Goa
A Day in Old Goa
Best Goa Beaches
Yoga in Its Homeland
Panaji
Sights & Activities
Eating & Drinking
Palolem
Sights & Activities
Eating
Drinking & Nightlife
Anjuna
Activities
Eating
Drinking & Nightlife
Goa
Pint-sized Goa is much more than beaches and trance parties. A kaleidoscopic blend of Indian and Portuguese cultures, sweetened with sun, sea, sand, seafood and spirituality, there's nowhere in India quite like it.
While Goa's biggest draw is undoubtedly its string of golden-sand beaches, each with its own personality, it also stands out for the charm of its Portuguese heritage; for the scents, spices and flavours of its tantalising cuisine; and as a spiritual sanctuary where options for yoga, t’ai chi, meditation and healing grow more bountiful each year.
Goa in Three Days
Spend day one in Goa's cultural heartland, Panaji and Old Goa, ideally staying in a quaint Panaji heritage hotel.
Then head down to Palolem and spend days two and three enjoying the palm-fringed sands, safe swimming and maybe a spot of yoga, spa pampering, kayaking, a cooking class or a silent headphone party.
Goa in Five Days
You might be so happy in Palolem you don't want to move on...but if you do, head up to North Goa's all-round best beach base, Anjuna, where something of the old hippie vibe lingers but there are also plenty of daytime activities for day four and five: a good yoga scene, happening nightclubs and a good range of budget and midrange accommodation.
Arriving in Goa
Dabolim Airport Domestic flights, plus international charter flights (November to March); prepaid taxi booth to all Goan destinations.
Madgaon Railway Station, Margao Main stop on Mumbai-to-Mangaluru line; prepaid taxi booth to all Goan destinations.
Karmali Railway Station, Old Goa Closest station to Panaji.
Buses from Mumbai and other cities run to Panaji, Margao (Madgaon) and Mapusa.
Sleeping
Goa’s accommodation ranges from basic beach huts, hostels and budget guesthouses, found at a great many beaches and in Panaji; through midrange hotels and guesthouses (everywhere); to charming boutique and heritage havens (in Panaji and scattered around elsewhere); and opulent five-star beachfront resorts, many of which are clustered along the northern part of the southern coast, especially in the Varca-Cavelossim-Mobor stretch.
TOP EXPERIENCE
A Day in Old Goa
The 17th-century Portuguese capital of Old Goa once rivalled Lisbon and London in size and importance. Today all that remains is a handful of amazingly well-preserved churches and cathedrals – but what a handful!
Great For…
yDon't Miss
The 'incorrupt' body of St Francis Xavier in the Basilica of Bom Jesus.
8Need to Know
Frequent buses to Old Goa (₹10, 25 minutes) leave from Panaji's Kadamba bus stand; a return taxi is around ₹400.
5Take a Break
A string of little tourist restaurants near the bus stop offers snacks, chai and thalis (traditional ‘all-you-can-eat’ plate meal).
oTop
Tip
Old Goa can get crowded with visitors: consider coming on a weekday morning.
From the 16th to the 18th centuries Goa’s former capital was considered the ‘Rome of the East’. You can still sense that grandeur today. Old Goa's rise under the Portuguese, from 1510, was meteoric, but cholera and malaria forced its abandonment in the 17th century.
Basilica of Bom Jesus
Famous throughout the Roman Catholic world,
the imposing late-Renaissance style Basilica of Bom Jesus (
GOOGLE MAP ; 
h7.30am-6.30pm), built between 1594 and 1605, contains
the tomb and mortal remains of St Francis Xavier, the so-called
Apostle of the Indies. St Francis Xavier’s missionary voyages
throughout the East became legendary. His ‘incorrupt’ body is in
the mausoleum to the right of the altar, in a glass-sided coffin
amid a shower of gilt stars.
Sé Cathedral
Over 76m long and 55m wide, the cavernous
Sé Cathedral (
GOOGLE MAP ; h9am-6pm; Mass
7am & 6pm Mon-Sat, 7.15am, 10am & 4pm
Sun) is the largest
church in Asia. Building lasted from 1562 to the 1650s. Its rather
lopsided look results from the loss of one bell tower to lightning
in 1776. The remaining tower houses the famous Sino de Ouro (Golden
Bell), the largest in Asia.
