Travel Guide Archives | Travel Hippies

Ocean Deck Homestay Karwar : An Ecofriendly Homestay in India

Travel Hippies India, Reviews, Travel Guide March 9, 2020Eco-friendly Homestays in India, Historical Places of Karnataka, Karnataka, Ocean Deck Homestay Karwar, Places to Visit in Karnataka 1 Comment

Inspired by Shivya Nath’s posts on responsible travel and the importance of choosing an eco-friendly homestay, I took this pledge of opting for only homestays in the year 2020. Trust me, it was way more difficult to search for a perfectly eco-friendly homestay in India. After going through almost a hundred websites, I finally found Ocean Deck Beach Homestay for my road trip from Bangalore to Goa. This lovely home of Mr. Vinay seemed to me like a dream home that I could never own. Soothing tranquillity, enchanting music of the sea waves interrupted by the sound of the local birds and a pleasant ambience combined with natural living at Ocean Deck Homestay was an experience in itself.

Sometimes, you may go to a place to tick off the list of must-see attraction but the homes like this make you want to practice the art of doing nothing. Or let us name it as an ‘art of soaking in nature’. Read more

Road Trip to Gokarna from Bangalore Via Yana and Jog Falls

Travel Hippies India, Road Trips, Travel Guide January 20, 2020January 20, 2020Gokarna Road Trip, Road trip to Gokarna from Bangalore, Road Trips Blog India, Road Trips from Bangalore 1 Comment

Road trips are the best and probably the only way to explore Karnatak interiors. My initial plan was to start by road from Bangalore to Jog Falls via Mangalore, Udupi, Gokarna, Yana and Vibhuti Falls. However, the plan had to be changed owing to incessant rains even in the month of October. Thus was planned this road trip to Gokarna from Bangalore through an alternative route.

From the backwaters that look like an art to the serpentine roads of Western Ghats, this route is a delight for the beach and nature admirers. The changed plan which was more suitable for the ever showering clouds started with a bus ride from Majestic in Bangalore to Udupi. After renting the car in Udupi we directly hit the road and our first destination was Karkala near Udupi. The whole route is dotted by some of the most beautiful and less explored places. Read more

Chennakesava Temple Somanathapura – A Handy Photo Guide

Travel Hippies India, off beat exploration, Road Trips, Travel Guide December 22, 2019December 23, 2019Chennakesava temple Somanathapura, Famous temples of Karnataka, Historical Places of Karnataka, Karnataka, Places to Visit in Karnataka, Road Trips from Bangalore, Temples in India, Temples of Karnataka 1 Comment

The Chennakesava Temple of Somanathapura, built during the rule of the Hoysala Dynasty of Karnataka, illustrates the prolific skills of the sculptors of that era. It is a sheer exhibition of Hindu scriptures moulded in lifelike sculptures. For an artist, it is a temple where the creators left behind an art gallery for the generations to come. Even for a layman, it would have been a school to grasp the unwritten mythology through an easy pictorial representation. Historians claim it to be an artwork that led Hoysalas to the zenith of their architectural glory. This ornately chiselled ancient temple of India is located near Mysore and is also accessible from Bangalore by road.

Being a non-functional temple, it opens only at 8:30 am and closes down before the sun sets by 5:30 pm. On any weekend it would be a sea of humans in the temple complex. However, weekdays are quiet and only a handful of tourists come for a visit here. We went on Thursday noon and we were around 10 people on the premise at any given time. We took about two and a half hours to completely understand the stories depicted in each sculpture. Read more

Madhukeshwara Temple of Banavasi, Your Detailed Handy Guide

Travel Hippies India, off beat exploration, Travel Guide October 20, 2019January 20, 2020Famous temples of Karnataka, Historical Places of Karnataka, Karnataka, Places to Visit in Karnataka, Temples of Karnataka 0 Comment

“Oh dear Lord, let me be born again in Banavasi, if not as a human then maybe as a honeybee. Let me over the flowery fields surrounding this beautiful land.” – Adikavi Pampa.

The Banavasi village is still a less explored place, the beauty of which has inspired the works of many ancient poets. A belief also persists that Mahakavi Kalidasa was inspired to create ‘Meghdoot’ by the beauty of Banavasi. Dramatically set around the Historic Madhukeshwara Temple, Banavasi looks like a movie set in the land where Varada River flows on both its sides.

The quiet and often misty lanes of Banavasi are flanked by old-styled and yet aesthetically neat houses. The ancient walled fort dating back to the 5^th Century now lies in ruins veiled by bushes and trees. The town of Banavasi also finds its traces in the work of Claudius Ptolemy. (the one who created the first world map) Read more

12 Things to Do in Gokarna; A Detailed Guide

Travel Hippies India, Travel Guide, Uncategorized October 13, 2019October 25, 2019Beach Trekking in Gokarna, Beaches of Gokarna, Karnataka, Places to Visit in Karnataka, Temples of Gokarna 1 Comment

Famously known as South Goa’s neglected cousin, Gokarna is also loved for the very same reason. Sprawling beaches, the bliss of nature, the tranquility of countryside areas and the mélange of cultures attract travelers and hippies from around the world to Gokarna. We visited Gokarna for around 3 days on a road trip from Bangalore. Though beach hopping would be the main thing to do in Gokarna, you would be startled at the list of the other interesting things that you can do in this religious town of Karnataka in India.

This page contains the list of things do in Gokarna and places to visit along with a detailed guide on cost for the same or how to reach a particular spot. Keep reading to enlist the places and activities for your exploratory trip to Gokarna.

