Halebidu
Halebidu is a town in Hassan district of Karnataka. It is famous for its Hoysaleswara Temple which listed as one of the world heritage centers.
Get in
From Hassan
Halebidu and Belur are small towns near Hassan city. Tourists usually stay in Hassan city and reach one of these places first and go to the other before getting back to Hassan. There are buses every ten or fifteen minutes to Halebid from/to Hassan which is 28km and 45mins away while there is a bus every half an hour from/to Belur.
From Elsewhere
You can get a government bus for ₹25 from Banavara, itself on a major highway and easily accessible from many major intercity bus lines.
See
- Hoysaleswara temple.
- Museum, On the main temple grounds. 9-5, closed Fridays. Mostly a collection of sculptures, with some wood carvings, maps and photos as well. ₹5 only (for everyone).
- Jain Basadis. Ask at the museum ticket office for a free brochure, this has a map on which you can see how to get there.
Do
Eat
Food at Halebidu might be a problem if you are not a south Indian. Hence it is better to carry food from Hassan or reach Belur.
- Government Restaurant, Inside the Government Hotel (100m past the bus station, opposite the main temple). Breakfast-10PM. Choose between covered al-fresco dining on the patio, or dine in the garden. A respectable selection of north and south Indian dishes, as well as some token western items. Priced a little higher than average, but not outrageous..
Stay
You can stay in a larger town nearby such as Hassan or you can stay in the town itself.
Hotels at Halebidu
- Shree Lodge - Located just in front of the Hoysaleshwara Temple. There is no room service. All you get is just the room to stay and bathroom. Rooms are clean and average. ₹250 for a double-bed room. Phone - 9740924650, 9964018372, 08177-317077
- KSTDC Hotel - ₹300 in low season or ₹350 in high season for a double room. Rooms are very large, though not amazing. Restaurant on site with a pleasant garden setting. Very quiet and peaceful. Right across the road from the temple, a hundred meters past the bus station. Only a handful of rooms, so may fill up in peak season.