The interior is surprisingly plain, apart from the huge gilded reredos (ornamental screen), above the main altar, and some of the side chapels – notably the gorgeously gilded and decorated Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament.
Church of St Cajetan
This impressive church (
GOOGLE MAP ; h9am-5.30pm) was built by Italian friars sent to
preach Christianity in the kingdom of Golconda (near Hyderabad).
The friars were refused entry to Golconda, so they settled instead
at Old Goa in 1640. This is the only domed church remaining in
Goa.
Church of St Francis of Assisi
West of the Sé Cathedral, the Church of St Francis of Assisi (
GOOGLE MAP ; h9am-5pm) is no longer used for worship, and
consequently exudes a more mournful air than its neighbours. It
dates from 1661, with the ornate Manueline-style doorway of an
earlier church on the site incorporated into the much plainer new
facade.
The interior, though now rather ragged and faded, is nevertheless beautiful, in a particularly ‘folk art’ type style.
TOP EXPERIENCE
Best Goa Beaches
With more than 100km of sand-fringed coastline, Goa's beaches can exude the feel of a tropical island. Each spot has a different character. The question is: which beach?
Great For…
yDon't Miss
Goan sunsets – visible from all of Goa's beaches!
8Need to Know
Best weather and peak tourist season: November to March. Most tourist businesses close May to September.
5Take a Break
Goa's hundreds of winter-season beach shacks are the perfect spots to eat, drink and chill.
oTop
Tip
Take a little time out from 'your' beach to explore others, and nearby villages and countryside.
Deciding which Goan beach to visit isn't just a matter of the aesthetics of sand and sea: it's about choosing the beach community that suits your style of travel and sense of place. The villages and resorts vary in character, depending on the types of people who congregate there, the standards of accommodation, restaurants and nightlife and the activities on offer.
Locating the perfect beach is the secret to making the most of your stay. It could be backpacker-filled beach huts, five-star luxury, yoga shalas or the party crowd. Goa is small so you can easily jump on a scooter or in a taxi and explore.
Swimming & Water Sports
Most of Goa's main beaches offer water sports in season – parasailing, jet skis and speedboat rides. Swimming is safest at patrolled beaches.
oPalolem Calm waters offer the safest ocean swimming in Goa. Also the best place for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding.
oCalangute & Candolim Several water-sports operators offer a full range of activities on Goa's busiest beach strip. Also has scuba-diving outfits.
oArambol Another relatively gentle beach for swimming, with a surf club and paragliding.
oColva & Benaulim Not as busy as Calangute but all of the adrenalin sports are on offer at respective beach entrances; Colva is popular with domestic tourists.
oAswem A good choice mainly for its excellent surfing and kite-surfing school and kayaking on the river.
Family Fun
Families will find a lot to like about Goa's beaches.
oVagator Rock pools and calm waters make Vagator's three pretty little bays excellent for kids. Food and drink vendors gather at the beach entrance. Good for day trips.
oPalolem One of the best all-round beaches for families with plenty of activities, safe swimming and beach-facing huts.
oPatnem Similar to Palolem but smaller and quieter, Patnem is very family-friendly with a large expat community, and schools and kindergartens nearby.
oArambol A popular beach with long-staying families, Arambol has a relaxed backpacker vibe, good budget accommodation and relatively safe waters.
Safe Swimming
One of the most deceptive dangers in Goa is to be found right in front of you. The Arabian Sea, with its strong currents, often steeply shelving sands and dangerous undertows, claims lives each year. Goa's main beaches are patrolled by lifeguards during 'swimming season' (November to March). Be vigilant with children, avoid swimming after drinking alcohol and don't even consider swimming during the monsoon.
Partying & Drinking
Goa loves to party and there's a liberal attitude to drinking, but it's not quite Ibiza on the subcontinent. The all-night trance parties on beaches and in coconut groves are largely consigned to history but EDM (electronic dance music) parties, raves, dance festivals and nightclubs still happen in season.
oAnjuna Late-night parties are legendary at Anjuna's southern beach shacks, especially popular Curlies.
oBaga Tito's Lane is the place of choice for many young Indians on a weekend away from their IT jobs, as well as package tourists staying in the area.
oVagator Some traces of Goa trance and hippie heyday remain in Vagator and Chapora.
oCandolim Two of Goa's most upmarket nightclubs are found here, along with busy bar-restaurants along Fort Aguada Rd.
oPalolem Silent headphone parties happen most nights and the huge Leopard Valley dance club is nearby.
