Goa
Contemporary history places Goa, a West Coast beach town on the Arabian Sea, as a favorite alternative escape destination for the Occidental counterculture set of the 1960s. Prior to then, in the distant past, Goa was ruled by the Portugese, who dominated the way of life here for some four and a half centuries, their influence visible still in the architecture and culture of this sleepy town. Though popularly known as the holiday capital of South Asia, it is also a charming place with a unique international history. Serving as a welcoming entry point in India for artists and writers, Goa has also become an attractive destination for tourists and pilgrims visiting both Catholic and Hindu shrines, and for new generations seeking alternative sites for seminars, workshops, and medical treatments.