Goa, India, dress code

This item appears on page 68 of the September 2011 issue.

Goa is a popular beach resort area in India known for its relaxed atmosphere, but some tourists have been sightseeing at nearby churches and temples inappropriately dressed (some women even in bikinis). Priests, monks and some worshipers have protested the lack of respect for the sanctity of the religious sites.

The Basilica of Bom Jesus contains the remains of St. Francis Xavier (one of the founders of the Jesuits) and is a well-known pilgrimage location. As of September 2011, it is enforcing a dress code. Women showing too much skin will be loaned a shawl. Two Hindu temples in Goa also announced dress codes.