Calangute and Baga
Two beach towns on one 7 km shoreline
A Calangute and Baga beaches trip in Bardez, North Goa: a 7 km beach, Baga Creek, the 1741 St Alex Church and easy links to Fort Aguada and Old Goa.
Overview
Calangute's beach runs for about 7 km along the coast of Bardez taluka in North Goa district, and Baga, 2 km to the north, carries the same shoreline up to the mouth of Baga Creek. Together they are the most heavily visited pair of beach towns in this part of the state. The sea and the weather are at their most settled between November and February, and two to three days is enough for the sand, the church and a trip to the fort.
Calangute is a working town as well as a beach. It had 13,810 residents in 2011, and its main road carries banks, a post office, travel agencies and showrooms selling crafts from Kashmir, Rajasthan and further afield. The Church of St Alex stands in the village. The parish was set up in 1595, the present Baroque building went up in 1741, and its two towers were added in 1765. Inside are seven altars, with a pulpit from 1838.
Baga is named after the creek that empties into the sea at the north end of the beach. A retreat house sits on the hillside above, and the sand below is lined with shacks and fishing boats, narrowing at high tide. Water-sports operators here offer parasailing, jet skis and dolphin trips, and these activities run mainly from October to May. Because the two beaches blend into one another, most visitors pick a base in either town and walk or take a short taxi ride between them.
Panaji is roughly 13 to 15 km from Calangute and Mapusa about 8 km, and state buses connect both. Dabolim Airport lies about 39 km from Calangute by road and about 42 km from Baga, while Manohar International Airport at Mopa is about 30 km from Calangute and 28 km from Baga. Thivim, on the Konkan Railway, is the closest station, at about 20 km.
For a day away from the beach, Fort Aguada lies south beyond Candolim and Old Goa is a longer drive inland; both have their own pages, as do Anjuna and Vagator to the north. From June to September the monsoon brings heavy rain, and beach activities are generally unavailable.
Known for
About 7 km of sand, the largest in North Goa
Quick facts
Goa receives over 90 per cent of its annual rain from June to September, so the coast is driest and most settled from November to February.
Goa International Airport at Dabolim, about 39 km from Calangute and about 42 km from Baga; Manohar International Airport (Mopa), about 30 km from Calangute and 28 km from Baga
Thivim (Konkan Railway), about 20 km; Madgaon Junction (distance to be supplied)
About 8 km from Mapusa and 13 to 15 km from Panaji, with frequent state buses. Drive times from the airports (to be supplied).
Choose Calangute as a base if you want banks, a post office and shops on the main road, or Baga if you prefer to be next to the creek and the hillside
Plan Fort Aguada and Old Goa as day trips by road rather than moving hotels, since both are reached by road from either beach
Book ahead for Christmas, New Year and May, the busiest times for Calangute
Location
Packages that visit Calangute and Baga
All packages →Calangute-Baga and Anjuna Beach Stay
Calangute Anjuna beach stay in Goa: three nights split between Calangute-Baga and Anjuna's rocky cove, with a private car and Dabolim airport pick-up.
Calangute and Baga → AnjunaBeaches & Coastline
4D / 3NNorth Goa Beach Break at Calangute and Baga
A four-day private beach break at Calangute and Baga in North Goa, with a day trip to Fort Aguada and Old Goa and airport transfers from Dabolim.
Calangute and BagaBeaches & Coastline
5D / 4NGoa Beaches and Hampi Ruins
A Goa and Hampi tour package over five days: two nights on Calangute and Baga beaches, two among Hampi's ruins, with a private car and airport transfers.
Calangute and Baga → HampiBeaches & CoastlinePlan a trip to Calangute and Baga
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