Goa Beaches - Anjuna Beach

The Anjuna beach has been the capital of fun in the sea of Goan beaches. Some around the world like to call it the freak capital of Goa  and there i s a reason to that kind of a connotation. It has claimed attention for its trance parties and the hippies who tried to blend the spiritual traditions the art, thoughts , ideas and visions of the East with the music of the West gave it a certain identity. Goa’s Anjuna beach is a just right refuge for all tourists and you will come across some of them who have been staying on this beach for extended periods owing to the magnetism of Anjuna.

About Anjuna

A virgin strip of land, the Anjuna beach was 'discovered' sometime in 1950's and 60's by a group of travellers and then they began to meet here in the dry season to party. It was therefore referred to as the hippie destination and was most loved by hippies and made famous by them in the sixties. Anjuna draws a horde of tourists year after year owing to its natural beauty with young and old folks making this place their unmistakable haunt in their itinerary of the Goan holiday.

The big beach that it is, Anjuna is broadly divided into three sections. The north, south and the middle beach of Anjuna. The middle portion hosts the flea market while the north is the abode of most of the hotels and resorts, the bars and the restaurants while the south is known as the Little Anjuna. Anjuna is very electric and the people who visit this place get infectious with the mood of Anjuna

Anjuna is dotted by red laterite cliffs of an olden Portuguese era and is blessed with clean white sand. An abode of thickly populated coconut palms amidst the windy breeze and the aroma of the beach filling you up, as one wanders in the soft white sand , Anjuna simply instills a glorious sense of a holiday inside the unsuspecting visitor to this great place.

Anjuna is often called the birth place and home of trance music and electronic dance music  by many famous DJ's, including "Above & beyond", who even named their record label AnjunaBeats.

The village of Anjuna is considered to be one of the twelve Brahmin communidades of Bardez taluka in the north and is situated eight kilometers on the west of Mapusa and the Church of Anjuna is known as St. Michaels' Church, which was built in the year 1595, is dedicated to saint Miguel and the locals celebrate the feast of its patron on September 29 every year. Anjuna also has three large chapels in the parish.

Anjuna’s Famous Flea Market

For those of you whose holiday is incomplete without shopping, Anjuna Beach has the perfect offer - the weekly Flea Market. Every Wednesday it’s time for shopping and bargaining at Anjuna Beach.The Anjuna flea market is as famous as the Anjuna Beach to travellers from all over the world where one can find a host of things ranging from foreign electronic goods to Indian souvenirs to trance music. Some flock here to shop for beach wears, trinkets and other assorted stuffs. You will also be able to find a mixture of good Gujarati, Kashmiri and Tibetan handicrafts. The Wednesday Flea Market is a must visit for every tourist.

What to do in Anjuna
Take a plunge into swimming which is the most relaxing water activity that can be pursued at the Anjuna Beach. Sun bathing is also the most preferred way of relaxing at Anjuna by sun starved European and Russian tourists and some also try their hand at bungee jumping
Anjuna also has a couple of landmarks which some may like to check out.

There is the monumental Mascarenhas Mansion which many consider as a must visit owing to its finery in wood work and resplendent floral etchings made on glass. The Albuquerque mansion is another place to stop and marvel. The Albuquerque mansion as old as 1920, is endowed with a beautiful border made up of the octagonal towers. Even the Mangalore tile-roof of the mansion is a delight to view.

Some tourists love to shake a leg at house parties which are held on the full-moon nights and are a major draw for the tourists.The fun and frolic around the fire are fantabulous. Anjuna is crazy for hip-hop and is abounding in facilities such as amphitheatres, dance clubs, restaurants and bars. All you need to do is just relax and rejuvenate yourself.

Where to stay
Anjuna has plenty of accommodation to choose from. Besides the expensive hotels Anjuna also has places which the common tourist can afford to stay in with some houses which can be hired at cheap rates. Contact “ Goa Living Styles” for best options for a cheap stay in Goa.

How to get there
Anjuna village that houses the beautiful beach is well connected with the rest of the places.

While the Dabolim airport located at a distance of 47 kms, the Karmali railway station is around 32 kms away to take care of the tourists who travel by train. For road transport there are plenty of bus services besides motorcycles and taxis that may be easily hired from Panjim, Mapusa or Karmali.

Precautions
Even though swimming is considered safe one must take extra precautions as the undercurrents can deceive you and before long you might be in trouble. Always ensure that the lifeguards are spotted around your area.

For any emergencies, call the emergency number 108