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Calangute Beach © Os Rúpias

Overview
Once a peaceful fishing village - and then a haven for hedonistic hippies - Calangute is now Goa's busiest and most commercialised holiday resort, a 45-minute bus ride north of the capital, Panaji. 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, but haggle hard and don't be afraid to walk away (the same stuff will crop up again and again). The Calangute beach is nothing special, but is more than large enough to accommodate the huge numbers of holiday visitors. To escape the hawkers, visitors should head fifteen minutes or so south of the main beachfront area, towards the rows of old wooden boats moored below the dunes. There, teams of villagers haul in their nets at high tide, and fishermen will be seen fixing their tack under bamboo shacks. Calangute's bars and restaurants are mainly grouped around the entrance to the beach, and along Baga Road. As with most Goan resorts, the accent is firmly on seafood, though many places also offer vegetarian dishes, and western breakfasts feature prominently. Thanks to repeated crackdowns by the Goan police on parties and loud music, Calangute's nightlife is surprisingly tame, with most bars closing by 10pm. A notable exception is Tito's at the Baga end of the beach, and Pete's Bar, a hippie hangout that offers affordable drinks, backgammon sets and relentless reggae until the early hours.



Restaurants
Calangute has a mouthwatering selection of restaurants to choose from. A staunch favourite is Le Jardin, which is great for a quick snack or a large meal. Try their Greek meze platter or the grilled fillet of fish, served with a delicious coriander sauce. Their fish and chips with mushy peas is a hit with British tourists. I95 is a hidden gem found in Calangute, and a great place for family dining. Their beef wellington will have you back for more, while the 'sweets menu' is exceptional.

Nightlife
Apart from Pete's and Tito's, there are a number of bars that stay open until 10pm. Bob's Inn and Angela P. Fernandes are two places that serve great drinks and can be trusted to stay open for a few hours once the sun has set.