Calangute lie on the shores of the Arabian Sea of North Goa in India and also known as the Queen of Beaches. They are encircled by the villages of Arpora-Nagoa, Saligao and Candolim. Agarvaddo is full of picturesque agors (saltpans), Maddavaddo is full of madd (coconut trees), Dongorpur skirts a bottle-green hillock and Tivaivaddo laces the beach. The gaudds or milkmen ran dairies lived in Gauravaddo. The Calangute Beach is a spotless stretch that is 7 km long.
Calangute was the first hippie beach resort in India during the hippie era. And as the hippes faded from the forefront, domestic tourists recognized the potential of the pleasures offered by Calangute and turned it into a paddling, snacking, shopping, picnicking, vacationing beach. Calangute is usually crowded and the small resorts do a thriving business during the holiday season. It is one of the most popular beaches in Goa with a host of facilities to cater to visitors, including beach and water sports.
Travel Attractions of Calagute Beach Shoppers Paradise The road from the town to the beach is lined with Kashmiri-run handicraft boutiques and Tibetan stalls selling Himalayan curios and jewellery. The quality of the goods - mainly Rajasthani, Gujarati and Karnatakan textiles - is generally high. Haggle hard and don't be afraid to walk away from a heavy sales pitch - the same stuff crops up every Wednesday at Anjuna's flea market.
Connoisseurs Delight Calangute's bars and restaurants are mainly grouped around the entrance to the beach and along the Baga road. As with most Goan resorts, the accent is firmly on seafood, though many places tack on a few token vegetarian dishes. Western breakfasts also feature prominently
The Kerkar Art Complex The Kerkar Art Complex is the one and only of its kind on this beach. It is a popular center for exhibitions of arts and crafts of local artistes. On Thursdays and Fridays, connoisseurs of Indian classical music and dance can be an audience to various concerts.
St. Alex Church Some of the places worth visiting near by are the St. Alex Church with its two towers and a magnificent dome gracing the façade. The inside of the church is a display of the line and beauty of its architectural style and ornate altars. In 1996, Calangute celebrated the fourth centenary of its parish church.
Entertainment in Calangute Thanks to repeated crackdowns by the Goan police on parties and loud music, Calangute's nightlife is surprisingly tame. All but a handful of the bars wind up by 10.00 pm. One notable exception is Tito's at the Baga end of the beach, which stays open until 11.00 pm off-season and into the small hours in late December and January.
Unfortunately, the only other places that consistently stay open through the night are a couple of dull hippy hang-outs in the woods to the south of the beach road; Pete's Bar, a perennial favourite next door to Angela P. Fernandes, is generally the most lively, offering affordable drinks, backgammon sets and relentless reggae. Further afield, Bob's Inn, between Calangute and Candolim, is another popular bar, famed less for its court around a large table in the front bar.
Eating Out Calangute's bars and restaurants are mainly grouped around the entrance to the beach and along the Baga road. As with most Goan resorts, the accent is firmly on seafood, though many places tack on a few token vegetarian dishes. Western breakfasts also feature prominently.
Places to Stay Calangute is chock-full of places to stay. Demand only outstrips supply in the Christmas - New Year high season, and at Diwali. Most of the inexpensive accommodation consists of small rooms in family homes, or in concrete annexes tacked onto the backs of houses. The top hotels are nearly all gleaming white, exclusive villa complexes with pools, and direct beach access.
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