Hippie Places in India - The Ultimate Hippies’ Guide To India

Known For : Calangute Beach Baga Beach Dudhsagar Falls

Of course; this is the first hippie getaway. Come here, get soaked in the sun and let yourself be lost in the amalgamation of cultures. Known for its beautiful beaches, you can lose yourself in trance, house, or the much-loved psychedelic music. Turning hippie here comes naturally no matter which beach you’re on; though the Anjuna and Vagator beaches are known for their night-long raves. Now, you’ll understand why they say that old hippies don’t die. They just pack their bags and come to Goa.

Best Time: October to March

198 Goa Attractions

Known For : Manikaran Sahib Nature Park Kasol Tosh

Forget the beaches and head to the beautiful and pristine land of the Himalayas. Kasol is Himachal’s well-kept secret, a hidden paradise with picturesque landscapes and breathtaking views. The Parvati Valley should be your hamlet if you want to be a part of the rave circuit. Babas smoking ‘pot’ in chillums is a common sight here. Bus up to the hills, enter any cafe, put on your favourite EDM and trance beats and bring the place alive. Oh, and don’t forget those herbs! Try visiting Tosh if you have an extra day or two.

Best Time: October to June

30 Kasol Attractions

Known For : Virupaksha Temple, Hampi Vithala Temple Lotus Palace

It’s on UNESCO’s list of the World Heritage Sites, and for a good reason. However, let that not fool you into thinking that this one of those touristy, steeped in only history destinations; because it is more than just that. It is all that but it also hippies dancing around in this gorgeous rocky land with covered in murals of psychedelic mushrooms. You’ll get all sorts of ‘drinks’ and ‘smokes’ along with likes of Nutella pancakes. If you’ve reached a ghost town where you can hear Bob Marley somewhere in the background and maybe an elephant too, then you’re probably in the right place.

Best Time: October to March

31 Hampi Attractions

Known For : Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Dashashwamedh Ghat Ganga Aarti, Varanasi

Colourful and spiritual, this land is one of the oldest hippie destinations in India. Being one of the holiest spots, the region has become commercialised, though the charm remains. The idea of moksha (liberation) is visible in the endless lines of saints and sadhus smoking their chillums; they’ll even offer you one if you get friendly with them! You’ll find hippies smoking and strumming their guitars and the ‘Hare Rama, Hare Krishna’ chant is heard commonly through the wisps of smoke rising from the chillums.

Best Time: October to March

42 Varanasi Attractions

Situated in Himachal and kissed by the divine snow-capped mountains, Malana is the ultimate cannabis destination for you. The people might not be all that friendly because of invasive tourism and the police breathing down their necks. However, that doesn’t mean they won’t sell you what you came here for. The weather, the scenery, the quiet and the hashish; all you have to do is play that trance and skip to your parallel universe. However, make sure that you obtain a permit before you step into the village boundaries.

Known For : Om Beach Mahabaleshwara Temple Paradise Beach, Gokarna

This simple, untouched beach town is adorned by wall art and its much loved beach-side shacks. Yes, it is known for the famous Mahabaleshwara Temple, but the bhakths are not restricted to the temple alone if you know what I mean. The place is grim, not too crowded (barring a few beaches) and no one will disturb you. That’s what a trippy traveller like you, would want, right? All you have to do is hit that Floyd playlist, make use of the ‘pot’ and let Gokarna do the rest for you.

Best Time: Throughout the year

20 Gokarna Attractions

Known For : Zero Point Jageshwar Kasar Devi

The name itself sounds like the magical world that is enclosed from the world in this tiny town situated in Uttarakhand. The hippie crowd frequents it for its Crank’s Ridge, a hill located just above Almora. Also known as the ‘Hippie Hill’, this place has the old world charm of the 60s and 70s, which explains why the nirvana seekers so love the place. This mystical hamlet is a must visit for the times when you decide to take a trip to self-discovery or just ‘trip’ for that matter.

