Hampi is a popular travel destination among international as well as Indian travelers. The big boulders and ruins at every corner make Hampi a magical place. In Hampi, I felt as if I am on a movie set and some mystic characters will appear from ruins or behind a boulder. There are so many historical places, it is natural that after visiting so many temples, monuments and historic places in Hampi you like to relax. After a heavy dose of history and architecture, Hippie Island in Hampi is a perfect place to enjoy nature’s beauty.
The town of Hampi is divided into two parts, one is a historic part where all temples and monuments are located. Other is Virupapur Gadde across the Tungabhadra river and it is popularly known as Hippie Island of Hampi.
Local people gave this name because many backpackers come and stay in this part for weeks. Also, the atmosphere in this part of Hampi is very laidback and chilled out. Hippie island is more about nature and local experience. Everywhere on Hippie Island, you will find coconut trees and paddy fields. Here the hotels are small and basic, you will get tents and small guesthouses. Hippie Island Hampi is more about the feel and vibes then sightseeing.
Check out the best places to visit in Hampi
How to get to Hippie Island
All buses and trains are up to Hospet and from there you have to take an autorickshaw or buses.
When you reach Hampi bazaar look for the Virupaksha temple, it is the tallest building in this area. From the temple walk towards the Tungabhadra river. Just opposite the temple’s sidewall, you will see the boats. There are motorized boats and coracles.
A motorized boat can carry 15 to 18 people and charge 10 INR for one person + an additional 5 INR for a piece of luggage. These boats take 3 to 5 minutes to cross the river.
While a coracle boar cost around 100 to 150 INR for one side ride. It takes about 12 to 15 minutes. A maximum of 2 people can ride in a coracle.
Officially boats operated between 9.00 AM to 5.30 PM but I saw them operating from 8.00 AM till 6.30 PM.
If you arrive late at night in Hospet then you have to take a longer route for Hippie Island. It is approximately 40 Kms from Hospet and you have to take a cab, which cost between 1500 to 1800 INR.
So, Crossing the Tungabhadra river from the Bazaar side of Hampi is the cheaper and more convenient way to travel to Hippie Island.
Checkout my Hampi itinerary
There are a few monuments and temples in the Hippie Island side of Hampi.
Interesting things to do in Hippie Island Hampi
Walk around and explore the rural area
My favorite activity is not doing anything constructive and going for long walks around paddy fields, explore the rural side of Hampi in Karnataka. There are few people on and around roads. See the people working in fields and the everyday life around you.
After walking around sit under a tree or maybe in a hammock reading book.
There are no paved roads, there are only lanes or dirt paths In most places. 
Visit Tungabhadra Bukka Aquaduct Hampi
Hampi had a very good system for irrigation. The rulers of the Vijaynagar empire developed a network of canals and aqueducts in Hampi. There are several aqueducts of different sizes. Some of these are still in use, while many of these are broken at the place and serve as historical monuments.
Tungabhadra Bukka is the biggest aqueduct in Hampi. It is 1.5 Km from the main market area of Hippie Island near the Hampi-Kishkinda Ferry point. You can’t miss it because it is on the way to Anegundi and Sanapur lake just before the small dirt road connects with the main road.
The Tungabhadra Bukka Aquaduct is broken at places but it is an imposing structure in the middle of the fields. 
Visit different places in Anegundi
Anegundi was earlier known as Kishkindha. It is also the part of Hampi’s UNESCO world heritage site. According to Hindu epic Ramayan, Kishkindha was the kingdom of Monkey king Sugreev.
It is also the birthplace of God Hanuman.
The most popular places in Anegundi are Gagan Mahal, local temple, Chintamani temple, and Ishwara temple. Most of these places look small and relatively new in comparison to the temples of Hampi. Still, these are interesting places to visit when you are in the Hippie Island of Hampi. I hired an autorickshaw and visited all these places in a day.
Climb Anjaneya hill
The Anjaneya hill is on the way to Anegundi from Hippie Island. It is on the left side of the road.It is believed that monkey God Hanuman born on Anjaneya hill. His mother’s name was Anjani that’s how the name of the hill came.
There is a white-colored temple on the top of the hill, which can be reached by climbing 575 steps. The temple is small but the view of surrounding areas is beautiful and worth climbing the hill.
