Any guide book about india and Goa will state that nudity and that includes topless is illegal . For the Foreign Office i did a Google search and looked up travel advice by country.

So did I but I was unable to find it - Surely you can just post a link to it - thanks

i have seen the goan police on many occations tell tourist to cover themselves up whilst topless on the beach i think if you want to do this you should go to countries where this is acceptable because i have spoken to many goans about this and it is not looked on as being ok

I'm only asking for a link to the FCO website which will confirm that topless sunbathing is illegal in Goa - I've not been able to find one yet, even though I've been looking long and hard.

I'm not sure how many times I've been to Goa - it was either 9 or 10 times and counting last December and I've never seen the police ask tourists to cover up - I've seen them take their baksheesh from the hawkers on the beach, sat drinking their free beers in Fisherman's Paradise, but asking women to cover up - never !

Goa

Whilst Goa is generally a trouble-free destination for tourists there have been incidents of sexual offences against women. Female travellers are advised to observe and respect local dress and customs and not to walk alone on the beaches or village lanes at night.

Rakkor I copied and pasted that from the Foreign Office website.

http://www.fco.gov.uk

I thought it was well known that it was not acceptable to sunbathe topless, its predominantly Hindu, respect has to be given - we are not in Spain! It has happened to me when I've had too many beers and rolled over without realising! My daughter - now 18 felt very uncomfortable Dec 05 - she's not been since - was ogled at a lot (tall, blonde, good figure), she certainly wouldn't go topless, also gets looked at a lot in Turkey.

Sorry - I was under the impression you were saying that it was illegal to sunbath topless in Goa - a lot of people seem to think that's the case and state it as fact, but I've been unable to find it, with legal reference, anywhere on the web.

Goa isn't a Hindu country - it's a predominantly Christian state, but hey, Christians can be offended by scantily clad women as well.

Goa is actually predominantly Hindu as Candy 64 said.
65% Hindu, 30% Christian and the other 5% a mixture.
Heres the link:

http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/goa/people-culture-and-festivals/religions-in-goa.html

GFF

Hi Rakkor,

The Indian penal code does not explicitly say that being topless on a beach in Goa is illegal, but it does say this and I'm quoting from the Indian Penal Code, Act 45 of the year 1860 section 294 - Obscene Acts and Songs:

141[294. Obscene acts and songs
Whoever, to the annoyance of others-

(a) does any obscene act in any public place, or

(b) sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place,

shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine, or with both.]

Believe me, if you go topless on a beach (which is a public place), it can very easily tantamount to an obscene act (very much to the annoyance of others), unless there exists a provision specifically exempting nudity at beaches,which is not the case.
I have not specifically checked the Goa Penal code, but there seems to be no State amendment to the law in its generality.
The Indian Penal code can be read online at http://www.indialawinfo.com

That's all I wanted - So going topless is not illegal in Goa

I would imagine that most Goans would see topless sunbathing as an obcsene act????, I don't see what the big deal is anyway? Why would anyone want to fry their eggs on a public beach to get their white bits brown.....nobody's going to see them under your 3 jumpers and your fur lined bra once you get back to the freezing cold depressing UK.....might as well be white as any other colour
GFF xx

in full aggrement with you golden flipflop very well said

Can't agree with above (golden flip flop).
It seems that a lot of Goanites take on the perceived ethics of the country they are visiting and are more forceful than the locals at wanting to enforce what they understand to be the rules .
I have not spoken to , or seen anyone who seems to be bothered about topless sunbahing. I have seen no policeman issuing fines for same.
I have seen no beach shack refusing to serve anyone topless.
My own view is if you are comfortable about having your breasts on show then to do it, anyone offended can simply not look.
But if YOU are concerned that having your white bits on display and that they will attract too much attention for your comfort.. then cover up.
For goodness sake what is the big deal on this subject?

Fair comment Del949

GFF xx

Agree with Del, as always its an individuals choice of whether they go topless or not, and with every choice there is a consequence, Which may or may not be more notice from Indian holiday makers etc.

But this is a free world and everyone has the right to their choice ( it may not be everyones, and it doesn't make it right or wrong). As Del says if you don't like it don't look, let everyone live and let live there are far more harmless things going on in this world than a bit of topless sunbathing on a public beach.

we seem to have wandered a bit of topic as OP was not asking about topless sunbathing.

Fiona,

Whilst I agree that topless sunbathing has wandered slightly off topic, it was, I believe, initially posted as an attempt to explain why some local people behave strangely.

The local custom and culture is such that scantily clad people on a beach are a relatively new sight to many ROI nationals. There is an interesting topic on this link http://www.tourismconcern.org.uk/campaigns/goa-1990.html .

The topless theme was well introduced at http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=918554#918554 . It must be, indeed, very disconcerting (and to our Western minds appalling) to be ogled and snapped. Perhaps if we all, as visitors to India, tried to understand (and dare I say respect) the local culture, this would seem to be less of a problem.

I remember my first glimpse of a clothes optional French beach. True - I never picked up my camera, but I probably ogled.

Now - when in Rome..............

Please don't get me wrong - the actions of the 'happy snappers' cannot be excused. The pedantic requirement to find written evidence of the legality or otherwise of topless sunbathing should also be unnecessary

Cheers

Peter