Seemingly not all that long ago, Calangute was the beach all self-respecting hippies headed for, especially around Christmas when psychedelic hell broke loose. If you enjoyed taking part in those mass pujas, with their endless half-baked discussions about `when the revolution comes’ and `the vibes, maaan’, then this was just the ticket. You could frolic around without a stitch on, be ever so cool and liberated, get totally out of your head on every conceivable variety of ganja from Timor to Tenochtitlan and completely disregard the feelings of the local inhabitants. Naturally, John Lennon or The Who were always about to turn up and give a free concert. Calangute’s heyday as the Mecca of all expatriate hippies has passed. The local people, who used to rent out rooms in their houses for a pittance, have moved on to more profitable things, and Calangute has undergone a metamorphosis to become the center of Goa’s rapidly expanding package-tourist market. 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 traveling is meant to be about. Try heading off the beaten track unless you need a bit of R ’n’ R to recover from life on the road, or want to mix it with the Simons and Sandras of this world who are visiting India to pep up their winter suntans. Baga, 10km west of Mapusa, is basically an extension of Calangute; not even the locals agree where one ends and the other begins. Lying in the lee of a rocky, wooded headland, the only difference is that the scenery here is marginally more varied and picturesque.
Access
Airways : Dabolim is the nearest air base. For details, see North Goa (Panaji)
Roadways : A number of buses operate between Panaji and Calangute. Some of them continue on to Baga. It costs around Rs 5 for a ride to Panaji as well as Mapusa. The travel time is approximately half an hour.
Taxi : From either of the two places, i.e. Calangute and Baga, to Panaji takes 20 minutes to cover the distance.
Boats : On certain days of week, boats leave for Anjuna flea market from the Baga Beach
Food
Britto’s : One of the largest running beach bars
Casa Portuguesa : Wild Boar is its specialty.
Lucky Star : Famous for its seafood.
Milky Way : For snacks and drink, viz. milk shakes, ice cream etc
J & A’s Little Italy : Famed for its Italian dishes. A pizza comes for RS 150-175, pasta dishes for RS 170-180, and a glass of liquor costs around RS 40 or more.
Pete’s Bar and Restaurant : Location, near Angela Guest House, enjoy few glasses of chilled beer and dishes commonly served in the region.
Shopping ( Baga & Calangute)
The area is flooded with Kashmiri traders selling carpets, embroideries plus original as well as reproduction of Tibetan and Rajasthani crafts work. Prices quoted are inflated. Go for bargain as much as possible.