Why I Fell in Love with Magical Hampi

Often, when I go somewhere special I fall in love straight away and it was no different with Hampi.

I was living in Goa for over 2 months before I finally got around to visiting Hampi and I wish I had visited before because Hampi turned out to be one of my highlights from 6 months traveling in India.

There really is something magical about Hampi that I just can’t describe, there’s a good reason why this place is very much on the India backpacker trail and is one of the best places to visit in India.

Magical Hampi

Perhaps it is the surreal boulder strewn landscape, interspersed by bright emerald paddy fields, perhaps it is the amazing ruins of temples, or the magical stories of myths and legends and gods and goddesses, or the surrounding countryside that is almost frozen in time. Perhaps it’s a combination of all these things that make Hampi so special.

Nandi and monkey Virupaksha Temple
A monkey sits on a Nandi statue at Hampi’s Virupaksha Temple, the only one still in use

Arriving in Hampi

We arrived late in the day so first we had to find somewhere to stay. There are two areas to stay in Hampi; the Bazaar, which is the village in the shadow of the Virupaksha Temple, or among the green rice fields across the river.

Due to Hampi’s UNESCO status there is no bridge allowed across the river so the only way to get across is by a boat that runs from sunrise to sunset. We just missed the last boat so instead we crossed the river in a tiny circular coracle boat!

It was a bit unnerving at first to get in what is basically a wicker basket, but as we were spinning round and round through the water as the big orange sun set behind the surreal boulders, I knew then that this was somewhere special.

hampi coracle boat
The coracle boat we used to cross the river

We found a cheap hut to stay in across the river on what they call ‘hippie island’ and crashed out after the journey. There’s no quick way to get to Hampi, it’s either an overnight bus or an all day train ride from Bangalore or Goa, but, wow, it’s so worth the effort!

From the moment I opened the curtains the next morning to this view I fell in love with Hampi!

hampi huts
Our view from our guesthouse – this is why it’s better to stay across the river in Hampi

There is a laid back, kind of spiritual aura, in Hampi that I found captivating.

Hampi seems to have a way of bewitching a visitor and casting a spell that makes people linger longer than expected, which is just as well because it takes time to really get under Hampi’s skin.

Of course, you could hire an auto rickshaw and whizz around the main sights in one day but you would be really missing out on the magic of this incredible place.

The more I saw of the scenery the more I was blown away by it – it’s like a cross between the Flintstones and Jurassic Park! With such unique and inspiring natural beauty, it’s not surprising really that Hampi oozes spirituality and is integral to so many myths and legends.

Plus you could never get bored of views like these!

hampi hammock
Soaking up the spectacular views from my hammock

The History of Hampi

I think, to truly appreciate Hampi, you need to understand a little about the history and why it is such an important place.

The Ramayana

Hampi features in Ramayana, the Hindu epic. Hampi is known as Kishkinda, and is the place where Rama mets the monkey king Hanuman, who helps him to rescue his wife Sita from the demon who has taken her away to Sri Lanka.

I found that the more you soak up the stories that paint a vibrant picture of the significance of Hampi, the more I fell in love with this place.

Learning about the myths and legends, and how they still have a big influence on Indian culture even today, is a big part of better understanding, and gaining a better connection, to Indian culture in general and to why Hampi is so special.

The Capital of the Vijayanagar Empire

Hampi also finds fame and fortune as it became the capital of the Vijayanagar Empire, one of the largest and most important in Indian history.

In the 16th century Hampi was a buzzing and important metropolis of half a million people with bazaars thriving in the trade of precious stones and other riches that attracted merchants from all over the world.

All this came to an end in 1565 when the Deccan sultanates razed Vijayanagar to the ground leaving just the captivating legends and atmospheric ruins that we explore today.

Hampi boulder landscape
The amazing and surreal landscapes of Hampi

Exploring Hampi with GoMowgli

To get to know Hampi better we took a day tour with the amazing GoMowgli who run India’s first ever hop off, hop on backpacker bus around the fascinating and relatively unexplored state of Karnataka.

Taking this day tour really added to my understanding of Hampi and our guide Megha showed us some secret places that we would never have found alone.

Ancient Rock Paintings

It’s clear to see that Hampi is steeped in history and it was inhabited as far back as 10,000 years ago as we could see on some ancient rock paintings.

These were totally off the main tourist track and well hidden, we could only see them when our guide Megha splashed some water on the rock, we would never have found these ourselves or known just how old this place was!

hampi ancient rock paintings
Our GoMowgli guide showing us some 10,000 year old rock paintings

The Virupaksha Temple

Next we visited one of the must see sights in Hampi, the Virupaksha Temple which you can’t miss as the tall gorpuam dominates the dusty little Hampi Bazaar. This is the only temple still in use because, unlike the others, the idol was never destroyed by the invading Deccans.

The Virupaksha Temple is famous because it was the place that the Hindu god Shiva and this wife Parvati were married and Megha really brought this to life, explaining the story behind it and all the meanings behind the rituals and the carvings in the temple.