Backpackers & Budget Travellers
oArambol Huts and rooms along the clifftop path remain some of the cheapest in Goa, making this popular with backpackers.
oAnjuna A wide range of accommodation, two backpacker hostels, good cafes and plenty of bikes to rent for commuting to neighbouring beaches.
oVagator & Chapora Picturesque beach, cool fort; these laid-back villages attract budget travellers who like to chill and party.
oPalolem & Patnem There's a hut to suit all tastes and budgets here, along with a genuine traveller vibe.
Five-Star Treatment
Goa has more five-star resorts and boutique hotels per square kilometre than anywhere else in India. Even if you're not staying, you can almost always book a table at a fancy in-house restaurant or an afternoon at a spa, or even pay to use the pool.
oVarca, Cavelossim & Mobor South Goa's five-star strip includes the Leela, Holiday Inn and Radisson Blu.
oCandolim & Sinquerim Two sprawling Taj Vivanta resorts plus some fine boutique hotels such as Aashyana Lakhanpal.
oMandrem & Aswem The high standard of beach-hut operations has turned Mandrem and Aswem into one of the classiest beach strips in the north.
Beach Huts
oPalolem Where the beach-hut craze really took off – Palolem still has some of the best in Goa.
oAgonda Beach hut design is taken to another level at some of Agonda's mini-resorts.
oPatnem A smaller version of Palolem with some nice, laid-back hut villages.
oMandrem Fabulous hut resorts connected to the beach by bamboo bridges make Mandrem a popular choice.
oArambol Backpacker-friendly Arambol has a string of beach-facing huts on the main strip.
TOP EXPERIENCE
Yoga in Its Homeland
India is regarded as the birthplace of yoga and there are few better places than Goa to downward dog or salute to the sun.
Great For…
yDon't Miss
The chance to learn or practise yoga in the land of its birth.
8Need to Know
Good drop-in classes generally cost between ₹300 and ₹700.
5Take a Break
Seek out 'pure veg' food if you're looking to extend your yogic balance into vegan eating.
oTop
Tip
A good style for beginners is hatha yoga, focused on breathing and gentle stretching.
Yoga Season
Yoga centres and retreats are open, and courses in full swing, from mid-November to early April. A handful of smaller classes operate year-round.
Palolem, Agonda and Patnem in south Goa, and Arambol, Mandrem, Anjuna and Assagao in the north, are particularly great places to take classes or longer courses. At most beach centres you’ll find no shortage of classes.
Teachers and practitioners are largely an ever-changing parade of foreign or Indian teachers who set up shop in Goa when the monsoon subsides.
Which Yoga Class?
oAshtanga Often referred to as ‘power yoga’, active and physically demanding, good for some serious toning.
oHatha Covers a gamut of styles, but generally refers to yoga focused on breath work (pranayama), and slow, gentle stretching, making it good for beginners.
oIyengar Slow and steady, often using ‘props’ in the form of blocks, balls and straps.
oKundalini Aims to free the base of the spine, to unleash energy hidden there, and usually involves lots of core, spine and sitting work.
oVinyasa An active, fluid series of changing poses characterises Vinyasa, also called ‘flow yoga’.
Yoga Centres
Respected options for yoga classes, courses, retreats and teacher certification are scattered across Goa. Many hotels and resorts also offer classes.
