Belur and Halebidu

Distance: Around 200 kms from Bangalore, 16 kms from Halebidu, 30 kms from Hassan, 330 kms from Hospet, 124 kms Mangalore, 148 kms from Mysore.

How to reach: Regular KSRTC buses ply from Bangalore, Mangalore, Mysore and Hassan. By train. Also, you can hire your own vehicle.

Where you to stay:

Hotel Mayura Velapuri (Run by KSTDC)

Temple Street, Belur 573115

Phone: +91-8177-722209

Belur was the early capital of the Hoysala kingdom of Karnataka. Located in the Hassan district of Karnataka, India – Belur is a very popular tourist destination. The main attraction here is the Chennakeshava (handsome Vishnu) temple built in Dravidian style. The temple was built by the wife of the then king Bittiga. Bittiga changed his religion from Jain to Hindu and took the name Vishnuvardhana. He built this temple to comemorate his victory over the Cholas in Talkadu. The temple is a magnificient piece of architecture with intricate design. Hoysaleswara temple and some Jain monuments also can be visited.

Source: Wikipedia

                                                      Halebidu

Distance: 216 km Bangalore, 149 km from Mysore, 31 km from Hassan and 16 km from Belur.

Halebidu or Halebid is the temple town of Hoysaleswara temple built by the Hoysalas. This temple was ransacked by the Bhamini rulers. It is ideal to hire your own vehicle for comfortable sightseeing. Also, you can go KSTDC package tour organized by the government of Karnataka. Private tour packages are also available.

Read account of my visit there.