An Insight Into The Vast Beaches Of Goa

Panaji: Miramar Beach, closest to the capital Panaji (3 km), is conveniently located in the heart of the state capital which is also why it is rather crowded and often dirty, though you can watch some spectacular sunsets, as the sun sets at the confluence of the River Mandovi as it flows into the Arabian Sea.

Dona Paula is a small, idyllic beach with the Dona Paula Beach Resort, and neighbouring Piranha cottages, 9 km southwest of Panaji. Though not very pretty, Caranzalem (between Miramar and Dona Paula) is quiet and safe for swimming, it has water scooters and other water sports facilities as there is no undercurrent. The Vaniguinim beach overlooks the Mormugao Bay but is accessible only from the Cidade de Goa Hotel.

North Goa:  The bustling market town of Mapusa is the biggest city/town of North Goa. While few people stay here or even stopover enroute to the beaches, Mapusa can be an interesting interlude. The entire coast from Fort Aguada all the way to Goa’s border with Maharashtra is a virtually unbroken 30 km stretch of beach, some rocky, hazardous and hidden in secluded coves and others that are long stretches of golden sand.

Calangute is the busiest resort in Goa and now the centre of the ‘package’ tourist trade and has a long beach of coarse golden sand but there is a dangerous undertow that restricts swimming time. There is plenty of accommodation available here and lots of fellow tourists for company.

Palm-fringed Sinquerim beach lies at the foot of Fort Aguada and is popular with tourist groups. So also is the nearby Candolim beach. All the beaches have beach umbrellas, loungers and plenty of shacks selling beer, feni and aerated drinks and freshly caught fish right out of the fisherman’s net. Some people feel there is a growing trend towards over-commercialisation and you may prefer to go further north to a more secluded area.

A little further north along the coast is crescent-shaped Baga, a more picturesque beach, with better swimming. This beach is popular for the various water sports - among them are parasailing, jet skiing, body boarding and even surfing, though the waves aren’t good enough for the professional surfers. Another hit amongst the tourists are the "dolphin rides" where a boat takes you out into the sea where one can see the lovely creatures gliding along the surface. The flea market at Baga has recently sprung up (Saturdays from around 4 pm), north of the tiny river that joins the sea, where you could strike some fancy bargains in Kashmiri and other Indian handicrafts.
Further north from Baga is the palm-fringed and safe, (though somewhat infamous) Anjuna beach, which still has  a little hangover of the ‘hippy’ culture of the 70s. However, don’t miss the Wednesday flea market, which Anjuna is famous for throughout Goa. It is a fascinating blend of Kashmiri and Tibetan traders, tribals from Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra, and local traders selling a delightful range of handicrafts from all across India.  Anjuna Beach

So you could pick up mirror-work from Rajasthan, exquisite embroidery from Kutch or woodcarvings from Kerala. Also available are a huge range of furnishings in psychedelic, glow in the dark fabric, along with a wide selection of the famous Goa "Trance" music. Another attraction of the flea market is the "Mehndi" or henna applications done by tribal women. These tribal women keep pace with contemporary tastes with very lifelike replication of a range of tattoos, made with a paste of henna leaves available in the green or black. These designs stay on for a good week before gradually fading off.
Vagator Beach  Travel a couple of kilometres onwards and you come to Vagator beach near Chapora fort. This is far more picturesque beach, empty and unspoilt as compared to the beaches close to Panaji and ideal for those in quest of a less commercialised atmosphere, greater seclusion and better swimming. Little Vagator, towards Anjuna, tends to be a bit more crowded.

If you are looking for peace and quiet, and don’t mind relatively basic amenities, then the place to head for would be Arambol (also called Harmal), far north near the border with Maharashtra. The stretches of soft white sand would be just what the doctor ordered for your peace of mind. It is also the paradise for the "Hippies", as there are regular "trance" parties and even "full moon" parties. During the latter, it is a popular custom to smoke weed and have crowded semi or fully naked mud baths! You could even walk on from there to Querim beach (pronounced ‘Keri’) lying closest to the Maharashtra border, for perfect peace but with barely any facilities or supplies available there, so you’d have to carry them. Equally peaceful and bereft of logistics are Mandrem (just south of Arambol) and Morgim (Morji), on the Chapora estuary and particularly great for bird watching. Mandrem is a lonely stretch of white sandy beach with one a couple of beach shacks, and is frequented mostly by tourists who want to get a full body tan, away from prying eyes of interested locals.