oBamboo Yoga Retreat (
GOOGLE MAP ; 
%9637567730; www.bamboo-yoga-retreat.com;
s/d from
₹6500/10,000; 
W),
Patnem
oBrahmani Yoga, Anjuna
oHimalayan Iyengar Yoga Centre (
GOOGLE MAP ; www.hiyogacentre.com;
Madhlo Vaddo; 5-day yoga
course ₹4000; h9am-6pm
Tue-Sun Nov-Mar),
Arambol
oPurple Valley Yoga Retreat (
GOOGLE MAP ; %0832-2268363; www.yogagoa.com; 142 Bairo
Alto; dm/s one week from £690/820, two weeks
£1100/1350), Assagao
oLove the Green Retreat (%07507715975; www.lovethegreenretreat.com;
Sadolxem Village; yoga classes
₹500; h9.30am &
4pm Mon-Fri), Patnem
oSwan Yoga Retreat (
GOOGLE MAP ; %0832-2268024,
8007360677; www.swan-yoga-goa.com;
drop-in classes ₹350, one week from
₹23,300), Assagao
oYoga Magic (
GOOGLE MAP ;
%0832-6523796; www.yogamagic.net; Mapusa-Chapora Rd, Anjuna; lodge s/d
₹6750/9000, ste ₹9000/12,000), Anjuna
oBhakti Kutir (
GOOGLE MAP ;
%0832-2643469,
9823627258; www.bhaktikutir.com;
Colomb Bay; cottage
₹2200-3500; 
i),
Palolem
Panaji
Central Goa is the state’s historic and cultural heart and soul. No visit to Goa is really complete without visiting the Latin Quarter (Fontainhas, Sao Tomé and Mala) in the laid-back state capital, Panaji, or the state's major cultural attraction, Old Goa.
Panaji (Panjim)
1Sights & Activities
Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate ConceptionChurch
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Emilio
Gracia & Jose Falcao Rds; h10am-12.30pm
& 3-5.30pm Mon-Sat, 11am-12.30pm & 3.30-5pm Sun, English
Mass 8am daily)
Panaji’s spiritual, as well as geographical, centre is this elevated, pearly white church, built in 1619 over an older, smaller 1540 chapel, and stacked like a fancy white wedding cake. When Panaji was little more than a sleepy fishing village, this church was the first port of call for sailors from Lisbon, who would give thanks for a safe crossing, before continuing to Ela (Old Goa) further east up the river. The church is beautifully illuminated at night.
Fontainhas & Sao ToméArea
The oldest, and by far the most atmospheric, Portuguese-flavoured districts of Panaji are squeezed between the hillside of Altinho and the banks of Ourem Creek, and make for attractive wandering with their narrow streets, overhanging balconies and quaint air of Mediterranean yesteryear.
Altinho HillArea
( MAP GOOGLE MAP )
On the hillside above Panaji is the well-to-do residential district of Altinho. Apart from good views over the city and river, the main attraction here is the Bishop’s Palace, an imposing building completed in 1893.
5Eating & Drinking
A stroll down 18th June or 31st January Rds will turn up a number of cheap but tasty canteen-style options, many of them pure veg. The Latin Quarter has a developing foodie scene.
Viva PanjimGoan$$
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP ; %0832-2422405; 31st January
Rd; mains ₹130-220; h11.30am-3.30pm & 7-11pm Mon-Sat, 7-11pm
Sun)
Well known to tourists, this little side-street eatery, in an old Portuguese house and with a few tables out on the laneway, still delivers tasty Goan classics at reasonable prices. There’s a whole page devoted to pork dishes, along with tasty xacuti and cafreal-style dishes, seafood such as kingfish vindaloo and crab xec xec, and desserts such as bebinca (richly layered Goan dessert made from egg yolk and coconut).
Cafe BodegaCafe$$
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP ;
%0832-2421315; Altinho; mains
₹140-340; h10am-7pm
Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm Sun;
W)
It’s well worth a trip up to Altinho Hill to visit this serene cafe-gallery in a lavender-and-white Portuguese mansion in the grounds of Sunaparanta Centre for the Arts. Enjoy good coffee, juices and fresh-baked cakes around the inner courtyard or lunch on super pizzas and sandwiches.
Black Sheep BistroEuropean$$$
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP ; %0832-2222901; www.blacksheepbistro.in;
Swami Vivekanand Rd; tapas
₹190-280, mains ₹320-650; hnoon-4pm
& 7-10.45pm)
Among the best of Panaji's burgeoning boutique restaurants, Black Sheep’s impressive pale-yellow facade gives way to a sexy dark-wood bar and loungey dining room. The tapas dishes are light, fresh and expertly prepared in keeping with their farm-to-table philosophy. Salads, pasta, seafood and dishes like lamb osso bucco grace the menu, while an internationally trained sommelier matches food to wine.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Dabolim Airport
(DABOLIM, Goa International
Airport; %0832-2540806) is around 30km south of Panaji. From the
airport, the prepaid taxi fare is ₹870 (₹920 for AC). There are no
direct buses, though some higher-end hotels offer a minibus
service.
