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.
The beach itself is nothing special, with steeply shelving
sand, but is more than large enough to accommodate the huge
numbers of high-season visitors.
To escape the hawkers, head fifteen minutes or so south
of the main beachfront area, towards the rows of olf wooden
boats moored below the dunes. In this virtually hawker-free
zone, one'll only come across teams of villagers hauling
in hand nets at high tide or fishermen fixing their tack
under bamboo sun shakes.
How to Get There
Road:
Buses from Mapusa and Panjim pull in at the small bus stand
cum Market Square in the centre of Calangute. Some continue
to Baga, stopping at the crossroads behind the beach en
route. Get off here if one can, as it's closer to most of
the hotels.
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.
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.
Nightlife
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.
Useful Information
Bikes on Rent:
Motorcycle taxis hang around the little sandy square behind
GTDC's tourist resort, next to the steps that drop down
to the beachfront. Ask around here if one wants to rent
a motorcycle. Rates are standard; the nearest filling station
is five minutes' walk from the beach, back towards the market
on the right-hand side of the main road. Bicycles are also
widely available for rent.
Exchange:
There's a State Bank of India on the main street, but
the best place to change money and Travellers Cheques is
Wall Street finances, opposite the petrol pump and in the
shopping complex on the beachfront. If they are closed,
try the fast and friendly ENEM finances in Baga. For visa
encashments, go to The Bank of Baroda, just north of the
temple and market area; a flat commission fee is levied
on all visa withdrawls.
Note: Wherever one goes, though, remember
that Calangute's no nudism rule is for real and enforced
by special police patrols; this includes topless bathing.
