Know Before You Go
Fly to Hubli and drive 3 hours west or take the overnight train from Bangalore.
Carry Scarves to cover your face it is quite dusty and mosquito repellants. You will have to walk a lot, so carry walking shoes. There is a Bus service to the Vitthala temple (Stone Chariot) which is a little far away from the main temple.
You can rent bikes, but bikes are not allowed within the ancient city limits and near monuments. Not everybody understands or speaks English or Hindi. They speak a regional dialect of Kannada. So your top priority would be to find someone who speaks the language you understand and keep a map with you at all times so you don't miss out and can navigate back to your hotel.
Hampi Village (this is where the rice fields and boulders are) and Hampi City (this is where the ancient ruins are) are separated by the Tungabhadra river. Boat services to and fro run for a limited period during the day. The river can get fierce during rains, so it is advisable to stay on the city side. And it takes almost 2 hours (75 kilometres) by road, connecting the village to the city. But it is quite a picturesque ride.