Virupaksha Temple Hampi
The Virupaskha Temple

She also showed us lots more little quirky aspects of this temple that we would never have noticed on our own like the secret underground temple, unusual because it is dedicated to both Shiva and Vishnu.

Another highlight is found in a small room all the way at the back of the temple where you can see an inverted image of the temple’s main gorpuram on the wall – they call it India’s first pin hole camera!

Lakshmi the temple elephant Hampi
Lakshmi the temple elephant giving blessings

You can still get a blessing from Lakshmi the temple elephant (if you give her a 10 Rupee note) and you can also watch Lakshmi get her daily bath in the river each morning.

Hampi Bazaar

The many ruins of Hampi Bazaar lie scattered around among the boulders like a huge, surreal giant open air museum.

Often it’s easy to forget that its the 21st century, Hampi is still so untouched by modernity and this allows your imagination to really run wild and image this place as the bustling market place and important town it once was.

The ruins of Hampi Bazaar
The ruins of Hampi Bazaar

A Thousand Lingas

We climbed and jumped across the rocks to discover another secret – thousands of lingas (the representation of Shiva) carved into the rocks. We also noticed the other temples all around, the notches cut into the rocks and the Nandi that locks across from the other side of the river guarding the Shiva lingams.

hampi lingas
Hundred of Lingas (Shiva symbols) carved into the rocks

We sat on the rocks and spend some time just contemplating and being mesmerized by the incredible scene before us. After a cooling coconut and a chai we continued to the Vittala Temple.

The Vittala Temple

The highlight of Hampi’s temple architecture is the famous Vittala Temple. Even though it was never completed this temple still contains the most incredible. elaborate sculptural work and the famous stone chariot, which apparently used to be able to move.

Vittala Temple Hampi
Inside the Vittala Temple at Hampi

The Vittala Temple is also famous for the reverberating musical pillars, however to avoid damage, tourists are no longer allowed to play the musical pillars but if you have a guide they should be able to show you and also bring the meaning of all the intricate sculptures to life too.

hampi me vittala temple chariot
With the famous stone chariot in the Vittala Temple

With so much to see, it’s impossible to see it all and soak it all in on one day

You can also take an auto rickshaw to explore the further away sights in the Royal Enclosure, like the Queens bath, Lotus Mahal and the Elephant stables.

Also make sure you climb up to Hemakuta Hill where you’ll discover 2 large Ganesha statues and a huge 6.7 m Vishnu carved out of a single boulder with a head of a lion and a body of a man that lays under a 7 hooded serpent.

Views over Hampi from Hemakuta Hill
Views over Hampi from Hemakuta Hill

Go in time to see the sunset over Hampi bazaar with the impressive gopuram surrounded by the stunning landscape all around.

Take time to wander alongside the river through the boulder strewn landscape and perhaps hang out for a while with a Sadhu (holy man) in a cave.

Hampi sadhu
Chilling out in a cave with a Sadhu

And across the other side of the river, you can rent a motorbike, drive through the amazing scenery, cool off in the lake (I’m pretty sure the crocodile warning signs are just a scare tactic)

hampi lake (1 of 1)
Swimming in the lake near Hampi

You can also visit the less explored ruins of Anegundi, still part of the UNESCO site but with very little tourists, Anegundi means monkey kingdom and Hamuman, the monkey god who plays a big role in the Ramayana, was thought to have been born here.

But what ever you believe,  there’s no denying that climbing the 600 or so steps up to the Hanuman Temple at sunset and watching the sun go down across amazing views over the stunningly surreal scenery would give even the most atheist a special spiritual feeling.

hampi sunset temple (1 of 1)
Views from the Hanuman temple

That’s just what magical Hampi does to you! Go, linger for a while and soak up all the history, magic and myths and fall in love.  I’ll be back again for sure!

hampi sunset hanuman temple
Sunset from the Hanuman Temple over the other worldly landscape of Hampi

Tips for Visiting Hampi

How to get to Hampi

Hampi is located in Karnataka, roughly between Goa and Bangalore. From Goa you can take an overnight bus or my preferred option is to take a train from Margao. It takes about 8 hours and you will travel over India’s second highest waterfall – Dudhsagar Falls! From Bangalore you can also take an overnight bus.

Where to Stay in Hampi

Once in Hampi you can find cheap accommodation either in Hampi Bazaar or cross the river and chill out in cute huts with views over the green paddy fields.

A good option in Hampi Bazaar is Gopi Guest House but remember, no meat or alcohol is served on this side of the river.

I absolutely loved the super cute huts and gorgeous rice paddy views at the Mowgli Guest House or check out Shanthi Guesthouse for a more upmarket option the Kishkinda Heritage Resort is a bit further back from the river but has a water park.

Check out my post on where to stay in Hampi – 5 best Hampi hotels for more.

Tours of Hampi

Hampi is a great place to spend lazy days chilling out and soaking up the scenery but you can make your visit even better by understanding more about the myths and legends of this magical place. I took an excellent day tour of Hampi with goMowgli (who also run India’s first backpacker hop on, hop off bus) which I would highly recommend and then explored on my own for several more days.

