Calangute is a small town on the north coast of Goa, in the past the local “capital” of hippies, perhaps one of the most popular resorts in the state. The local beach cannot be called the best, besides, many will consider it too crowded and noisy, but here tourists will have no problems with accommodation and food. Check TOPSCHOOLSINTHEUSA to learn more about India.
Fans of a relaxing pastime are unlikely to find a place on Calangute beach. Fussy merchants, Indians, large companies standing at the very edge of the water, numerous tourists from different countries, a huge number of coastal cafes and other “charms” of a developed tourism industry, including littered sand and muddy water, cause very few positive emotions. The way out of the situation is to avoid trips to the sea during “rush hours”. If you come to the beach early in the morning and do not appear there during the holidays and weekends, then there will be no feeling of Babylonian pandemonium.
The main advantage of Calangute is the proximity of other, less densely populated beaches, in which the tourist infrastructure is represented by a few bungalows without amenities and small guesthouses, and transport links with the towns of the northern coast are quite developed for India. It is not worth hoping for a high level of hotel service. Calangute is one of the oldest holiday destinations, whose wide coastline was actually the first to welcome foreign tourists in the 1960s, and it is not the responsibility of the local government to constantly improve the standard of living.
How to get to Calangute
From Moscow, Aeroflot flights arrive at Dabolim Airport, located in the village of the same name in Goa. From there to the resort – about an hour’s drive (if you get by public transport, then the travel time increases significantly due to transfers).
By taxi
The most convenient way to get from the airport to Calangute is by taxi. The cost of such a trip is about 800-1000 INR. Ordering a taxi is quite simple. At the exit from the airport there are special counters responsible for calling the state taxi with fixed prices. There you can also find a stand where all prices are indicated in advance. Having paid for the trip and received the appropriate receipt from one of the employees at the counter, the passenger goes with her to the car and gets to the right place.
By bus
There are several ways to get to the resort by public transport. One thing unites them – numerous transfers and cheapness in comparison with a taxi ride. The cost of one trip varies from 9 to 30 INR. Buses run half empty during the day. Rush hours – early morning and evening.
The first way is to cross the road and catch a bus to the crossroads named after the famous discoverer, Vasco da Gama. Travel time to destination is about 10 minutes. Further, getting off at the bus stop (landmark – the bus station) next to the market, find transport to Panaji. You will have to get to it by shuttle or express, which differs from the usual bus in the absence of stops. Travel time is about half an hour. From the latter, you can drive directly to Calangute or go to Mapusa, from which you can already drive to the beach. Calangute is 13 km from Panaji and 8 from Mapusa.
Indian buses do not have numbers. The maximum that can be found is the names of settlements-stops. However, unfortunately, they are rarely duplicated by English-language counterparts. So it is advisable to clarify the route and stops with the driver.
The second way is the same, but you walk or take a taxi to the Vasco da Gama intersection
By train
The nearest train station is located in Thivim, which can be reached in 20 minutes by taxi (~ 450-600 INR).
Weather in Calangute
The local climate is not much different from any other place in Goa. The high season starts in November and ends in March. This is due to several factors: the temperature is about + 33 ° C, the lack of high humidity and rain. The latter start at the end of May and end in October. Tourist crowds flood Goa in December-January: Indian weather by the beginning of winter becomes the most comfortable for Europeans. During this period, the highest prices for housing, food and any tourist services.
The beaches of Calangute and Baga
The local beach, which is called the “Queen of the beaches of Goa”, stretches from north to south from Baga to Candolim. The area that Calangute occupies is famous for its huge number of water activities.
A huge number of sunbeds are scattered along the entire beach, which you can use for free if you buy something in a nearby bar.
Coming to another country, it is advisable to prepare in advance for some “surprises” of the local flora and fauna. The Indian Ocean, which includes the Arabian Sea, which washes Goa, is considered the proud owner of a rich underwater world, whose representatives are not always happy with a person. Of course, stories about giant stingrays preying on people almost at the very shore are somewhat exaggerated. However, both stingrays and sea snakes live in the waters of Goa. Especially common, and at the same time poisonous, are the latter. Some of the snakes belonging to this species have teeth too short to bite a person, and they attack only when hunting for a mollusk or in great danger to life. Nevertheless, this does not negate the careful and cautious attitude towards reptiles.
Cuisine and restaurants
Many small cafes and bars are located along the beach line. For more sophisticated cuisine, you should take a walk to the center of the resort. Prices are “territorial”: relative to the rest of India – a little expensive, for white people from the West – cheap. Rice with chicken “curry” will cost about 170-200 INR.
Good restaurants: Tibetan Kitchen, Bella Ciao (Italian cuisine, located at La Calypso Hotels), O’Coqueiro, Mirabai Goan Village (the best restaurant with traditional cuisine), Souza Lobo (beach cafe with good fish dishes), After Seven (managed darling Leo, who speaks 4 languages, has traveled all over the world and has many interesting stories to tell), Casa Andre’s, Bob’s Inn and Mooncrest on the Waves.
Entertainment and attractions of Calangute
In addition to traditional water and beach sports, Calangute offers short courses in meditation, yoga, reiki and even karate, as well as a variety of massages. Nightlife lovers will not be bored either: the most famous local discos are Mambo, Titos and Kamaki.
