Introduction
Hampi, the village that is set in Karnataka state was in my bucket list for a long time. I had planned Hampi trip many times while I was staying in Bangalore and had very much success in failing to fulfill the same. However, towards the end of 2019, I finally had a chance to experience Hampi for the first time and I am pretty sure this won’t be the last time I will be visiting this place.
Into the lost kingdom
The heritage side of Hampi tells us the dark story of how a war could turn a glorious city into vast and sad ruins. Despite of all the destruction done to the city, Hampi has everything to pull us towards itself with beautiful landscapes and unbelievable architecture (and mischievous monkeys 😊)
All these thousands of years old ruined temples have a fascinating history and its own stories to tell. Some sad and some happy. It let you dive into the history of experiences the city had gone through.
While exploring the places, it doesn’t take much time to realize that when amazing Engineering meets the grandeur of the architecture, it creates some beautiful landmarks in history.
Even though Hampi is spread across just 26 sq.km, one can spend days in Hampi and still miss spots. The temple side of Hampi can be explored on foot but if you feel lazy then there are bicycles and moped to get around all these mesmerizing sites.
Disconnect and reconnect at Hippie island
Now to see another face of Hampi, pay a visit to the Virupapur village side, otherwise called as “hippie island”. The easiest way to reach hippie Island is to cross the Tungabhadra river by boat (5 minutes ride) near the Virupaksha temple in Hampi.
It didn’t take much time for me to fall in love with the hippie Island side of Hampi. This chapter of Hampi will take you through its natural beauty and the local village life.
This place is best if you want to disconnect from all the hustle and bustle of usual India and reconnect with nature with laid-back environments.
Take a break from all the distractions in life by just driving a motorbike and bicycle around the coconut trees and banana plantation in hippie island. Climb the nearby rock boulder which will be all around you and catch the sunset or sunrise view (Or just sit there and wonder how all those boulders are perfectly balanced on top of one another).
Feeling lazy? Then get yourself busy with chilling in the cafes, enjoy different food, make momentary friends, lie down on the bed, lie down on the floor, read a book, daydream, zone out and the list could go on and on but I am sure you’ll find your niche in hippie Island.
Conclusion
Hampi – “The city of ruins” is breath-taking and beautiful even in its ruins. The ruins and the landscape in front of you will leave you speechless. It’s not unique, but it’s unquestionably magical.
There is a lot to see and experience in Hampi. Make sure you do all of that. Don’t miss out any!
Follow me in Instagram @fernwehphotoz to get the updates on my latest (mis)adventures 😉
And don’t forget to check out my photos in Gallery!