Best Time: Throughout the year

16 Almora Attractions

Known For : Varkala Cliff Sivagiri Mutt Water Sports in Varkala

Kerala is known for its churches and backwaters, but this is the unexplored and non-commercial side of the state. The Varkala Beach is home to a large number of expats and hippies and is a known haven for getting ‘trippy’. No one will disturb you here because no one cares; and for those hunger pangs later, you can head to the shacks or cafes. So, find a corner on the spectacular beach, maybe under one of those tall palm trees and drift away in your world while listening to some serene trance music.

Best Time: October to February

31 Varkala Attractions

Known For : Green Valley View (Suicide Point) Kodaikanal Lake Bear Shola Falls

One of Tamil Nadu’s favourite misty hill stations, this place is known for drawing the hippie crowd, especially sometime during the month of September. It’s the perfect place for a quiet getaway, and the weather is a great plus for a peaceful holiday. If rave is what you’re looking for, you can head to Vattakanal and rave all night at those surreal parties. Look around for a bit, and you’ll see the ‘calmness’ that this place is famous for. It’s exactly what a hippie would want; see it and then believe it.

Best Time: September to May

35 Kodaikanal Attractions

Known For : Rafting in Rishikesh Lakshman Jhula Triveni Ghat

The yoga capital of the world has much more than just that; this place will be what you want it to be. Located in the foothills of the Himalayas, this place in Uttarakhand is where you should be if you just want to chill out and let go of the world. This place has many faces to it – yoga ashrams and cafes sprouting side by side, every other day. Mostly rife with foreign tourists, Rishikesh is where you’ll see hippies smoking with the ‘cool’ holy men; that’s Rishikesh for you.

Best Time: Throughout the year

53 Rishikesh Attractions

Known For : Nathula Pass MG Road, Gangtok Tsomgo Lake

Nestled in the lap of the Eastern Himalayas, this sleepy little city is the capital of Sikkim. This tranquil delight has the most blissful scenic landscapes with the intimidating Kanchenjunga ranges booming in the vicinity. The serenity that clouds the place attracts a large crowd of hippies which is very visible in their yoga pants, coloured hair and not to forget the marijuana t-shirts! So come here and experience one of the best ‘trips’ you’ve ever had.

Best Time: Throughout the year

34 Gangtok Attractions

Blessed with an enchanting aura and a fascinating culture, this small village is enclosed in Meghalaya or ‘the abode of clouds’. True to its name, the region is known for its cotton candy clouded skies and beautiful scenery. It is also known to be the cleanest village in Asia. The serene atmosphere in this little hamlet is perfect for your hippie self to plop yourself in a remote corner and connect with nature in the truest sense.

Known For : Hill View Park Idukki Arch Dam Kulamavu Dam

The little hippie village of Dharamkot is located near Dharamshala and Mcleodganj and is less visited by tourists. Popular as the Yoga Village, it is home to the Dhamma Shikhara Vipassana Meditation Centre and Tushita Buddhist Meditation Centre. It is also the base for some popular treks in the region like Triund trek and Indrahar Pass trek.

Best Time: Throughout the year

38 Idukki Attractions

Vattakanal near Kodaikanal is a charming little hill station in the Western Ghats. At a height of about 2011 m and towards the western edge of Tamil Nadu, Vattakanal is a small hamlet at a distance of about 7-8 km from Kodaikanal. In Tamil, ‘vatta’ suggests circle whereas ‘kanal’ translates to the forest. Vattakanal is popular among tourists from Israel and that can be seen in the overall hippie vibe of and the food served in cafes.

Timings : 24 hrs

Time Required : 1 - 2 days

Entry Fee : No Entry Fee

The little hippie village of Dharamkot is located near Dharamshala and Mcleodganj and is less visited by tourists. Popular as the Yoga Village, it is home to the Dhamma Shikhara Vipassana Meditation Centre and Tushita Buddhist Meditation Centre. It is also the base for some popular treks in the region like Triund trek and Indrahar Pass trek.