Bus
All local buses depart from Panaji’s
Kadamba bus stand (
GOOGLE MAP ; %interstate
0832-2438035, local 0832-2438034; www.goakadamba.com;
hreservations
8am-8pm), with frequent
services heading out every few minutes, including to Mapusa (₹30,
30 minutes) in the north and Margao (₹30, 45 minutes) to the south.
For the beaches in South Goa including Palolem, take an express bus
to Margao and change there; for Anjuna and other beaches north of
Baga, head to Mapusa and change there.
State-run long-distance services also depart
from the Kadamba bus stand, but private operators, such as reliable
Paulo Travels (
GOOGLE MAP ; %0832-2438531; www.paulobus.com; G1, Kardozo
Bldg), offer greater
choice in type of bus and departure times, for similar fares. Many
private operators have booths outside the bus stand entrance, but
their buses mostly depart from the interstate bus
stand across the highway next to the New Patto Bridge.
Train
The closest station to Panaji is Karmali (Old
Goa), 12km east. A number of long-distance trains stop here,
including services to and from Mumbai, and many trains coming from
Margao also stop here – but check in advance. Panaji’s Konkan Railway Reservation Office (
GOOGLE MAP ; %0832-2712940; www.konkanrailway.com;
h8am-8pm
Mon-Sat) is on the 1st
floor of the Kadamba bus stand – not at the train station.
Palolem
Palolem is undoubtedly one of Goa’s most postcard-perfect beaches: a gentle curve of palm-fringed sand facing a calm bay. In season the beachfront is transformed into a toy-town of colourful and increasingly sophisticated timber and bamboo huts fronted by palm-thatch restaurants. It’s still a great place to be and is popular with backpackers, long-stayers and families. The protected bay is one of the safest swimming spots in Goa and you can comfortably kayak and paddleboard for hours here.
1Sights & Activities
Butterfly BeachBeach
( GOOGLE MAP ; from ₹1700)
Hire a local boatman from Palolem Beach to ferry you up to Butterfly Beach and back, relishing the views of untouched coastline along the way.
Tanshikar Spice FarmFood & Drink
(%0832-2608358,
9421184114; www.tanshikarspicefarm.com;
Netravali; tour incl
lunch ₹500; h10am-4pm)
Tanshikar Spice Farm is a working, family-run organic spice farm with crops including vanilla, cashews, pepper, nutmeg and chillies, as well as beekeeping. There are no tour buses out here and the amiable young owners give a personalised tour of the plantation and nearby bubble lake. They can also offer guided jungle treks to nearby waterfalls.
Rahul’s Cooking ClassCooking
(
GOOGLE MAP ; %07875990647; www.rahulcookingclass.com;
Palolem Beach Rd; per person
₹1500; h11am-2pm
& 6-9pm)
Rahul’s is one of the original cooking schools, with three-hour morning and afternoon classes each day. Prepare five dishes including chapati and coconut curry. Minimum two people; book at least one day in advance.
Humming Bird SpaSpa
( GOOGLE MAP ; Ciaran’s; 1hr massage from ₹1900)
For sheer pampering, Palolem’s best all-round spa is at Ciaran’s. Choose from ayurvedic, Swedish, Balinese, Thai or aroma massage, waxing or even a full-body chocolate wrap.
5Eating
In season every hut operation lining the beach has its own restaurant, often with tables and umbrellas on the sand. They all serve fresh seafood, so just check a few and find the ambience that suits.
Space GoaCafe$$
(
GOOGLE MAP ;
%80063283333; www.thespacegoa.com;
mains ₹150-280; h8.30am-5.30pm; W)
On the Agonda road, Space Goa combines an excellent organic whole-food cafe with a gourmet deli, craft shop and a wellness centre offering meditation, ayurvedic treatments and zen cosmic healing. The food is fresh and delicious, with fabulous salads, paninis and meze, and the desserts – such as chocolate beetroot cake – are divine. Drop-in morning yoga classes are ₹500.
Magic ItalyItalian$$
(
GOOGLE MAP ;
%8805767705; Palolem
Beach Rd; mains ₹260-480; h5pm-midnight)
On the main beach road, Magic Italy has been around for a while and the quality of its pizza and pasta remains high, with imported Italian ingredients like ham, salami, cheese and olive oil, imaginative wood-fired pizzas and homemade pasta. Sit at tables, or Arabian-style on floor cushions. The atmosphere is busy but chilled.