Visit Pampa Sarovar
It is one of the five holy serovars according to Hindu mythology. The other four Sarovar are Mansarovar, Bindu Sarovar, Narayan Sarovar, and Pushkar Sarovar.
According to the Hindu scriptures, it is the place where Goddess Pampa (A form of Parvati) performed penance before marrying Lord Shiva. Pampa Sarovar is also mentioned in Ramayana. This is the place where Lord Rama met with Shabri when he was going south to find his wife Sita.
Pampa Sarovar is surrounded by small hills and a small temple in front of the pond is visited by devotees. I saw lots of monkeys and Langoors in the surrounding area but they were not disturbing visitors. It is not a busy place like temples on the bazaar side of Hampi.
Coracle ride at Sanapur lake or go for Swimming
Also, visit Sanapur Lake which is 4.5 Km from the Hippie Island market. The lake is fed with the water of the Tungabhadra river. It is surrounded by small hills and a perfect place for a picnic.
One of the most popular things to do at Sanapur lake is taking a Coracle ride. These rides can be done by paying 100 INR per person. Sanapur lake is a perfect place to spend some time after having a heavy dose of monuments in Hampi. We have seen people swimming in the lake.
You should visit Sanapur lake in the morning or evening because during the day it gets very hot and afternoons are not a good time for a coracle ride.
Go for Bouldering
If you are into some activities and wanted to try something adventurous. Then go for bouldering in Hippie Island. There are a couple of professional companies with who you can do bouldering. Tom & Jerry and Goan corners are the most popular.
Hampi is one of the most popular places in India for bouldering. There are different levels of bouldering. The rocks and boulders scattered around Hampi are the best props for this.
Watch Sunset
It is one of those destinations, where you can watch a spectacular sunset and sunrise. In Hippie Island, Rocky mountain is a popular spot for watching the sunset. It is a small rocky hill situated near the Hippie market.
Visit the Durga Temple
If you have a day and wanted to drive to nearby places. Durga temple is approximately 130 Km from Hippie Island. Don’t expect a huge temple, this trip is more about driving through the rural Hampi and Karnataka. It is fit for people who like to go for a long drive in peaceful surroundings. You can rent a bike for visiting the temple.
Safety & Travel tips for Hippie Island, Hampi
Carry cash when visiting Hippie Island
There are no ATM’s in Hippie Island. The closet one is in Anegundi but there are chances that this ATM runs out of cash on several occasions. The best option is to withdraw money in Hospet before coming to Hampi.
Mobile network is patchy
The mobile network is patchy at places on the Temple side of Hampi as well as on Hippie Island. The signal may disappear all of sudden and then come back in a couple of minutes. Many hotels and guest houses provide Wi-Fi. Use it for calling and messaging.
Carry toiletries and First aid box
Most of the guest houses in Hampi are budget accommodation. So, if you book in advance do check if they provide towels and toiletries. It is better to carry your towel. I didn’t see any good medicine shop on Hippie island during my trip. So carry the essential medicines so that you will not get struck incase of an emergency.
Dress sensibly
During my trip to Hampi’s Hippie Island, I saw many foreign travelers as well as some Indian travels in shorts or short skirts. Even though Hampi is a small place but people are not very orthodox in terms of dressing like several small towns in India. It is better to dress modestly to avoid unwanted attention.
Bargain mindfully
I come across several small shops and stalls selling interesting Indian souvenirs. If you can bargain well then you will get value for your money. While bargaining keeps in mind that most people in Hampi are dependent on the tourism industry.
Alcohol and Other stuff
Alcohol is banned in the temple side of Hampi, while it is available at a high price in Hippie island which is a popular party place. There are some cheap psychedelics available in Hippie Island and Hampi. Lots of people try these things for the first time and don’t know how much to use or their effects. I came to know that many people get unwell because they don’t know how much to consume.
Be a safe and cautious traveler
Though Hampi is relatively safe for solo female travelers still it is better to careful. I will recommend it as a place for any solo female traveler in India. Hampi is a small town and the roads get deserted at night. Don’t go to deserted roads and lanes alone at night. Here are more tips for traveling in India.
These are some of my favorite places to visit in Hampi island and useful travel tips while traveling to Hippie island in Hampi.
Also, Check my photoblog of Hampi