I hope my Hampi blog has inspired you to visit magical Hampi and given you plenty of useful tips to plan your own trip here – I hope you love it as much as I do!

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20 comments

Matthew April 12, 2015 at 11:10 pm

Great post Anna! Thanks for sharing…

Reply
Anna Phipps April 14, 2015 at 7:50 pm

Thank you, Hampi is amazing if you are ever in India don’t miss it!

Reply
Wayne Seto May 18, 2015 at 8:07 pm

I was in India 2 months ago and didn’t have the time to make it to Hampi. Other travellers that I met spoke so highly of it. Thanks for the post 🙂

Reply
Anna Phipps May 18, 2015 at 8:43 pm

That’s such a shame – Hampi was one of my favourite places in India. Don’t miss it next time I really loved it!

Reply
adesh harsha July 18, 2017 at 12:55 pm

Dear ANNA PHIPPS

thanks for visiting in Hampi from INDIA
well com to any time your favourite places hampi

thanks

Reply
Anna July 18, 2017 at 7:14 pm

Thanks, I love Hampi, it’s one of my favourite places in India. I can’t wait to visit again one day

Reply
Florence Murphy July 30, 2015 at 11:32 am

Nope! But we’re def going after reading this 🙂

Reply
Global Gallivanting July 30, 2015 at 4:32 pm

Yay! You so should! One of my favourite places in India!

Reply
v rao October 20, 2015 at 7:57 am

Really you are lucky,
you visted Hampi and got a blessings of lord Hanuman and Lord Shiva,
Wel come to Hampi Again

Reply
v rao October 20, 2015 at 8:00 am

Hampi was one of my favourite places,
Don’t miss it!
Visit This Wonderfull place,

Reply
John JOseph July 18, 2016 at 7:51 pm

Love your blog! I’m planning a 3 month trip to India with my girlfriend (leaving in early November from Chicago). Question for you around transportation… thoughts on getting from Kerala to Munnar/Ooty/Mysore? It seems pretty easy to go from Trivandrum to Banglaore….. but then we’d be missing out on Munnar/Ooty/Mysore. How did you do this? Thanks!

Reply
Anna July 18, 2016 at 11:27 pm

Hi John! That’s great to hear your planning a trip to India, how exciting! 🙂 You can get to all these places on local buses or you could hire a car and driver or take a tour. Local buses connect pretty much every corner in India and are a cheap way to get around.

Reply
Subha Sarkar November 2, 2018 at 12:50 pm

Hi Anna
Thank you for such an elaborate blog. I am planning to visit Hampi, your blog will help us to plan our trip to a great extent.

Regards
Subha

Reply
Anna November 10, 2018 at 10:04 pm

Glad you liked it Subha! Hope you enjoy your time in Hampi! 🙂

Reply
Brunie February 8, 2019 at 9:14 am

Dear Anna,

Please tell me which hotel did you stay at on you journey in Hampi.. I want to cover Badami and surrounding areas as well.

Reply
Anna March 4, 2019 at 12:04 pm

I stayed at the Mowgli guesthouse on hippie island across the river from Hampi Bazaar

Reply
Brunie February 8, 2019 at 9:15 am

sorry the email id was wrong

Reply
Abhay January 4, 2025 at 8:03 am

Hi Anna, thank you for the richly phrased content, it helps create appropriate imageries that are so crucial while deciding upon a travel destination. I am visiting Hampi soon, with a bucket list of exploration of the ruins, night photography of Milky Way from the Hanuman Hill-top, coracle ride/s, wandering amidst the paddy fields, and exploring the unexplored. Will 3 days and nights suffice? I don’t want to rush through the experience, can extend the itinerary if needed. IMPORTANTLY, in which area should I stay? The core area is over 40 Sq. kms, so accessibility to the sites is critical, I believe. Thanks much in advance, and happy wandering!

Reply
Anna January 4, 2025 at 8:57 am

Hi Abhay, thanks, I’m so happy to hear you liked my blog – I also think it’s important to share authentic content to help people plan their trips. Yes, 3 days should be enough to explore Hampi’s historic sights, unique scenery and beautiful nature but you could stay longer too.

I have a blog on where to stay in Hampi but it’s a few years old now. I loved staying in Hampi Bazaar (right next to the temples and river where you take the coracle to get across) or in the huts just across the river that was known as ‘hippie island’

However many of the guesthouses in these areas are being demolished to preserve the heritage site and a new Hampi is being built. Still, it’s worth checking out the post for more info, some of my favourite hotels in Hampi are still taking bookings but some may be closed now. Anyway, although it’s nice to stay in the heart of it you’ll need a bike or rickshaw to explore anyway as it’s a large area.

I hope this helps and that you have a great time in Hampi 🙂

Reply
Abhay January 15, 2025 at 11:20 am

Thanks, Anna. It certainly did help. Will check out the blog you hyperlnked.

Reply

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