Calangute and Baga - Goa - कालान्गुते एंड बागा

Co-ordinates 15.547141, 73.768730 State Goa Nearby Stations Karmali, Panaji Nearby Places Panaji, Goa, Madgoan Wikipedia Link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calangute

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The Beach Fun in the sun, sand and sea along with great opportunities for feasting on fresh seafood and feni is what a day on the Calangute beach essentially means. Frolicking families, eager hands making sand castles, colorful crowds surging towards the sea, hippies busy remembering the good old times and the young and old alike lazing on the golden sands are some of the images that characterize this Queen of Beaches. This picture of a perfect tourist haven is completed with shacks and stalls under the shade of palm trees selling everything from fried prawns and beer to trinkets made of seashells. The rainbow hued canvas of Calangute has welcomed everyone to it always though it became popular across the globe only after the hippies discovered it in the 60's.

Calangute was a nondescript fishing village frequented by the hippies in the 70's and 80's. But over the years Calangute has metamorphosed into Goa's numero uno beach destination endowed with a bustling infrastructure. The beach remains choc-a-block with tourists all year around.

It was the hippies who discovered the pristine surroundings and blissful serenity and golden sands. The hippies also spread the word around and brought hordes of European tourists. Decades later, tourists still trudge down the dusty, weather-beaten roads in search of that idyllic coastal Goa. On this lovely beach, Goans and tourists spend summers, bathing in the quiet solitude of the sea, sun and sand.

Calangute seems to be a distortion of the local vernacular word-'Koli-gutti', which means land of fishermen. Some people connect it with Kalyangutti (village of art) or Konvallo-ghott (strong pit of the coconut tree) because the village is full of coconut trees. With the advent of the Portuguese, the word probably got distorted to Calangute, and has stuck till today.

Lovingly referred to as the Pearl of the Orient, this erstwhile Portuguese colony is an integral part of India since the year 1961. Goa is indeed a great place to head to for a blissful holiday. The golden beaches, the vast expanse of sea, the beautiful temples and the marvelous churches are great tourist attractions.

On the shores of the Arabian Sea, under the shade of palm trees, bathes the Queen of Beaches-Calangute. In a green semi-circle, the villages of Arpora-Nagoa, Saligao and Candolim do their bit to enhance the divine beauty of Calangute. There are picturesque agors (saltpans) at Agarvaddo, Maddavaddo is full of madd (coconut trees), Dongorpur skirts a bottle-green hillock and Tivaivaddo laces the beach. In Gauravaddo lived the gaudds or milkmen ran dairies.

Perhaps none of the other lovely beaches of Goa is so deserving of the epithet "Queen of Beaches" as Calangute. Endearingly referred to as the "Queen of Beaches" by its fond admirers, Calangute Beach is kissed by the sun and enjoys the pampering of palm trees too.

According to popular opinion, Calangute is actually a distortion of the word "Koli-gutti", meaning land of fishermen. There are some who maintain that it may have been derived either from "Kalyangutti" or from "Konvallo-ghott", the former meaning village of art and the latter strong pit of coconut trees. The second appears to be more plausible considering that it is indeed dotted with coconut trees. However ever since the coming of the Portuguese, it is known as Calangute.

Discovered in the late 1960's by the hippies, Calangute Beach is a haven for all those who love the sand and the surf. Laze in the sun kissed beach or else go for a bath in the sea. The cool sea breeze from the sea is sure to lull any tired soul to sleep. Calangute is Goa's flagship beach and it plays an irreplaceable role in the state's tourism sweepstakes. Stretching over an expanse of seven kilometers, Calangute beach is known by the sobriquet the 'Queen of Beaches' for its pre-eminence among the scenic beaches that dot the Goan landscape. Due to its extreme popularity, Calangute beach beckons tourists and backpackers from all over the world.

Other Facilities

Motorcycle Renting

It's easy enough to rent a motorcycle or scooter in Panaji and Mapusa.