Ourem 88Fusion$$$
(
GOOGLE MAP ;
%8698827679; mains
₹540-750; h6-10pm
Tue-Sun)
British-run Ourem 88 is a gastro sensation with just a handful of tables and a small but masterful menu. Try baked brie, tender calamari stuffed with Goan sausage, braised lamb shank or fluffy souffle. Worth a splurge.
6Drinking & Nightlife
Palolem doesn’t party like the northern beaches but it’s certainly not devoid of nightlife. Some of the beach bars stay open 24 hours in season and there are silent headphone parties four nights a week.
Leopard ValleyClub
(
GOOGLE MAP ; www.leopardvalley.com;
Palolem-Agonda Rd; entry from
₹600; h9pm-4am
Fri)
South Goa’s biggest outdoor dance club is a sight (and sound) to behold, with 3D laser light shows, pyrotechnics and state-of-the-art sound systems blasting local and international DJs on Friday nights.
Silent Discos
Neatly sidestepping Goa’s statewide ban on loud music in open spaces after 10pm, Palolem’s 'silent parties’ are the way to dance the night away without upsetting the neighbours.
Turn up around 10pm, don your headphones with a choice of two or three channels featuring Goan and international DJs playing trance, house, hip hop, electro and funk, and then party the night away in inner bliss but outer silence.
Silent Noise
(
GOOGLE MAP ;
www.silentnoise.in;
On the Rocks; cover charge
₹600; h9pm-4am Sat
Nov-Apr)
Neptune Point Headphone
Disco (
GOOGLE MAP ; www.neptunepoint.com;
Neptune’s Point, Colomb
Bay; cover charge ₹600; h9.30am-4am
Sat Nov-Apr)
8Getting There & Away
Hourly buses run to Margao (₹40, one hour) from the bus stop ( GOOGLE MAP ) on the corner of the road down to the beach. At Margao you can change for Panaji.
The closest train station is Canacona, 2km from Palolem’s beach entrance. A taxi to Dabolim Airport is around ₹1500.
Anjuna
Good old Anjuna has been a stalwart of the hippie scene since the 1960s and continues to pull in droves of backpackers – but midrange and domestic tourists are increasingly making their way here for a dose of hippie-chic. Anjuna continues to evolve, with a heady beach party scene and a flowering of new restaurants and bars. Unless you're drawn to the thumping nightclubs and wall-to-wall drinking of the Calangute-Baga package-holiday party strip, this is North Goa's all-round best beach base, with plenty of daytime activities, a good yoga scene shared with nearby Assagao and Vagator, plus happening nightclubs of its own and a famous Wednesday market.
The village is spread over a wide area. Do as most do: hire a scooter or motorbike and explore the back lanes and southern beach area and you’ll find a place that suits. Anjuna will grow on you.
2Activities
Anjuna’s charismatic, narrow beach runs for almost 2km from the rocky, low-slung cliffs at the northern village area right down beyond the flea market in the south. In season there are water sports here, including jet-skis (₹400), banana boats (₹1000 for four people) and parasailing (₹700).
Lots of yoga, ayurveda and other alternative therapies and regimes are on offer in season; look out for noticeboards at popular cafes such as Artjuna Cafe.
Brahmani YogaYoga
(
GOOGLE MAP ; %9545620578; www.brahmaniyoga.com;
Tito’s White House, Aguada-Siolim
Rd; class ₹700, 10-class pass ₹5000; hclasses
9.30am)
This friendly drop-in centre offers daily classes from late November to April in ashtanga, vinyasa, hatha and dynamic yoga, as well as pranayama meditation. No need to book: just turn up 15 minutes before the beginning of class.
Anjuna Flea Market
Anjuna’s weekly Wednesday flea market (
GOOGLE MAP ; h8am-late Wed,
Nov-Apr) is as much part
of the Goan experience as a day on the beach. More than three
decades ago, it was conceived and created by hippies smoking jumbo
joints, convening to compare experiences on the heady Indian
circuit and selling jeans or handmade jewellery to help fund their
stay.
