Calangute Beach

Calangute is the largest beach in north Goa and is known as the 'Queen of beaches'. Situated 15km from the capital city of Panaji, this expansive stretch of sand and water attracts tourist from all around the globe owing to its festive and entrancing environ.

Calangute is one of the busiest and the most commercialised beaches of Goa. Located between Candolim and Baga beach, it is a hub for tourists and backpackers from all over the world. The sound of pop beats and rock music in the air elevates the festive mood. The beach is also swarming with eating joints, shacks and clubs serving mixed drinks, beer and seafood making it a hot favourite among visitors. This flagship beach of Goa is also known for its water sports activities like parasailing, water surfing, banana ride and jet-skiing. Be sure to visit the Church of St. Alex while in Calangute.

Calangute is a town in North Goa, famous for its beach. The beach is the largest in North Goa and visited by thousands of domestic and international tourists alike. The peak tourist season is during Christmas and New Year, and during the summer in May. During the monsoon season, from June through September, the sea can be rough and swimming is prohibited. The beach offers water sport activities like parasailing and water skiing, among others.

As of the 2011 India census,Calangute had a population of 13,810. Males constituted 54% of the population and females 46%. Calangute had an average literacy rate of 73%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; male literacy was 78% and female literacy 67%. 10% of the population was under 6 years of age.

Holding the spectacular beauty and charm with all the frantic nightlife of an ocean paradise, Calangute is your way to heaven. Encircled by palm and coconut trees, the beach is spread four miles along the Arabian Sea and nine miles from the Panaji. Accompanied by Candolim village that wings it towards south and crossroads of Baga towards north, Calangute Beach forges the real attraction of Goa tourism. Here, the charms are multiplex like the exotic jewels hanging from the storefronts, local's warmth, or it could simply be the orphic sea-breezes that bring an imminent adventure. Due to its incredible beauty and serenity, it's known as the 'Queen of Beaches'.

It's among the top ten bathing beaches in all over the world, which remains crowded during daytime with tourists & locals. Calangute Beach is a perfect tourist retreat, filled with souvenir stalls, shacks and other stalls selling everything from beer, trinkets to pawns. All these simply add to the popularity of beach, making it a must-visit place. Huge showrooms with exquisite handicrafts from Tibet, Kasmir, Rajasthan, Indonesia and other striking places, queue the main road running towards Anjuna.

The beach showcases a distinctive Goan beach culture and assures a splendid time with loved ones. So, if you want an unstrained solitude, plan for Calangute beach holidays as it's a perfect destination for nature freaks and the glorious view of locales enfolding serene ambiance, mark the place as a dream destination for beach bums.

History

Once known as Kolongutt, this beach was renamed by the Portuguese and is now Calangute. The term 'Cal' refers to Goddess Kali who was revered by the local fishermen. Another possible origin of the name could be from the words 'Konvallo-Ghott' (pit of the coconut tree), since the village is surrounded by coconut trees.

Calangute way back in the sixties was full of Goan traditional houses, Goan Ancestral houses and Goan Portuguese houses. Hotels were far and few. Tourists had to stay in rented rooms within the huge palatial Goan houses or stay as paying guests with the whole Goan family. Even the courtyard and the balconies used to be occupied and full with the Hippies of the Sixties. During this pristine time the Beatles Band also discovered Goa to be a clean and green paradise and there is a record of them having visited Goa and having stayed at the Calangute beach of North Goa.

In the year 1312, Calangute came under the rule of the Mughals. In the year 1469, Bahami Sultans of Gulbarga took over the entire region of Goa. Adil Shah of Bijapur came into the scenario after the Sultans of Gulbarga. In the year 1510, the Portuguese invaders banished the entire kingdom of Adil Shah and set up their colony at Calangute. They ruled for a long time until the British annexed the entire coastal region of India. During the rule of the Portuguese and the Dutch in Calangute, large number of the local inhabitants converted their religion to Christianity. The native people of Calangute are highly influenced by the Portuguese culture and heritage.

Since India independence, Calangute is popularly known as the 'Queen of the Beaches'. It became one of the major places of hangout for the hippies. The "flower children" were the early inhabitants of this city after India was proclaimed independent. There are several historical museums in the city that have preserved ancient documents and scriptures, which tell the tale of Calangute's past.