Anjuna Beach - Goa - अंजुना बाच

Co-ordinates 15.578478, 73.739655 State Goa Nearby Stations Karmali Nearby Places Panaji, Madgoan Wikipedia Link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anjuna

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Anjuna Beach has been the haunt of the flower generation in the sixties and is still popular with the younger generation. It claimed popularity for its Trance Parties and the Hippies who tried to synthesize the spiritual traditions of the East and the art, ideas and the music of the West. Sometime in the late 1950s to mid-1960s, the area was "discovered" by a group of travelers, including "Eight Finger Eddie," and a small international psychedelic scene began to meet there to party during the dry season.

Anjuna attracts a weird and wonderful collection of over monks, defiant ex-hippies, gentle lunatics, artists, artisans, seers, searchers, sybarites and itinerant expatriates who normally wouldn't be seen out of the organic confines of their health-food emporia in San Francisco or London. The most basic attraction is Anjuna beach is Flea Market, Chapora Fort. The exotic beaches of anjuna is the main source of enduring popularity to a variety of people.

The Village of Anjuna is a five square mile enclosure nestling between the Arabian Sea and the Hill overlooking the beach. the beach is known for its swaying palms, soft sands and natural beauty. It has an unusual rocky formation overlying a cove of white sand and black rock that juts into the Sea. This area was known as the Jewel of Anjuna and called "Ozran". It was a famous early haunt of the hippies who discovered it in the sixties.

If you love to frolic in the sea and crave for a bath in the azure waters, Anjuna beach in Goa is the ideal place for you. The rocky promontory at the southern end of the Anjuna beach keeps the sea calm and you can safely take your plunge. Anjuna is well known for its famous flea market that burst at the seams with an astounding variety of items ranging from artifacts to imported electric gadgets. The flea market is held on Wednesdays and if you are an old hand in the bargaining game, chances are that you will walk away with a handsome deal.

Over the years, Anjuna beach has earned notoriety for the trance parties held on full moon nights. During the 1960s, the beach became a favorite rendezvous for insouciant hippies hell bent on creating a utopia in this planet. Even now people from distant corners of the globe descend on Anjuna beach to let their hair down amidst the bliss of psychedelic trance music.

Popularly known as the freak capital of the world, Anjuna is just the right place for lazing holidaymakers. Besides the calm waters of the Arabian Sea lapping softly on the Indian shore, Anjuna comes alive with its famous full-moon parties and the Wednesday flea market to take one on to a trance trip.

In Anjuna there is magnificent Albuquerque mansion built in 1920, flanked by octagonal towers and attractive Mangalore tiled-roof. This is the Goa Freak capital of the World. Anjuna becomes a fair of colors. Lines of vehicles full of tourists start virtually raising clouds of dust in this area. Full moon, when the infamous parties take place, is a particularly good time to be here if you want to indulge in bacchanalian delights.

Only a Brit would think about raving about the main beach, but it's worth the walk to the small, protected sliver of sand at South Anjuna where the area's long-term house-renters tend to gather.

Vicinity

In the vicinity of Anjuna are the Chapora Fort and the Albuquerque Mansion. To the east is a mountain. Anyone tired of the party and interested in returning to civilization can climb the mountain to get to Baga where one can catch a ferry out. Panjim too is not far away.

The Chapora Fort gives a splendid view of the nearby Anjuna and Vagator beaches. The fort has been well preserved except a few interesting ruins. Once, it was a domain of the Muslim rulers before the Portuguese wrested it. In 1683, the Marathas hijacked three priests from the Chapora Fort and made them Hindus.

The key attractions of Anjuna Beach are the magnificent Albuquerque Mansion built in 1920 (flanked by octagonal towers and an attractive Mangalore tile-roof), the Mascarenhas Mansion, and the Chapora Fort.

Wednesday Flea Market

Every Wednesday, at around 11 a.m., Anjuna breaks into a riot of colors. Lines of vehicles full of tourists start virtually raising clouds of dust in this area. Whatever one needs, from a used paperback to a haircut, one would find it here. The flea market is a heaven for hardcore shoppers and good bargainers, to bid on wonderful blends of Tibetan, Kashmiri and Gujarati trinkets and handicrafts, European snacks, cassettes of a noisy brand of music called 'Goa Trance', artificial ornaments carvings and T-shirts. An elephant ride and a photograph with a fake sadhu or a fake snake charmer can also be found here.

