Calangute Holidays
Calangute for great holidays
The former Portuguese colony of Calangute, in northern Goa, was once a quiet fishing village. Today, it is a popular destination for low cost, exotic all inclusive holidays.
Just a short distance from the Goan capital of Panaji, Calangute beach is known as 'Queen of Beaches', in deference to its beauty. In the 1960s, the hippies flocked here. Today the resort attracts everyone from white-haired pensioners, to young parents booking family breaks here for the first time.
Why book last minute breaks in Calangute?
The beaches are cleaner than many nowadays, and the hotel areas boast crystalline white sands and azure blue seas. Most hotels have a pool to swim in, and there are plenty of safe beaches for little ones. Not surprisingly, sunbathing is popular here, but there is much more than just sun and sand. The town bristles with shops and markets, where people revisit their hippified youth by buying hand-crafted jewellery and other trinkets, before dining at the local vegetarian restaurants.
All inclusive holidays are predominantly 3 star quality, although there are a small number of 4-star hotels with more facilities. Last minute breaks can also be booked at self-catering apartments and boutique hotels in the town, although Calangute can be noisy in the height of the season. The town has plenty of restaurants serving a variety of cuisines, with plenty of locally grown produce and Goan vegetarian dishes on offer.
What to do on family holidays in Calangute
If you are booking last minute breaks for winter sunshine, this is the place to find it. Our summer months are the monsoon period, so people tend to come here between November and February. Once you’ve arrived, you can swim in the hotel pool, dig sandcastles, or swim in the warm Arabian Sea.
There is a wide selection of water sports on offer, but don’t be tempted to go swimming or diving off the deserted beaches unless you know them well – some areas have dangerous undercurrents, though if you keep to the shallows you’ll be safe. The best beaches are in the Baga district, which is clean and friendly, with water sports and beachfront cafes. Along the road you will find laid-back bars which double as nightclubs after dark, and a variety of stalls selling souvenirs, textiles and Tibetan artefacts. It is customary to haggle – in fact the stall holders consider it an affront if you don’t!
We at Future Travel recommend our last minute breaks in Calangute, whether it’s your first time in Goa, or a return visit. Suitable for travellers of all ages, it offers everything you could want of exotic family breaks.