Nowadays things are far more mainstream and the merchandise comes from all over India: sculptures and jewellery courtesy of Tibetan and Kashmiri traders; colourful saris, bags and bedspreads from Rajasthan; spices from Kerala; and the hard-to-miss tribal girls from Karnataka pleading passers-by to ‘come look in my shop'. Weaving in among this are the remaining hippies, backpackers and weekenders from Mumbai.
Such purchasing power has pushed prices up but you can still find bargains. The market sprawls back from the beach to the entrance road in the paddy fields. For a rest from shopping there are chai stalls and a couple of restaurant-bars: Cafe Looda has a fabulous sunset beachfront location and live music from 5pm.
The best time to visit is early (from 8am) or late afternoon (around 4pm till close just after sunset). The market operates from around mid-November till the end of April. Watch out for pickpockets.
5Eating
Anjuna has a good range of eating options, from clifftop restaurant-bars and cafes hidden in the back lanes to the big beachfront places near the market site. New places are popping up all the time, keeping things fresh.
Artjuna CafeCafe$$
(
GOOGLE MAP ;
%0832-2274794; www.artjuna.com; Market
Rd; mains ₹130-350; h8am-10.30pm; W)
Artjuna is right up there with our favourite cafes in Anjuna. Along with all-day breakfast, outstanding espresso coffee, salads, sandwiches and Middle Eastern surprises like baba ganoush, tahini and felafel, this sweet garden cafe has an excellent craft and lifestyle shop, yoga classes and a useful noticeboard. Great meeting place.
Burger FactoryBurgers$$
(
GOOGLE MAP ; Anjuna-Mapusa Rd; burgers
₹300-450; h11.30am-3.30pm & 6.30-10.30pm
Thu-Tue)
There’s no mistaking what’s on offer at this little alfresco diner/kitchen. The straightforward menu of burgers isn't cheap, but they are interesting and expertly crafted. Choose between beef or chicken burgers and toppings such as cheddar or beetroot and aioli.
Elephant Art CafeBeach Cafe$$
(
GOOGLE MAP ; mains
₹190-370; h8am-10pm; W)
A standout among the restaurants lining the beach, Elephant Art Cafe does a great range of tapas, sandwiches, fish and chips and speciality breakfasts.
6Drinking & Nightlife
Anjuna vies with Vagator as the trance party capital of Goa and the southern end of the beach has several nightclubs that are the most happening places in North Goa when the night is right. Market day is always fun, with live music at one or both of the two bars there.
Purple MartiniCocktail Bar
(
GOOGLE MAP ; %9823772890; Sunset
Point; h9pm-midnight)
The clifftop sunset views, blue-and-white colour scheme and swanky bar at this beautifully situated restaurant-bar could easily transport you to Santorini. Come for a sundowner cocktail and check out the menu of Greek kebabs and Mediterranean salads.
CurliesBar
(
GOOGLE MAP ;
www.curliesgoa.com;
h9am-3am)
Holding sway at South Anjuna Beach, Curlies mixes laid-back beach-bar vibe with sophisticated night spot – the party nights here are notorious and loud. There’s a rooftop lounge bar and an enclosed late-night dance club. Thursday and Saturday are big nights, as are full moon nights.
8Getting There & Away
Buses to Mapusa (₹15, 30 minutes) depart every half-hour or so from the main bus stand ( GOOGLE MAP ) at the end of the Anjuna-Mapusa Road near the beach.
Plenty of motorcycle taxis and autorickshaws gather at the main crossroads and you can also easily hire scooters and motorcycles here from ₹250 to ₹400 – most Anjuna-based travellers get around on two wheels.
Where to Stay
oPanaji Has some of Goa's better midrange boutique and heritage hotels and guesthouses, mostly in the Fontainhas area. Fontainhas also has budget guesthouses and a hostel.
oPalolem Most accommodation is of the seasonal beach-hut variety. It’s still possible to find a basic palm-thatch hut or plywood cottage somewhere near the beach for as little as ₹800, but many huts these days are more thoughtfully designed – the very best have air-con, flat-screen TV and sea-facing balcony.
oAnjuna Has a good range of budget and midrange accommodation spread over a wide area. Dozens of basic rooms are strung along the northern clifftop, while pricier places front the main beach. Plenty of small, family-run guesthouses are also tucked back from the main beach strip, offering nicer double rooms for a similar price; look for ‘rooms to let’ or ‘house to let’ signs.