Hippie Destinations in South India

Known For : Hill View Park Idukki Arch Dam Kulamavu Dam

Home to the Anamudi peak, this rocky land is a favourite with the hippie crowd. Blessed with several rivers and surrounded by beautiful lush greenery, this district in Kerala is world-famous for its ‘pot’. Get some of that magic and head to the beautiful hill station of Munnar nearby and spend time exploring this magic. Though not the easiest of tasks, once you get it, you’ll know why it was all worth it.

Best Time: Throughout the year

38 Idukki Attractions

Known For : Varkala Cliff Janardhanaswamy Temple Varkala Beach

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 : 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 : 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

Take a trek to the Hippies Paradise, Vattakanal. It is a mountainous hippies destination where you can find people chilling by the echo point and dolphin nose and drinking or smoking up in a quiet corner. You can spot many along camping spots. You will find many people on solo trips for treks here. Liquor shops flank the road whilst you take the roads here. Yes, there are some legal issues, but it is chill otherwise. You can't help but follow suit with the very hippie atmosphere here.

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 : Paradise Beach, Pondicherry Aurobindo Ashram Auroville

A town which is all about fun places and attractions. With a cultural blend of the French and Indians, it makes for a breezy destination with a happy spirit. The beaches, the French styled avenues, the colonial heritage and very organised structural framework makes for a joyous destination. The crowd too, is very diverse here so you can mingle around with people with different cultural backgrounds. It is indeed, a hippie and happening vacation spot.

Best Time: October to March

48 Pondicherry Attractions

Known For : Shore Temple Mahabalipuram Beach Five Rathas

This temple town has a hippie vibe. You can casually chill around here and no one will bother. You can see religious saint wandering around, and smoking up in tiny lanes. The town has a sacred side to it but also bears a bohemian culture which is reflected in the Fisherman's Street which is a tiny stretch of lane that houses some Indo-Continental eateries & hostels & souvenir shops & is a favourite hub of the tourists. It is definitely a free spirited town with all sorts of tourists traversing through.

Best Time: November to February

23 Mahabalipuram Attractions