A mere 45 minute bus ride up the coast from the capital, Calangute is Goa's busiest and most commercialized resort, and the flagship of the state government's bid for a bigger slice of India's package-tourist pie. In the 1970s and early 1980s, this once peaceful fishing Village epitomized Goa's reputation as a haven for hedonistic hippies.

The Town And The Beach

The road from the town to the beach is lined with Kashmiri-run handicraft boutiques and Tibetan stalls selling Himalayan curios and jewellery. The quality of the goods - mainly Rajasthani, Gujarati and Karnatakan textiles - is generally high. Haggle hard and don't be afraid to walk away from a heavy sales pitch - the same stuff crops up every Wednesday at Anjuna's flea market.

The beach itself is nothing special, with steeply shelving sand, but is more than large enough to accommodate the huge numbers of high-season visitors.

To escape the hawkers, head fifteen minutes or so south of the main beachfront area, towards the rows of olf wooden boats moored below the dunes. In this virtually hawker-free zone, one'll only come across teams of villagers hauling in hand nets at high tide or fishermen fixing their tack under bamboo sun shakes.

HOW TO GET THERE

Road: Buses from Mapusa and Panjim pull in at the small bus stand cum Market Square in the centre of Calangute. Some continue to Baga, stopping at the crossroads behind the beach en route. Get off here if one can, as it's closer to most of the hotels.

PLACES TO STAY

Calangute is chock-full of places to stay. Demand only outstrips supply in the Christmas - New Year high season, and at Diwali. Most of the inexpensive accommodation consists of small rooms in family homes, or in concrete annexes tacked onto the backs of houses. The top hotels are nearly all gleaming white, exclusive villa complexes with pools, and direct beach access.

EATING OUT

Calangute's bars and restaurants are mainly grouped around the entrance to the beach and along the Baga road. As with most Goan resorts, the accent is firmly on seafood, though many places tack on a few token vegetarian dishes. Western breakfasts also feature prominently.

NIGHTLIFE IN CALANGUTE BEACH

Thanks to repeated crackdowns by the Goan police on parties and loud music, Calangute's nightlife is surprisingly tame. All but a handful of the bars wind up by 10.00 pm. One notable exception is Tito's at the Baga end of the beach, which stays open until 11.00 pm off-season and into the small hours in late December and January.