If you have no clue about ‘what, where and why’ of Gokarna, then read this detailed guide to plan your trip to Gokarna

Hiking to the Sacromonte’s Gypsy Caves of Granada

Travel Hippies Europe, Europe Trip, Travel Guide February 23, 2019October 10, 2019Best places to visit in Spain, Caves of Sacromonte, Free Cave Tours in Granada, Granada, Gypsy Cave Tours in Granada, Hiking to the Gypsy Caves in Granada, Hippies in Granada Spain, Must visit Cities in Spain, Sacromonte, Sacromonte Walking Tour, Spain, What to Visit in spain 0 Comment

“The music, it feels to many, has an Indian touch,” said our guide while we heard a troop practicing their Flamenco steps inside their caves. Of course, they will have a bit preserved from their roots in India, thought I. The hippies in Granada are the decedents of Indian nomads who made Granada in Spain their home. And their dwellings in Caves of Sacromonte are famous for two major cultural components, Flamenco shows, and the white-washed cave houses. Read more

Free Things to Do in Cordoba, Spain: Explore on a Budget

Travel Hippies Backpacking Europe On a Budget, Europe Trip, Spain, Travel Guide February 19, 2019September 18, 2019Alcazar of Cordoba, cordoba, Cordoba on a Budget, Free Entry in Cordoba Mosque, free things to do in Cordoba, Mosque of Cordoba, Spain, Things to do in Cordoba 0 Comment

On my way to Seville from Barcelona, I decided to spend a day in this not so sleepy town of Cordoba in Spain. The city has a history dating back to 152 BC when it was a Roman Settlement. From Muslim Invasions to Christian retrieval, Cordoba has seen it all. The city now stands proudly on the northern bank of one of the largest European rivers, Guadalquivir. It is also declared the UNESCO World Heritage City. Cordoba is not just for history buffs, its narrow cobbled lanes flanked by sparkling white Moorish houses make it a fairytale town of Spain. All these houses are decked up with the vibrant flowers during the spring flower festival. The indigo designed Moorish tiles just give them a perfect Cordovian look, as I felt. There is an end number of things to do in Cordoba, Spain even if you visit it just for one day.

Here is my personal recommendation of

The Fun and Free Things to do in Cordoba, Spain

Hitchhiking the Leh-Manali Highway: A Solo Traveler’s Budget Travel Guide

Travel Hippies India, Ladakh, Manali, Travel Guide March 24, 2018November 21, 2019Budget stay options on Manali-Leh Highway, Hitchhiking to Leh, Keylong- Jispa- Darcha, ladakh, Lahaul, MAnali Leh Highway, Reaching Tso Moriri Lake, Sarchu, Tso Moriri Lake 7 Comments

Manali Leh Roadtrip hitchhiking Budget travel guide

The whiff of mud after a drizzle, the chilling wind, the topsy-turvy roads revealing the best of the panoramic view and the Lahauli songs playing loudly in the car, made my lips stretch into a smile. Sometimes while some famous song played, I would be explained the meaning and then we all would follow the dancing step as shown by the elderly lady clad in a Lahauli dress. The little girl of the family in the car kept smiling and waving a goodbye to each vehicle we crossed on Manali-Leh highway. In between, I was asked if I wanted the freshly plucked pears and apples from their farm. The nectar-like taste of those fruits, the music and the fun we had, made me realize the perks of hitchhiking especially on Manali-Leh Highway. It is more than just a drop! Read more

The Forgotten Kingdom of Tanjore – An Ultimate Budget Travel Guide

Travel Hippies City Guide, India, Travel Guide September 25, 2016November 5, 2019offbeat places to visit in Tamilnadu, Places to see in Thanjavur, tamilnadu, Tanjore, Thanjavur, Thanjavur Bommai, Thanjavur Paintings, things to do in Thanjavur 27 Comments

Temples of India, Temples of South India, places to visit at Thanjavur, Things to do in Thanjavur

Thanjavur, ‘Rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu’ is the capital of art and literature of Tamil Nadu state in India. During the Chola rule, Tanjore was the bustling capital of the empire. This city proves to be a perfect destination for an art and architecture lover considering its major attraction of the Thanjavur Big Temple. The smiling people of the city add to the beauty of the city along with dancing dolls called Thanjavur dolls or Bommai and Thanjavur paintings. It is said to have been named as Tanjor after a demon named “Tanoj”, who wished the town to be named after him. Reaching to this city is quite easy from Chennai and Bangalore through direct trains and buses. There are many amazing places to visit in Thanjavur Even if it is your One day tour to Thanjavur.

Visit these Ancient and Famous Temples in Goa

Travel Hippies Goa, Hunts, India, Travel Guide July 17, 2016October 12, 2019best things to do in Goa, Famous temples in Goa, Famous Temples of Goa, goa, Goa beyond Beaches, Goa Things to do, Mangeshi Temple, Maruti Temple Goa, offbeat goa, offbeat things to do in Goa, Shanta Durga Temple, temples, temples of goa, temples of india 0 Comment

Temples?? And Goa??? Sounds quite contradictory …. Doesn’t it? But Goa is not just about Portuguese architecture, beaches, parties, and churches. The colorful temples in Goa have their own charm. Their unique architecture provides you a glimpse of Goa’s old Indian religious life. I rode on for the temple run across the Ponda region of Goa and was really amazed by its beauty and serenity.

The common feature of most of the temples is colorful interiors, kund (water tank) and Deepa Stambha ( Lamp Tower). These temples in Goa must not be missed during your offbeat trip.

The Fun and Free Things to do in Cordoba, Spain

Here are some beautiful and famous temples of Goa that you must Visit