Calangute Beach
Queen of the Beaches
Calangute Beach
Famous as the "Queen of the beaches” in Goa. Calangute is thronged by visitors. The beach is a 7-km-long coastal stretch. Calangute is Goa at its best, you name it, it's there - the beach, nightspots, restaurants, night-markets, t'ai chi, yoga sessions and adventure sports. And the most unusual of them all are the village vaddos, or traditional village wards.
Located at the centre of the Bardez coast, it is 16km from Panaji. There is a bus service to Calangute from Panaji and Mapusa after every 15 minutes. Taxis are also available.
What to experienceIf you are diving down from Mapusa, the Church of St. Alex is a good place to see. Particularly beautiful is the church's white dome. Further down the noisy beach of Calangute is a market where you an find an array of shops, ranging from designer boutiques and bookshops to small shops selling trinkets.
Tourists can opt for various sports like parasailing, water skiing and windsurfing. There are also boat operators offering trips to the island and expeditions to fish or spot dolphins and crocodiles.
Generally the Calangute beach is somewhat safe for swimming but high tides should be avoided. Incidents of huge waves flinging people out from the sea have been reported.
Eating outDelicious Goan food, in all its variety, is available on the beach. Calangute has some of the best restaurants in Goa and this is the reason why many people flock to Calangute beach.
There are not too many options for a wild night out except for a few bars that remain open till 11pm. Other options include attending evenings of classical music and dance at the Kerkar Art Gallery and Kathkali dance performances at a small place on the beach road.
AccommodationThere are plenty of options available, varying from cottages to comfortable rooms.
