33 Vintage Photos That Capture The Goa Hippie Movement

During the counterculture era, a tiny Indian state became home to European and American hippies who wanted to flee the West.

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1 of 34Hippies gather in a hut in Goa, India.

As one of the last stops on the Hippie Trail, Goa became a popular destination for young hippies looking to flee Western culture. I Love Goa/Facebook 2 of 34The hippie movement was about rejecting materialism and career expectations and accepting things like free love and psychedelic drugs. I Love Goa/Facebook 3 of 34Hippies and locals mingle together at one of the many markets in Goa. I Love Goa/Facebook 4 of 34Hippies enjoy one of Goa’s beautiful beaches. 1976.I Love Goa/Facebook 5 of 34A flea market in Anjuna. 1976.I Love Goa/Facebook 6 of 34Hippies trekked the Hippie Trail however they could. They walked, hitchhiked, and took cheap buses. I Love Goa/Facebook 7 of 34Hippies building a beach hut. 1974.I Love Goa/Facebook 8 of 34Goa’s markets were a business and trade hub, but some items were given away for free if people really needed them. I Love Goa/Facebook 9 of 34Not only did many of the hippies learn to peacefully coexist with the locals, but they all lived alongside native animals as well. I Love Goa/Facebook 10 of 34A musical jam session takes place on a beach in Goa, India. I Love Goa/Facebook 11 of 34A market transaction taking place. I Love Goa/Facebook 12 of 34A popular variety of hashish (with a not-so-appealing name) readily available at the market.I Love Goa/Facebook 13 of 34A diverse group of beachgoers at the popular Baga Beach in Goa. I Love Goa/Facebook 14 of 34A crowd taking a break from partying. I Love Goa/Facebook 15 of 34Goa’s music scene grew from guitar-strumming rock performances to electronic music.I Love Goa/Facebook 16 of 34It’s said that the first electronic song ever played in Goa was a disco tune by Kraftwerk, a German synth-pop band. A visitor apparently brought it to India on tape in 1970. I Love Goa/Facebook 17 of 34Hippies in front of their impressive beachside villa. 1970. I Love Goa/Facebook 18 of 34A chai shop in north Anjuna. 1973.I Love Goa/Facebook 19 of 34"Eight-Finger Eddie," a Goa icon, was born with only three fingers on his right hand, but he certainly was not missing any heart. He was always ready to provide shelter or a meal to anyone who needed it.I Love Goa/Facebook 20 of 34Some newcomers helping with the active fishing trade in their new village home. I Love Goa/Facebook 21 of 34A legendary Full Moon party in effect in Anjuna. 1970. I Love Goa/Facebook 22 of 34A birthday party in Anjuna was always a great excuse for a celebration.I Love Goa/Facebook 23 of 34Hippies were searching for a spiritual home with few authorities and rules. They found that in Goa. And of course, the natural beauty of the state didn’t hurt.I Love Goa/Facebook 24 of 34A young family at the market in Calangute, Goa. 1971. I Love Goa/Facebook 25 of 34Young mothers walk on Anjuna Beach with their toddlers. 1976. I Love Goa/Facebook 26 of 34Children of hippie couples, like other kids of the ’70s, had to seek out their own fun. But today, Goa has a water park, go-karts, and a 5,000-square-foot play area with real snow for kids to play in. I Love Goa/Facebook 27 of 34Star of Anjuna Bar & Restaurant. 1977. I Love Goa/Facebook 28 of 34Cultures coexisting peacefully in Goa. I Love Goa/Facebook 29 of 34A wedding ceremony in Goa. I Love Goa/Facebook 30 of 34Friends play with a monkey at a gathering. I Love Goa/Facebook 31 of 34Man with a guitar and a flute in Goa in the 1970s.I Love Goa/Facebook 32 of 34Hippies on the beach in 1971.I Love Goa/Facebook 33 of 34A scene from Calangute Beach in 1973. Most of the local population only spoke the Konkani language. But English-speaking locals like “Joe Banana” and early travelers like “Eight-Finger Eddie” helped the hippies communicate better with the natives. The end result was a largely harmonious coexistence. I Love Goa/Facebook 34 of 34Like this gallery?Share it:

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33 Photos That Reveal The Hippie Haven Of Goa In The 1960s And ’70s View Gallery

During the 1960s and ’70s, it seemed like all roads led to Goa — a tiny state in India. Those who embarked on the so-called Hippie Trail in Asia often ended up in this unique place — where free love, drugs, and an inclusive culture led to the birth of the Goa hippie movement.

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The Height Of Hippie Power: 55 Photos Of San Francisco In The 1960s

39 Vintage Hippie Photos That Capture Flower Power In Full Bloom

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1 of 34Hippies gather in a hut in Goa, India.

