Affectionately called the ‘Queen of the Beaches’, Calangute Beach is undoubtedly the most visited one in North Goa. The beach came into limelight in the 1960s with the arrival of Hippie culture and today it is thronged by tourists from all over the world. Water sports like banana boat riding, parasailing, jet skiing and swimming are among the top highlights. There are many beach shacks where one can relax, take sun bath and enjoy delicious seafood.
Late night beach parties are quite common at Calangute Beach. Open markets near to the beach sell clothes and a variety of trinkets at low prices. You can also hire a scooter to access sister beaches of Calangute, the two popular ones being Arjuna and Baga. There are many popular restaurants and bars along the coastline to enjoy at.
Warnings
Sea can be rough during monsoons and activities like swimming are prohibited.
Connectivites
Road:
The nearest bus station is at Mapusa which is about 9 km. away from the beach. Mapusa is well-connected to the rest of Goa by road and one can opt for local transport buses, ST buses or private transport to access it. From Mapusa, one can get a scooter on rent or hire an auto-rickshaw or taxi to reach the beach.
Railway:
Among the numerous railway stations in Goa, Thivim is the closest to the beach (about 19 km. away). Two other nearby railway stations are Pernem (about 24 km. away) and Karmali (about 25 km. away).
Airway:
Dabolim Airport (also called Goa International Airport) is located about 41 km. away from the beach. Flights operate to and from Indian cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Hyderabad and international locations like Moscow, Munich, Sharjah, Doha and Manchester.