Hunsur is a town of 51,000 people (2011) in Mysore district. Hunsur is well known for the timber trade, especially teak. Another important trade activity is tobacco growing and tobacco auctions. There is a tobacco board in Kattemalalavadi which is 5 km from the city. Consolidated Coffee Curing Works employs many people in coffee bean processing. This location is also a growing market for sheep farming. Farmland surrounds the town.
Get in
Buses are the only available mode of public transportation in Hunsur. Taxis can be hired at reasonable rates. The road within Nagarhole National Park until 15 km outside Hunsur is in bad shape. Avoid travelling on a two- or three-wheeler. The Hunsur to Mysore road is better, with multiple lanes allowing traffic up to 100 km/h.
- 1 KSRTC Bus Stand.
Get around
- Autorickshaws. Autorickshaws are available at around ₹30 per kilometre.
See
- 1 Tibetan Settlement, Gurupura Village (13 km from Hunsur in Gurupura village). Tibetan refugee settlement that cultivates mainly maize, banana and mango on about 2,000 acres of land. The village is called Rabgayling settlement and about 2,320 Tibetans live here. They have a school with 260 children. There are three Tibetan monasteries in the village.
- 2 Swami Ayyappa Temple, Tellicherry Road (2 km away). Pleasant hill temple campus with comfortable seats to relax.
- 3 Town Hall Park, Tellicherry Road (1 km away). Comfortable seats around a playground adjacent to the town hall.
Do
- 1 Nagarahole Tiger Reserve (Nagarahole National Park), Old BM Road, ☏ +91 8222-252041. Nagarhole is a Kannada word meaning "snake river" - which flows through the park. The park and animal life is part of the country's first "bio-sphere reserve". The Forest Department conducts tours along well-defined routes for tourists, in the early mornings and evenings. One can surely see the bison, elephant, spotted deer, sambhar, barking deer, wild boar, mongoose, peakcock, jungle fowl and many other birds and animals. Lucky ones get the chance of seeing panther or tiger.
- Picnic spots.
- Bannikuppe village
- Kadnakoppalave
- Kallali village
- Panchavalli
- Kokkare Hosalli
- Muddena Halli
- Take a village bus to K.R.Nagar. Travelling in a slow bus to Krishnarajanagara can show you green villages like Naganahalli, Kattemalawadi, Gowdagere and Manuganahally. This is a 30-minute trip through paddy fields. ₹25.
- Excursion to Piriyapatna. Take the road on the right of the Thithimathi checkpost. Drive by forest temples and small villages. There are few educational institutions in this route like Yatman College and Pushpa Convent school before you finally reach the little town of Piriyapatna.
- Excursion to Kattemalawadi, On the way to K.R.Nagar (9 km). You can enjoy the village fair in Kattemalawadi where old-style Karnataka village life becomes vibrant in the evenings.
- Visit the Hanging Bridge. Start from Devi Prasad vegetarian restaurant near the old bridge on B.M.Road. Take the second road opposite the restaurant which is directly opposite to Asian Paints showroom. Walk one kilometer through a village footpath and you finally reach a Hindu cemetery followed by a Muslim cemetery. The hanging bridge begins from here. The bridge is 82 meters long and only pedestrians are allowed to use it. After crossing the bridge, you have to walk another one kilometer to reach the KSRTC Bus Station.
You can also access the bridge from the city side by taking the road going down from the Transformer Junction on Brahmin Street near the Town Police Station. - Riverside Picnic Park, Brahmin Street near the Town Police Station (take the road going down from the cybercafe).
Buy
- Wooden artifacts. Hunsur is reputed for wooden products and handicraft items made of wood.
- Dry Fruit Cake, New Ramu Bakery, Old K.R.Nagar Road. ₹20.
Eat
- Raghavendra Restaurant, Opp KSRTC.
- Devi Prasad Vegetarian, BM Road, near the Old Bridge, ☏ +91 9591641372. 6.00 am to 7.00 pm. Two big dining halls with good ambience. Located in a scenic place near the old bridge.
- Taj Restaurant, Near KSRTC Bus Station, ☏ +91 9986681270. Kerala-style parottas, biriyani, fish fry and chicken dishes.
- Maharaja Restaurant, Near KSRTC, ☏ +91 73490 81324. Kerala style parottas, chicken dishes and biriyani.
- Hunsur Tiffanys, Near KSRTC (near the south gate of the bus station), ☏ +91 97419 31888. Vegetarian food items like Masala Dosai, Rice Bath and Idlis. Very crowded place with tasty food at low rates.
- Delhi Durbar Restaurant, Near KSRTC Bus Station, ☏ +91 87220 51207. Kerala style parottas, chicken dishes and biriyani.
- Prashanth Restaurant, Near the KSRTC Depot, ☏ +91 7907707109. Kerala style parottas, biriyani, and meat items.
- Casino Bake and Cafe, Opposite KSRTC Bus Station, ☏ +91 6366661299. For coffee and cakes.
- Arwa Restaurant, Opposite Mutton Market, (TAPCMS Road). Widely considered to make the best biriyani and beef dishes in the city.
- Zam Zam Restaurant, Opposite Mutton Market, Near KSRTC, ☏ +91 9880196989. Spicy beef biriyani ₹60.
- Ammana Kai Ruchi Restaurant, Opposite Taluk Office (Bypass Road), ☏ +91 9866647891. 6.00 am to 8.00 pm. Very spacious restaurant with murals on the walls. Reasonable rates. They charge ₹60 for full lunch and ₹40 for mini-meals. They give excellent tea.
- Garden Vegetarian Restaurant, Opposite Court, Bypass Road, ☏ +91 9567484227. Good ambience with polished wooden chairs. Private family section. North Indian Lunch ₹150 and also South Indian Lunch ₹90.
- Cafe Country, Opposite Devaraj Urs College:.
- Hot Cup Cafe, Opposite Devaraj Urs College:.
- Polar Bear Icecream, Opposite Devaraj Urs College.
- Hallimane Cafe, Opposite Devaraj Urs College.
- Nakshatra Cafe, Opposite Devaraj Urs College.
- Ganesh Restaurant, Kalkunike Circle. Known for good dosa for ₹35. Parottas are also available.
- Sips and Bites Café, Near Cauvery Hospital, ☏ +91 8861689293. On the T.Junction on Brahmin Street.
Very near the Town Hall park. - Ice Magic Cafe, Old Bus Stand. Very good ambience and posh seating.
Mushroom Pizza ₹160
Special Faloodha. ₹130.
Drink
- Caffe Coorg, State Highway, ☏ +91 82222 51500.
Sleep
- Ashoka Lodge, Opp. KSRTC Bus Station. ₹400.
- Prashanth Kerala Lodge, Near Hunsur Depot, ☏ +91 7907707109. Good rooms with bath and balcony. ₹600.
- Saraswathy Lodge, Near Hunsur Depot, ☏ +91 7353447928. ₹600.
- Vikram Paradise, Opp. KSRTC Bus Station, ☏ +91 9686563334. ₹900.
- B.S.Lodge, Near Hunsur Depot. ₹800.
- Hotel Devi Prasad, Old Bridge, ☏ +91 9591641372. Vegetarian restaurant attached. ₹500.
Go next
- Bangalore
- Kasaragod
- Kushalnagar
- Madikeri
- Mananthavady
- Mysore
- Krishnarajanagara
- Nagarhole National Park 45 km from Hunsur.