Beaches in Goa

GOA CALANGUTE BEACH

Goa Calangute beach is also called the 'Queen of Beaches' because the beauty you at find Calangute beach in Goa cannot be found elsewhere. Under the shade of palm trees, bathes the Queen of Beaches-Calangute.

Goa's 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. 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.

Goa Calangute beach is a haven for the hippies. It was the hippies who discovered this beach in the late 60s. The exquisite beauty of the Calangute beach in India's Goa soon spread around, bringing hordes of European tourists. And this trend has still been continuing…tourists come down to this small Indian state of Goa searching for this lovely beach. Once you reach Calangute beach in Goa, then you can spend your vacation soaked in the serenity of the sea, sun and sand. Goa Calangute beach is often crowded with people, children 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. 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.

Let down your hair and simply allow the Goa Calangute beach to embrace you in its bewitching beauty. Laze around in the sand, get yourself a beautiful tan whistle feasting on fresh seafood and feni while at Calangute beach in Goa. Other places worth visiting are the Church of St alex and the Kerkar Art complex.

Apart form the beach, there is the Church of St Alex which is a must-see. Church of St Alex, with its two towers and a magnificent dome displays the beauty of the architectural style and ornate altars. In 1996, Calangute celebrated the fourth centenary of its parish church.

The Kerkar Art Complex in this Indian State of Goa is quite special and 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, you can be audience to connoisseurs of Indian classical music and dance.

If you are looking for easy, fast comfortable transportation modes to travel to India's Goa, you have a few options to go for the ride. Calangute beach is a mere thirty minutes bus ride up the coast from the capital, Panaji and is about ten minutes from Mapusa. 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.

The nearest airport is at Dabolim, which is 29 km away from Panaji. The nearest railway station is at Karmali 11 km away from Panaji. Panaji is just half an hour's drive away from Calangute. Private transportation facilities - deluxe, semi-deluxe and ordinary - are also available offering a smooth and hassle free vacations in Goa.