Top Hippie Destinations in India to Relax and Find Yourself

Hippie culture was the trend in the sixties. Although many other trends succeeded it, that doesn’t mean you cannot still embrace it. Hippie culture is all about free spirit and embracing yourself. Living life in a carefree style. Most people associate this culture with bad habits because they believe it’s all about heavy drugs. But true hippies know that this is far from the truth. You enjoy life and travelling is your passion. If that makes you bad, let it be.

India is one land where people focus on spirituality. But in complete honesty, it’s one of the best places in the world for hippies to be. Even the major gods in Hinduism, including Lord Shiv, are believed to have some hippie tendencies/lifestyle. I’m going to list down the top 5 hippie destinations in India for you.

1. Goa

Goa is the ultimate hippie destination in India. It is also known as the party capital of the country.

Filled with more than fifty beaches, cheap resorts and cottages and flea markets (not to mention mouth-smacking cuisines), Goa woos everyone with its contagious vibe. No one will disturb you here because everyone is too busy minding their own business and partying or having some romantic moments.

Alcohol is the cheapest in this state. You will meet hundreds of fellow hippies. But Goa is not just about partying and drinking.

North Goan beaches sure have a lot of crowd, especially on Anjuna beach and Vagator beach. These beaches have parties all night. But in South Goa, beaches are rather quiet. Those who prefer peace instead of all the noise can come here, lie down on one of the beaches and get lost in their own trance.

2. Malana, Himachal Pradesh

Malana is a beautiful village in Himachal Pradesh. Situated high up on the hills, surrounded by trees and mist, this village has all the old-world charm that a hippie craves for to get lost in his/her own world.

But the best thing about Malana is the cannabis that you get here. The locals might be a little rude because their lives are constantly disturbed by the local police but that doesn’t mean that they won’t help you. You need a permit to get all the way up to this village. In fact, it is the ideal hippie destination for anyone because once you do reach here, it’s all worth it.

The locals have that hippie attitude in them. They live their life in their own way, and no one has the right to disrupt it. Quite a bunch of hippies and modern people living on top of a beautiful hill village and having an endless stock of cannabis.

3. Varkala, Kerala

Although Kerala might seem like a family destination where people wouldn’t approve of the hippie culture, Varkala is one village that stands out.

Strewn with beaches and cafes all around, this place has become a hub of hippies from all around the world. You can have complete peace and tranquillity here. Sit on the beach all day long and don’t care about the world. The cafes serve delicious local cuisines.

Varkala might just be the perfect place for peaceful hippies.

4. Manali, Himachal Pradesh

One of the best cities in all of India, Manali offers you a complete hippie experience. All the things that a anyone could ever ask for are provided here. Adventure and natural beauty are in abundance.

The people here are quite friendly and accommodating. Although you might see a lot of families and couples coming for a trip round here, worry not, because you’ll eventually find your lot among those ordinary people. And if you want to travel alone, well there are plenty of places to be. There are a lot of cafes here as well.

Chilling in a hilly area with snow-capped mountains in the background, clean air to breathe and substances available always, Manali is the dream destination.

5. Pushkar, Rajasthan

You might be familiar with the Indian “sadhus” who can be found around temples with only a small piece of cloth draped around their body, their hair tangled and in a mess and they would be smoking “chillum”. That’s how cool they are, and these are the traditional hippies in India. They don’t care about anyone else’s job opinion of themselves, and live life their own way.

Pushkar is the place where you can find hundreds of such sadhus. You can easily blend in with them and synchronise your vibe to theirs. The spirituality and calm surrounding this religious site are intoxicating to the senses. The friendly sadhus would even share their chillum with you.

6. Almora, Uttarakhand

Almora is the most frequented place by hippies in India. Its pristine location and atmosphere are just magical.

Crank’s Ridge, which is about 7 km from Almora is a hub for hippies. With round hills full of vegetation and streams flowing here and there, it’s like a minuscule paradise in itself. You can also find a lot of temples in Almora.

This is the place where you can lose yourself and also find yourself. And who knows maybe you’ll end up attaining nirvana here!