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The Height Of Hippie Power: 55 Photos Of San Francisco In The 1960s

39 Vintage Hippie Photos That Capture Flower Power In Full Bloom

Society’s Dropouts: 31 Eye-Opening Photos Of America’s 1970s Hippie Communes

1 of 34Hippies gather in a hut in Goa, India.

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The Height Of Hippie Power: 55 Photos Of San Francisco In The 1960s

39 Vintage Hippie Photos That Capture Flower Power In Full Bloom

Society’s Dropouts: 31 Eye-Opening Photos Of America’s 1970s Hippie Communes

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1 of 34Hippies gather in a hut in Goa, India.

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1 of 34Hippies gather in a hut in Goa, India.

As one of the last stops on the Hippie Trail, Goa became a popular destination for young hippies looking to flee Western culture. I Love Goa/Facebook

2 of 34The hippie movement was about rejecting materialism and career expectations and accepting things like free love and psychedelic drugs. I Love Goa/Facebook

3 of 34Hippies and locals mingle together at one of the many markets in Goa. I Love Goa/Facebook

4 of 34Hippies enjoy one of Goa’s beautiful beaches. 1976.I Love Goa/Facebook

5 of 34A flea market in Anjuna. 1976.I Love Goa/Facebook

6 of 34Hippies trekked the Hippie Trail however they could. They walked, hitchhiked, and took cheap buses. I Love Goa/Facebook

7 of 34Hippies building a beach hut. 1974.I Love Goa/Facebook

8 of 34Goa’s markets were a business and trade hub, but some items were given away for free if people really needed them. I Love Goa/Facebook

9 of 34Not only did many of the hippies learn to peacefully coexist with the locals, but they all lived alongside native animals as well. I Love Goa/Facebook

10 of 34A musical jam session takes place on a beach in Goa, India. I Love Goa/Facebook

11 of 34A market transaction taking place. I Love Goa/Facebook

12 of 34A popular variety of hashish (with a not-so-appealing name) readily available at the market.I Love Goa/Facebook

13 of 34A diverse group of beachgoers at the popular Baga Beach in Goa. I Love Goa/Facebook

14 of 34A crowd taking a break from partying. I Love Goa/Facebook

15 of 34Goa’s music scene grew from guitar-strumming rock performances to electronic music.I Love Goa/Facebook

16 of 34It’s said that the first electronic song ever played in Goa was a disco tune by Kraftwerk, a German synth-pop band. A visitor apparently brought it to India on tape in 1970. I Love Goa/Facebook

17 of 34Hippies in front of their impressive beachside villa. 1970. I Love Goa/Facebook

18 of 34A chai shop in north Anjuna. 1973.I Love Goa/Facebook

19 of 34"Eight-Finger Eddie," a Goa icon, was born with only three fingers on his right hand, but he certainly was not missing any heart. He was always ready to provide shelter or a meal to anyone who needed it.I Love Goa/Facebook

20 of 34Some newcomers helping with the active fishing trade in their new village home. I Love Goa/Facebook

21 of 34A legendary Full Moon party in effect in Anjuna. 1970. I Love Goa/Facebook

22 of 34A birthday party in Anjuna was always a great excuse for a celebration.I Love Goa/Facebook

23 of 34Hippies were searching for a spiritual home with few authorities and rules. They found that in Goa. And of course, the natural beauty of the state didn’t hurt.I Love Goa/Facebook

24 of 34A young family at the market in Calangute, Goa. 1971. I Love Goa/Facebook

25 of 34Young mothers walk on Anjuna Beach with their toddlers. 1976. I Love Goa/Facebook

26 of 34Children of hippie couples, like other kids of the ’70s, had to seek out their own fun. But today, Goa has a water park, go-karts, and a 5,000-square-foot play area with real snow for kids to play in. I Love Goa/Facebook

27 of 34Star of Anjuna Bar & Restaurant. 1977. I Love Goa/Facebook

28 of 34Cultures coexisting peacefully in Goa. I Love Goa/Facebook

29 of 34A wedding ceremony in Goa. I Love Goa/Facebook

30 of 34Friends play with a monkey at a gathering. I Love Goa/Facebook

31 of 34Man with a guitar and a flute in Goa in the 1970s.I Love Goa/Facebook

32 of 34Hippies on the beach in 1971.I Love Goa/Facebook

33 of 34A scene from Calangute Beach in 1973. Most of the local population only spoke the Konkani language. But English-speaking locals like “Joe Banana” and early travelers like “Eight-Finger Eddie” helped the hippies communicate better with the natives. The end result was a largely harmonious coexistence. I Love Goa/Facebook

34 of 34Like this gallery?Share it:

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33 Photos That Reveal The Hippie Haven Of Goa In The 1960s And ’70s View Gallery

33 Photos That Reveal The Hippie Haven Of Goa In The 1960s And ’70s

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Those who made the trip were usually Europeans and Americans who were involved in the counterculture movement. They typically started in London or Amsterdam and slowly made their way toward Asia. After weeks of walking, hitchhiking, and taking cheap buses, they often ended their trek in Goa.

