INDIA // Hampi's Virupaksha Temple and bewitching ancient city ruins can be an unreal place to linger, set amid a landscape marbled with giant boulders, and devoid of villagers since a 2012 court ruling. The intricately carved, 15th-century gopuram (gateway tower), which is almost 50m (165ft) high, is a superb example of southern Indian temple architecture and the symbol of a lost city that once housed half a million residents as the capital of the last great Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagar. With 3700 monuments to explore in Hampi, from elephant stables and royal bathtubs to sacred temples and opulent residences, it's worth days of your time. If you tire of the ruins, Hampi is India's bouldering capital and a great place to learn the sport.