Hampi, India

The Monkey Temple is perched on top of a rock cliff with nearly 600 steps to climb before reaching the top. On a Saturday in February 2019 when I visited, families were making the pilgrimage from far and wide. From the very old to the very young, everyone managed it somehow, with shouts of joy and encouragement along the way.

Hampi, the city of boulders, a UNESCO Heritage site is like nothing I’ve ever seen. The hills or mountains of boulders stretch as far as the eye can see. And there are seemingly endless, beautiful, ancient temples to visit. My photos don’t do it justice but will give you a taste of this incredible place.

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Getting there

Many tourists travel from the state of Goa, on the Arabian Sea, to Hampi. One of the best ways to do that is by train. The Howrah Express, No:18048 runs Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays in the early morning. You can catch it in Goa from Vasco da Gama or Margoa. It’s a seven hour daytime ride, so you will see lots of beautiful countryside! When you arrive in Hospet, it’s just short taxi ride to Hampi.

I loved taking the train in India and always met lots of people, both locals and other tourists. Once in Hampi, I met people who had opted to travel overnight by bus. I was glad I didn’t. The bus is more expensive, you miss all the countryside views plus the roads are very bumpy – many people said they woke up mid-air, often bumping their heads. Ouch.

Where to stay

I was backpacking and I chose to stay on Hampi Island in a lovely bungalow at Sai Plaza, right on the river, which cost 1000 INR per night, or about $20 Canadian. My bungalow had hot water, my own front porch facing the gardens and it was walking distance to many restaurants and yoga studios. There was also a good restaurant on site. Keep in mind that alcohol is not served in many places, but you are more likely to find a beer on Hampi Island than other spots!

There’s lots of choices from hostels to guest houses. Check out trip advisor or Booking.com to see more options. I generally didn’t use these apps to book, preferring to call direct or wait till I arrived to make a final decision.