In search of ...: February 2013

The iconic stone chariot

1. Rent a motor bike and go around Hampi
If you can ride a motor bike, I would say this is the best option to go around the town and is definitely recommended. You get full flexibility of how much time to spend at each site. Also, the best time of day to roam around Hampi is early in the day (8AM - 11AM) and late in the afternoon (3PM - 6:30PM) since the temperatures shoot up around noon. Having a bike lets you adjust your schedule based on the weather.

Bike rents vary from Rs 150 to 300 based on the type of bike plus the cost of fuel @ Rs90 per litre. Make sure you get a fairly new bike.

2. Stay on the other side of the river
The town on the other side of the river (Virupapura Gaddi) has a lot of resort like stay options with some of them offering cottages facing paddy fields and the river. We stayed at one such place - Mowgli and we totally enjoyed the experience. This is probably one of the better ones among the lot.

There is one drawback of staying on the other side of the river. The boat facility to cross the river is only till 6 in the evening. So, you need to get back by then. If you are on a 3 day trip, you could plan staying one day here to relax and shift base to the other side for the other days.

Cottage at Mowgli

3. Trek to the top of Anjanadri hill around sunset
Anjanadri hill, near Hampi is another sunset retreat. The place is closer if you are staying on the other side of the river and the visit can be combined with visits to Pampa Sarovar and Durga temple.

The trek to Anjanadri hill involves climbing 500 - 600 steps and the best time for this is around early evening. The climb unfolds some breathtaking views of surrounding landscape.

View while trekking up to Anjanadri hills

4. Enjoy sunset from the royal enclosure, especially on top of Mahanavami Dibba
The best time to visit the royal enclosure is around early evening. You can reach there around 3PM, visit the surrounding monuments like Lotus Mahal, elephant stables, queens bath etc. and be at the Mahanavami Dibba around 5:30 PM. We were there around 6 and witnessed some of the magic.

Sunset at Mahanavami Dibba

5. Eat at the "Mango Tree"
This is probably the best place in Hampi to head for a lunch or dinner after a long day of site seeing. The place has a unique ambiance with most of the tables being open air and facing the river. The food is awesome with choice of cuisine ranging from Indian to Mediterranean There is, however a catch. The place is a 10 minute walk from the town center near the boat point. So, it is not very convenient if you don't have private transport. That is what makes point 1 even more important.