HAMPI -A UNESCO World Heritage site
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HAMPIGroup of Monuments at Hampi, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Hampi, perhaps the most amazing place in all of India… Packed to bursting with rock-cut temples, towering piles of boulders, buzzing backpacker enclaves and fascinating history, non-pushy Hampi has everything you need to have a truly fantastic time. I first visited this place nearly ten years ago, when I was nineteen, and I’ve been coming back ever since. Throughout my two years of travel in India, Hampi has always been my favourite place to rest up, recharge and get blazed in Southern India. Conveniently, it’s easily accessible from both Goa and Bangalore and every year more and more backpackers come to place to soak in the chilled vibes, explore the rock-cut temples, hit up the world-class bouldering and partying under the stars. Backpacking in Hampi has well and truly caught on. When I first travelled there, there was hardly anybody there. Hampi had just about made it into the Lonely Planet and was still a couple of years of being fully developed. it was, in short, a backpackers paradise. These days, Hampi has experienced wave after wave of development and the entire backpacker scene has been pushed to the far side of the river. Hampi’s fate has been uncertain for years as greedy Indian politicians attempt to steal land and cash in on the influx of tourists but luckily the backpacker scene has remained somewhat untouched, simply retreating further and further from developments on the ‘not so cool’ side of the river. Historically, Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, a vastly powerful Hindu empire bought suddenly to its knees by a confederation of Muslim Kings. Hampi was ransacked following the Empire’s defeat and the many extravagant temples, carved from the huge piles of gargantuan boulders littering the land, were abandoned to the forces of nature. |
Top Things to Do in Hampi
1. Visit the Virupaksha Temple
This is the oldest temple in Hampi. Virupaksha means ‘the one with the oblique eye’. Lord Shiva who is said to have three eyes is the principle deity of this temple.
This temple also has the iconic broken rock chariot. I would suggest wake up early and visit the temple so you can walk or cycle back through the Hampi village and soak in the early morning rural feel of the place. You could also sit in on one of the ceremonies at the temple.
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A truly magical place.
2. Explore the Anjaneya Temple/ Monkey Temple
Hampi has special importance for the worshippers of Hanuman (the monkey God), as mythical Kishkinda (the monkey kingdom) in the Indian epic Ramayana, was located here. You can see plenty of colourful carvings of Hanuman all around the site. The vibe of the temple is crazy!
3. Chill at the Lotus Mahal
This is a pleasant deviation from the typical architecture you see in Hampi. Shaped like a lotus, this was where the women folk of the royal family chilled.
4. Swim at the Dam
Though there are signs hung all around the Hampi dam warning tourists of the crocodiles in the water, there are actually none. But just to be safe it’s better to ask the locals before you dive in.
You can go for a nice peaceful swim in the dam, the water is beautiful and clear. You could also go for a coracle ride. Coracles are flimsy, round boats found in river-dwelling communities across India. Make sure to ask the coracle guy to point out nice spots for a swim and for cliff jumping.
5. Check out the Elephant stables
This is one of the few well preserved structures in Hampi. The Elephant Stable is a major tourist attraction so expect a ton of camera-happy tourists to be milling around.
The row of chambers was used to house the royal elephants that were used for royal processions back in the day. The stables are huge and well worth exploring…
6. Watch the sunset at the hilltop
It’s impossible NOT to catch an epic sunset when you are in Hampi. Every day on the top of the ‘Sunset Hill’, backpackers get together to catch the sunset and play some chill tunes on their guitars and didgeridoos. More often than not local children who sell tea at the spot join them and sing along.
It’s a really beautiful experience. If you want something a bit more peaceful, simply stake out a spot on one of Hampi’s many boulders and enjoy the sunset by yourself.
Camping in Hampi
Hampi has plenty of great accommodation options but if you’re feeling adventurous, it is also a great place to camp at. One great spot, among plenty of others, is Matunga hill.
Here you can set up shop with absolutely no problem. It is a great spot for sunset but an even better spot for sunrise! Do check around with the locals before you camp in other places since there are a few sites that are off limits on account of being temple property.
If you’d rather hang your hammock over pitching a tent, invest in a good camping hammock for your travels!
Hampi Travel Tips
Below I have highlighted a few Hampi travel tips, like how to get to Hampi, and a bit about the bouldering scene in Hampi!
Books to read on Hampi
Hampi: Discover the Splendours of Vijayanagar – As you know, Hampi is one of the greatest heritage sites in India. There is an exquisite collection of monuments that lie scattered across this alluring place. This book is a great insight into the history of this village.
Golden Boulders – A great climbing guidebook for Hampi. Bouldering enthusiasts might find this book helpful.
Love and Death in the Middle Kingdom – The story of forbidden love between a sixteenth-century Vijayanagara courtier and a Persian traveller, this book is an intriguing insight into the taboos and beliefs of ancient India.
Berlitz: India Pocket Guide – Discover the ancient sites of Hampi and other heritage sites in India through this great guide.
Here are some more amazing books to read during your Hampi backpacking trip.
Top Budget Tips for Broke Backpackers in Hampi
To keep your spending to an absolute minimum whilst traveling in Hampi and India I recommend sticking to these basic rules of budget adventuring….
Camp: With plenty of gorgeous natural places to camp, India is an excellent place to take a tent. Check out this post for a breakdown of the best tents to take backpacking.
Cook your own food: I took a small gas cooker with me to India and cooked a lot of my own meals whilst hitching and camping, I saved a fortune (even though the food is already super cheap!) – check out this post for info on the best backpacking stoves.
Haggle: Haggle as much as you can. You can always get a better price for things especially while in local markets.
Volunteer: If done properly, volunteering is an excellent way to cut down your costs on the road. I strongly recommend Workaway – you pay just $29 for the year and then have access to literally thousands of projects all around the world where you can help out in exchange for food and board.
Pack a travel water bottle: save money (and the planet) every day! Stop buying bottled water!
Why You Should Travel to Hampi with a Water Bottle
Plastic washes up on even the most pristine beaches… so do your part and keep the Big Blue beautiful
You aren’t going to save the world overnight, but you might as well be part of the solution and not the problem. When you travel to some of the world’s most remote places, you come to realise the full extent of the plastic problem. And I hope you become more inspired to continue being a responsible traveller.
STOP USING SINGLE-USE PLASTIC!
Plus, now you won’t be buying overpriced bottles of water from the supermarkets either! Travel with a filtered water bottle instead and never waste a cent nor a turtle’s life again.
Get insured
Traveling without insurance would be risky (especially if you are going to be bouldering in Hampi) so do consider getting good backpacker insurance sorted before you head off on an adventure.
ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing.
They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.
What to Pack for Hampi
On every adventure, there are six things I never go traveling without:
Travel Security Belt
This is a regular looking belt with a concealed pocket on the inside – you can hide up to twenty notes inside and wear it through airport scanners without it setting them off.
Microfiber Towel
Hostel towels are scummy and take forever to dry. Microfibre towels dry quickly, are compact, lightweight, and can be used as a blanket or yoga mat if need be.
Petzl Actik Core Headlamp
A decent head torch could save your life. If you want to explore caves, unlit temples, or simply find your way to the bathroom during a blackout, a headtorch is a must.
‘Monopoly Deal’
Forget about Poker! Monopoly Deal is the single best travel card game that we have ever played. Works with 2-5 players and guarantees happy days.
Hanging Laundry Bag
Trust us, this is an absolute game changer. Super compact, a hanging mesh laundry bag stops your dirty clothes from stinking, you don’t know how much you need one of these… so just get it, thank us later.
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