Achzivland

An eccentric former seaman first became smitten with this beautiful stretch of beach at the northern edge of Israel in 1952. Convinced this was the spot for him, he soon built himself a home here. In 1970, after a string of mishaps with the government (one of which involved a bulldozer), Avivi, a born renegade, declared his 2.5 acres of land and its populace, "Achzivland." Not surprisingly, the spot is known to draw a crowd of young, hippie-inclined internationals and Israelis, hosting late-night parties, concerts, and drum circles as part of Achzivland's cultural heritage.