Ballari: In a big boost to the state’s tourism sector, the New York Times has listed Hampi, the capital city of the Vijayanagara Kings, as the second must-see global destination for 2019.
The NYT published an annual list of 52 must-see places around the globe on Wednesday. According to the list, Hampi is the only tourist destination in Karnataka that has been featured in the list.
The list was published under the headline “Where Do You Want to Travel?”, where the NYT pointed out that in the Vijayanagara Empire during the 16th century, Hampi thrived as one of the largest and richest cities in the world. Its architectural legacy lives on in the southwestern state of Karnataka with over 1,000 well-preserved stone monuments, including Hindu temples, forts and palaces. Spread over 16 miles near the banks of the Tungabhadra River, and surrounded by a sea of granite boulders, the UNESCO World Heritage site has been notoriously difficult to reach, until now.
TruJet recently began daily direct flights from Hyderabad and Bengaluru to Ballari, a 25-mile drive from HaTravellerselers can stay in the newly refreshed Evolve Back Kamalpura Palace or at Ultimate Traveling Camp’s new Kishkinda Camp, which introduced 10 stately tents in December. Outfitters Black Tomato and Remote Lands now offer journeys in the region, from guided archaeological tours to rock climbing and river jaunts in basket boats.