Water Sports

Parasailing, water skiing and wind surfing at the beach starts in the afternoon when the wind is blowing just in the right direction and it goes on till sunset.

Crocodile and dolphin spotting tours

A number of tour agents along the Baga and Calangute beach offer backwater crocodile or dolphin spotting down the Mandovi river to the Zuari river whose banks are thickly forested with mangrove trees. Crocodiles inhabit the swamps in this area. At the open sea at the mouth of the Mandovi River, dolphins can be spotted.

Security Precautions

Swimming is dangerous at most parts of the beach because of the strong current. Consulting the lifeguards is a must before venturing out into the waters.

Do's And Don'ts

Drug trafficking is against the Indian law. Anybody found breaching the law could be awarded a life imprisonment.

The St. Alex Church

As the vast traffic on the CHOGM road reaches the village, the Church of St Alex greets 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.

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.

Vicinity

Medicinal Springs

The narrow road leading past the Bom Viagem Convent along the cashew-covered foothills, leads to the springs at Mottant. This is an ideal spot for picnics and bathing, as the water is believed to be medicinal.

Baga Retreat House

Overlooking the village and the Arabian Sea, at the Baga hilltop is the Baga Retreat House dedicated to St Francis Xavier. It was known as the Casa de Retiros.

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 dusk 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 all go to church. Everyone is welcome into a Goan church, provided one is suitably dressed. At the St Alex church too, the Sunday service is given due importance with the entire local Christian community in attendance.

Contrary to the pictures painted of the hippie days, nudity is against the local norms and traditions and not accepted on the Calangute or any of the Goa beaches. Anybody indulging in or encouraging nudity on the beaches would be a nuisance and a source of embarrassment for the local inhabitants. The law could deal strictly with the offender.

Shopping

Saturday bazaar near the new Post Office is an ideal place for good bargainers. The bazaar offers commodities like fish, meat, grocery, textiles, earthenware, household articles and other provisions. Toys and trinkets, piglets, chicken, eggs, brooms and all the traditional, rural produce find their way into the Saturday bazaar.

In the center of Calangute, there is a nice Tibetan market. It offers all kinds of gems and silverwork, wooden statues of the Buddha's and Hindu deities.

Besides, Calangute and Baga have been swamped by Kashmiri traders, putting up Kashmiri carpets, embroidery, and papier-mâché boxes for sale.

Cocoon Art Gallery near Milky Way, Calangute, houses some art pieces along with clothes and jewelry.

Best time to visit

Calangute Beach and Baga can be visited at any time of the year, though the monsoon months, which bring heavy rains, are best avoided. The period from November to February is the most pleasant for a visit to this beach. The best time of the year to visit this area is between September and March.

Climate

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

Location

Calangute and Baga lie on the shores of the Arabian Sea of North Goa in India. It is encircled by Arpora-Nagoa, Saligao and Candolim, in the Bardez taluka, and is just Calangute beach is located 9 m from Mapusa while Panaji is 16 km away. Buses run frequently to Calangute from Mapusa and Panaji. You can also hire taxis or motorcycles from Mapusa to reach Calangute beach.

How To Reach

By Air

The nearest airport is at Dabolim, which is 29 km away from Panaji. Panaji is just half an hour's drive away from Calangute.

By Rail

The nearest railway station is at Karmali 11 km away from Panaji. Panaji is just half an hour's drive away from Calangute.

By Road

Calangute Beach is about ten minutes from Mapusa, and thirty minutes from the state capital, Panaji. There are frequent buses to Panaji and Mapusa from Calangute. Most buses from Panaji terminate at Calangute and a few trudge further on up to Baga. Mapusa is 8 km away from Calangute.

Accommodation

There are plenty of guesthouses and hotels in Calangute. One planning a longer stay should look out for 'To Let' signs, as there are plenty along the back lanes.

It isn't one of the best Goanese beaches There are hardly any palms, the sand is contaminated with red soil and the beach drops rapidly into the sea. There is, however, plenty going on, especially if you don't mind playing a minor role in this stage-managed parody of what travelling is meant to be about.