Travel to Hampi (Karnataka)
- Sights in (Karnataka) : The 1200 temple ruins in Hampi are really worth a visit. The temples of Hampi lie spread out in a landscape full of big rocks. It is a bit like a combination of Cappadocie, Petra and Palmyra. The part along the river and the Hanuman temple (with the white stairs leading up the hill) is the most beautiful. Most of the sights are within walking distance from each other, so even a bicycle is unnecessary luxury, particularly since the paths often lead over rocks and hills. A rickshaw or taxi is quite pointless unless you are in a big hurry.- Visiting Hampi with a guide : having a local guide during the visit of the temples in Hampi is a good idea and makes the visit more interesting. Our guide Pampa knew very much about the history of the ruins and also all the paths in between the banana plantings. He can also work as nature guide since in the low season for tourists he works in the fields. Pampa asked 500 rupees for 2 persons and 750 rupees for 4 persons for a whole day, he can be contacted on jpampa@yahoo.com
- Restaurants in Hampi : If you get fed up with the roof terrace restaurants that can be found everywhere in Hampi, head then towards the river where there are two very cozy restaurants; Mango Tree is situated south along the river, Garden River View (try their sangria) lies north along the river. Both are open air restaurants very peaceful - in comparison with inside Hampi like two peaceful Oases.
- Hampi bicycle rental : there are on many different places bicycles for rent for 30 rupees per day, most of the bicycles have no gears. In the middle of the souvenir side street (with the Kashmiri shops where you have to be careful not to buy false silver jewellery) there is a place that rents bicycles for 50 rupees with gears which is useful in the hilly landscape around Hampi.
- hotels accommodation in Hampi : there is lots of budget hostels and hotels in Hampi. With an egg shaped Kalimero boat you can cross the river to where it should be more quiet (as if the almost car free Hampi would be so stressful), this seems to be the place where most of the Israeli travelers hang out. If you don't have a mosquito net with you you better choose a guest house - hotel with nets since there are lots of mosquitoes in Hampi and many of them carry Malaria (also take care during the day since then the Dengue fever mosquitoes are active in Hampi so use some kind of mosquito repellant like Deet or covering clothes. I stayed in a single room for 70 rupees per night (90 rupees for a double) in Shanti Hotel, simple cheap but nothing special. In the north of Hampi are a few budget guest houses with a beautiful view on the river. You can also stay for free in the caves together with German and Israeli neo-hippies. Rumours say that there are panthers in the area so be careful if you have to go out for a wee during the night...
- internet cafes : there is no lack of internet cafes in Hampi, some of them with horrible connection. Surfing on the internet costs everywhere 1 rupee per minute.
- Full moon : at new year full moon there is a religious festival with ritual puja in Hampi. The whole night people stay in the temple to sing and play music.
- The other side of the river : getting to the other side of the river with an instable egg boat costs 5 rupees (if you want to bring your Enfield it costs more, maximum two Enfields per boat). Immediately on the other side of the river there is a quiet farming village. Because there are no holy temples on this side you can easily fid both beer and meat in the restaurants. There is about 10 budget hotels consisting of clay and straw huts in place of the normal budget place with roof terrace on top that you see in as well Hampi as in the rest of India. The best huts can be found at Sunny Guesthouse Hotel (phone 08533-77515). A double room with bath costs 150-250 rupees per night, they have a nice garden with a view on the fields. Mogli Hotel and The Goan corner Hotel are also not bad but more simple with rooms for 50 rupees, contact them via the restaurants with the same names at the mooring place of the boats. A fun and quiet cafe is the "Baba Cafe" opposite the rocks (a little bit hard to find but worth the effort).
- New year in Hampi : Hampi is everything but the perfect place to celebrate New year if you want to party a bit (if you like to celebrate on top of a rock under the full moon with your own drinks it's OK). Around the New year period in Hampi there is a temple puja (festival) celebration the engagement between Shiva and Parvati, but most of the pilgrims lie down on the floor to sleep around 22:30. I found the percussionists very interesting that in a corner of the temple kept playing until daybreak and invited everybody to join in. There are two Indian parties on the other side of the river (one costs 750 rupees, the other 250 rupees, more restaurants with music than parties). If you are longing for a western new year celebration, book in the morning at "The Goan corner" for a place on the two busses that for 150 rupees takes you to a party 8 km further.
- Exchanging money, getting cash : there is no cash point in Hampi, but it's possible to exchange travelers cheques and cash in the exchange offices.
- Travel to Hampi : there are no direct busses to Hampi, the nearest transport hub is Hospet. From Hospet you can get the crowded bus (5-6 rupees) or by rickshaw (60-80 rupees).
- Travel by public transport from Hampi : several travel agencies in Hampi sell train or bus tickets but you always have to start the journey in Hospet or some other town, never Hampi, and you have to get there yoursel by local bus (5-6 rupees) of rickshaw (60-80 rupees). Do count on that for every connection that you have booked in Hampi you have to pay 50 rupees extra. Tickets to travel to Pune costs 400 rupees, tickets to Bombay 500 rupees by night bus. The trains from Hospet are quickly full during the high season.
