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Kaslo B.C, Canada

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There are so many free people here. My friend and I took a trip from Creston to Kaslo. And along the way Kootenay Bay where we visited a place, religious, and the rumor was that it is a hippy hang out with a temple, but I can’t remember the name. This place was beautiful, right on the lake, we also went to a beach called POWER LINE BEACH, because of the power lines crossing the water. lots of free camping on this beach with nice sand and rocks, people playing music and singing, it was a cool place, I recommend this place for the outdoor type hippy.

The Gulf Islands B.C. Canada

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Particularly Gabriola, Hornby and Cortes. Enchanted, laid-back, new-age.

Hornby Island does in fact have hippies. However, the island has become overcrowded and increasingly slick and commercial. Not so “groovy” now.

Cortes Island, which is rather remote and is a pleasant looking place, was inundated by marine radiation dumps from government ships about 30 years ago before pollution regulations were enforced. Many people on this island have developed cancer as a result of this, including the majority of the local police department who regularly patrol the area. Under no conditions, would I ever choose to live there, as a hippy.

Kitchener Ontario Canada

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Hippies roam the streets of Kitchener and especially Cambridge. We are up there along with the freaks and jocks, geeks and the boring ones. Hippies are the best, with our butterfly shirts and bell-bottoms, we have our own twists to the 60’s fashions.

In response another visitor wrote:
“Thought I’d add a note to what our obviously young friend above has said, the scene here is extremely diversified, there is much to do see and experience. I have jokingly referred to Kitchener for years as the Berkley of Canada. For some strange reason this little city is a drawing card for hippies. But don’t show up expecting chaos and revolution in the air, because for the ten years I’ve lived here, most of what I’ve seen is behind the scenes, although the older hippie and deadhead community here threw some of the biggest bashes going.”

Tofino, British Columbia, Canada

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"It’s right on the ocean, and I have never seen so many free spirited, beautiful people in my life. Everyone was so kind to everyone. Lots of free flowing clothes and flowers. You’re always near a beach for a picnic, or just lounging. My guitar was quite welcome there. Tofino is not particularly friendly since the locals are inundated with the mass influx of tourists every year, so they have become somewhat immune to outsiders."

Shimo-Kitazawa, Tokyo, Japan

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This is a great little hippy part of Tokyo, no cars, lots of nice shops and restaurants, home of Tokyo’s first hemp shop and hemp restaurant.

Hokkaido is Japans North Island and is a nature paradise. It also has lots of wild hemp growing, some of which is quite smokable apparently. Japan Alps – during the summer it hosts lots of outdoor festivals and rave parties. These are real hippy congregations – people you don’t see too often in Japan suddenly appear. Where do they live?!

The Himalayas

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There are hippies everywhere, man! Well, in India anyway. I was there from January to June and they seem to be most concentrated in the Himalayas. You can find people high on all sorts of drugs, including the awesome sight of the mountains covered in snow (it was my first time in the snow, by the way and my somewhat awkward attempts at walking up and down the slopes generated a few laughs from the stoned ones). I was told that being in India is like being stoned without having to smoke anything. It is true! If you’re a real hippy you won’t want to go to Goa, find your own piece of hippy heaven like I did, (unless you really MUST go to Goa!). My advice for hippies is GO NOW!

India

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A hundred lifetimes is not enough to absorb the culture, the land and the people of this amazing country. Many a seeker has found nirvana here. Goa is one of many places where hippies congregate. Other groovy places are Kerala State in the south, full of canals, Rajastan, deserts and forts, Benares if you want to get holy, the foothills of the Himalayas to get high on the mountains and charas.

Thailand

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A beautiful, friendly, tolerant country (it is full of Buddhists after all). Unfortunately economic development and unbridled tourism has deformed this country. Check out Ko Samui or Ko Phanghan for a real getaway. Stay away from Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket. Chaing Mai too has changed for the worse. The hill tribes of the north are worth a visit though.

Maya Bay, Thailand

Many places were untouched by the Tsunami, including the famous Maya Bay on Phi Phi Island, where “The Beach” with Leonardo DeCaprio was filmed. This is perhaps the most beautiful beach I’ve ever been on (and that’s saying a whole lot!)

 

I haven’t been to Thailand for 22 years, when I took a 2 1/2 year journey around the world. Much has changed here in the intervening years. Thailand has industrialized, urbanized & developed to an amazing degree. Much of this development is haphazard, which has created a whole set of problems, particularly pollution and degradation of their beautiful country’s environment.

 

On top of that they are now recovering from the devastating Dec 26th, 2005 Tsunami which hit Phuket & surrounding areas & islands very hard.

Tsunami devastation on Phi Phi Don Island, Thailand There used to be a market, restaurants and bars where now there is only sand.

 

Despite the enormous toll in human life and property lost, the resilient Thai people are rebuilding and those areas untouched (the majority) by the Tsunami are open for business but suffering because tourism is down. Many Thai people working in the hotel & restaurants are having to take huge pay cuts to keep their jobs.

 

Visit our Hip Guide to Thailand for more information and beautiful Thailand photos.

 

Cambodia

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This is the HOT NEW HIPPIE DESTINATION!!! Unlike neighboring Laos & Vietnam, Cambodia has pretty easy to deal with visa formalities. It also seems to attract all sorts of interesting types, & seems to not attract the typical tourist types responsible for ruining Thailand for example. Its also a fairly relaxed place while being a bit crazy at times. They say its a lot like Thailand used to be. The ruins at Angor are incredible like nothing else I have ever seen. In addition, although international pressure is changing a few things, grass is all over the place. There was over a kilo in a cabinet in my guest house that was left by people leaving the country, & it is sometimes brought to your table free of charge in some travelers restaurants, so you will smoke it of course & buy more food! The civil war is over too now.

Madison, Wisconsin

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A beautiful downtown, with a beautiful university right on the lake, lots of housing co-ops, and really friendly and nice people. People from Wisconsin tend to be slightly dingy, and Madison is considered to be the craziest town in the state (it’s also the state capital) – but it’s the right kind of crazy, in my opinion. The only drawback is that it gets a little cold there in winter.

Madison is a VERY groovy place, and state street is chock full of head shops/coffee shops/every shop that deviates from the norm that you can think of……there is even a Nepali restaurant that I loved….also loads of interesting people throughout the town. I couldn’t believe how many street performers I saw, there were devil-sticks flying everywhere and lone saxophonists filling up the empty alleyways, soothing your mind like a mental Halls cough drop.”