Hampi

Hampi is different from any other place I have been to. It used to be a hippie town, but after the government's crackdown, the hippies had to disperse. It still retains some of its character, though it will never be quite the same as it was in 2015. Even so, it has plenty to offer.

Where I stayed

I stayed at Rambo Homestay, a cheap hostel that does what it needs to do. You can also find cheap homestays around town, but I was on a tight budget and this one had the best overall rating, so I picked it.

Exploring the ruins

The entire town is filled with ruins from the Vijayanagara Empire. Rent a scooter and go around to see as many as you can. Usually only the temples that are still functioning are crowded, and the rest are empty.

If I had come here when I was younger, I would definitely have become an archaeologist. Everything that is left has amazing carvings, and in some of the temples you can still see the remains of idols, often just their feet. Because the ruins are so empty, it feels like a post-apocalyptic world, and you can roam around for hours all alone.

There are also some stunning South Indian temples that are still active and draw a good crowd, if you want to see those too.

Bouldering

Many people carry their crash pads to the sunset point rock and boulder there. You can try it too. Hampi has some of the oldest rock formations in the world, which gives it strange and excellent rocks to challenge yourself on.

Swimming

There is a stream where you can go for a swim.

Food

I was working and very busy, so all my meals were at the hostel, and the food was amazing.