The Acid House Party

Anjuna is also known for its full-moon (acid house) parties. Held for and by young tourists, these parties have attracted thousands of tourists. The trance party with dance, frolic, and merriment goes all night besides the fire.

Mascarenhas Mansion

With riches and classic 'balcoes' (balconies) at Anjuna stands the monumental Mascarenhas Mansion. The L-shaped seat along the length of the porch is of expensive wood. It has some of the finest stained glass floral etchings.

Tradition And Dress Code

The villages of Goa have a few things in common: they will have at least one church with a square in front of it where those who can still find the time to do so meet and exchange news and views when sunset settles on the land. In the morning, however, particularly on a Sunday morning, the older men and women get into dark suits and dresses, the younger women carry scarves to cover their heads, and they go to church. Everyone is welcome into a Goan church, provided one is suitably dressed.

Shopping

The Wednesday flea market is a shoppers' paradise, where one can buy anything on a bargain.

Other Facilities

A private operator has introduced the adventurous sport of bungee jumping in a large entertainment complex in Anjuna. The tower erected is supposed to give an 80 ft freefall. Besides, the complex boasts of an amphitheatre, dance club, restaurant, and bar.

Security Precautions

Swimming is dangerous at most of the beaches because of the strong undercurrents. Consulting the lifeguards is a must before venturing out into the waters.

Do's And Don'ts

Drug trafficking is against the Indian law. Anyone found in breach of the law could be awarded a lifetime imprisonment. Also, nudity is against the local norms and traditions.

Goa has a consistent climate throughout the year with just meager fluctuations in the temperature. December and January might require light woolens, but April and May are warm. The period from June to October brings heavy rain, almost up to 320 cm. The temperature during the summers ranges from 24°C to 32.7°C and during the winters it ranges from 21.3°C to 32.2°C.

Because of its pleasant climate, Anjuna can be visited at any time of the year. The best time to visit this place is from November To March. However, tourists should beware the heavy rainfall between June and October. The period from November to February is the best time to visit Anjuna. During the X-mas and New Year rush, the area is packed with a large crowd from all over India, who basically come in for big beach parties.

Anjuna is a small village in north Goa, on the shores of the Arabian Sea. Anjuna, 18 km from Panaji is a popular beach area adjacent to Chapora fort- it was the haunt of the flower generation in the sixties - and is still popular with the younger generation. away from Panaji (the old name for Panjim), the capital of Goa.

The Anjuna beach is located 8 km west of Mapusa North Goa. Bathing is generally safer than, at most of th town and 18 km from Panaji, the state capital. The Anjuna beach enjoys an iconic status for its notorious trance parties and the exotic Wednesday flea market. Throbbing with a multitude of activities, this palm-fringed beach draws tourists and backpackers from all over the world.

Anjuna beach is well connected by regular state and private buses from Panjim and Mapusa. Tourists can also hire motorcycle taxis and auto-rickshaws from Mapusa to reach Anjuna. This is part of a 30 km stretch of beach coastline along the west coast of Goa by the ArabianSea.

The Anjuna band plays for the beach party at night. Palm trees stand motionless in the warm air. To the east is a mountain. If you want to return to civilization, climb the mountain to get to Baga where you can catch a ferry out.

How to Reach

By Air

The nearest airport is at Dabolim, which is 29 km away from Panaji and 47 km from Anjuna.

By Rail

The nearest railway station is at Karmali 11 km away from Panaji and 29 km from Anjuna.

By Road

There are buses every hour to Anjuna from Mapusa (8 km). For tourists arriving from Mumbai, Mapusa is the jumping-off point for the northern beaches. There are frequent local buses to Panaji, which is just 18 km away. One can also hire a motorcycle or a taxi from Mapusa to reach Anjuna.

Accommodation

There are plenty of guesthouses around the village, and even a couple of hotels. Someone planning a longer stay should look out for 'To Let' signs, as there are plenty of houses that are available on rent along the back lanes.