal

Virupaksha Temple, Hampi

When you’re done on the Hampi Bazaar and Kamalapuram (two entry points) side of the river, where all the boulders, temples, markets, and other city life exists, retire to the other side of the Tungabhadra river to sleep in peace in Anegundi.

Take the taxi boat across the river to the “hippie” side of Hampi, Anegundi.

This is so you can take part in drum circles, dread-lock making, and whatever other hippie nonsense. This way you’ll be on the side of the reservoir and be able to experience the quiet of Hampi.

Go cliff jumping, but watch the crocs!

There are signs up for possible crocodiles, but we never saw any and everyone there was swimming. Locals said there aren’t any in the lake, only the river. You’ll see a group of people laying out near the main cliff, and if it’s empty that day, ask a guide where people jump. The water isn’t clear, but people jump from this same place for years! It was HIGH and FUN! If it scares you, jump off the smaller bridge instead.

Enjoy views from Matanga Hill after all your temple sightseeing.

Be sure to hire a guide so you can learn! For example, the statue of Ganesh (who is my favorite god!) has a snake around his stomach. The guide/driver shared that it was to keep him from eating too much food! You’ll see lots of domestic tourists that are on a pilgrimage to Hampi, and they may want photos with you which is okay

Enjoy a fresh coconut and sit in the grassy shade to relax at Lotus Mahal and Vithhal Temple

The Lotus Mahal is one of the well maintained placed in Hampi and offers the best view of the old Mahal and gives you a glimpse of the old architecture and lets you agree to the Historical literature published. 

The Vitthal Temple

The Lotus Mahal

Hampi Archaeological Museum

After looking at all the location please do visit the Museum which will give the exact view of what work the Archaeological team has done to maintain this place from how they found it in the earlier centuries. After visiting this place you will definitely understand the importance of the Archaeological Department of India