Some made the journey in search of enlightenment. Others sought to avoid being drafted during the Vietnam War. But many on the Hippie Trail were simply fed up with Western culture. And in Goa, they found a home.

While Goa looks a little different today, the hippie movement lives on in these vintage photographs. Take a trip through time in the gallery above.

How Goa Became A Hippie Haven

Bruce Barrett/FlickrGoa was the last stop on the Hippie Trail. Here, some travelers pause while trekking through Afghanistan.

Before the hippies learned about Goa, many people who traveled there were Portuguese. Centuries ago in 1510, Portugal established Goa as a colony. And for about 450 years, Portugal reigned over Goan life.

But in 1961 — shortly before the Hippie Trail emerged — Indian troops annexed Goa into India. With that, Goa officially became Indian, but it still kept some European influences in its food, culture, and architecture.

Most notably, Goans maintained traditions like taking a nap in the afternoon and the word “susegad,” which refers to a quiet, relaxed lifestyle.

As hippies arrived from Europe and America, they were awed by the beauty of Goa, which boasted a long coastline and golden beaches. They were also happy to see Goa’s welcoming attitude toward foreigners.

Goa’s lack of police and the abundance of drugs — especially LSD, hashish, and Charas (a similar marijuana resin) — made it an especially attractive destination for people fleeing the rules and regulations of the West.

Here, at the end of the Hippie Trail, early travelers settled down. And word began to spread. Before long, more hippies arrived to enjoy Goa’s relative lack of infrastructure, open-air markets, and friendly locals.

Daily Life Inside Hippie Goa

YouTubeHippies play music in Goa during the counterculture era.

In Goa, the hippies built a truly unique community. Many of them congregated along Colva, a beach in the southern part of the state. There, they enjoyed a carefree lifestyle in the village of Anjuna.

An English-speaking local named Diogo “Joe Banana” Almeida ran a cafe in Anjuna that catered to visitors. But he didn’t just serve food — he also gave the wandering hippies of Goa an address. This meant their far-away relatives could send and receive correspondence via the cafe.

“Every letter, or Christmas card, that came had a ‘c/o Joe Banana,’” remembered Diogo’s son, Tony, who inherited the cafe. The Almeida family kept a wooden box that proudly held all the letters.

For anything else they needed, the hippies could simply go to the market. There, they could buy or trade supplies, clothing, and even drugs. One hippie who was known as “Eight-Finger Eddie” ran a soup kitchen and commune in Anjuna for people who were trying to find their way.

But one thing that made the Goa hippie movement unique was the relationship between the travelers and Goa’s natives. The hippies who arrived in Goa were fleeing Western culture. And so many of them sought to integrate with the natives — not to supersede them.

This was “the first movement of people in history traveling to be colonized rather than to colonize,” Rory MacLean noted in Magic Bus, his 2006 book about the Hippie Trail phenomenon.

Life In Goa Today

Wikimedia CommonsTourists in Goa in 2013.

The hippie movement in Goa wouldn’t last forever. The outbreak of war along the Hippie Trail in the 1970s and ’80s soon made it too dangerous to travel. Some hippies chose to stay in Goa. But many more left.

Before long, the Indian government began to regulate the businesses that the hippies had set up. To some, this meant the end of the hippie culture that had pervaded the region since the 1960s.

“Goa is not Goa,” said David D’Souza, whose family’s beach hut restaurant from the 1970s is now a nightclub. “It’s India now.”

Instead of hippies, most of the visitors to Goa today are young, newly middle-class Indians looking to spend money. They come to Goa on vacation, or to celebrate events like bachelorette parties.

But even though some in Goa complain about the new tourists — especially those with conservative values — Goa remains a vibrant destination. Many people still enjoy the food, culture, and architecture that Goa has to offer. And the beaches that once drew hippies still enchant today’s travelers.

After reading about the Goa hippie movement, learn more about the history of hippies. Then, check out photos from the hippie communes of the 1970s.

During the counterculture era, a tiny Indian state became home to European and American hippies who wanted to flee the West.#

How Goa Became A Hippie Haven#

Daily Life Inside Hippie Goa#

Life In Goa Today#

During the counterculture era, a tiny Indian state became home to European and American hippies who wanted to flee the West.

How Goa Became A Hippie Haven

Daily Life Inside Hippie Goa

Life In Goa Today