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The beaches in Goa have all the tourist traps; visitors can buy low-priced beer at shacks, try local delicacies at a bistro where lobster is served under palm trees, indulge in aqua sports, go on a fishing cruise, sharpen their bargaining prowess at flea markets, and party at night-long raves.
Anjuna Beach
Anjuna beach is the most celebrated of Goa's beaches. It was a favorite with flower children and backpackers in the late 1960s and 70s. A short drive from Panaji [the Capital of Goa], Anjuna is famous for its raves. It introduced the genre of music now synonymous with trancemeisters like Goa Gill and Infected Mushroom. A visit to Anjuna is incomplete without checking out the weekly flea market held there every Wednesday. The flea market is a haven for hardcore shoppers, and offers everything from Tibetan, Kashmiri and Gujarati trinkets and handicrafts to trance CDs, and T-shirts.
Vagator Beach
Vagator beach lies adjacent to Anjuna. Buses leave Panaji and Mapusa for Vagator every half hour. Dilapidated farmhouses and Portuguese bungalows dot the region, before it runs down to the sea. Vagator has interesting cafés and restaurants along the road that leads to Ozran Beach. Visitors must try the traditional fish rice Goan specialties at the seafood bistros behind Big Vagator Beach. Primrose café, towards Anjuna, is a popular bar.
Chapora Beach
Dominated by a 500-year-old Portuguese fort that offers a stunning birds eye view of the beaches, Chapora is not a characteristic tourist beach. The economy of the region is dependent on fishing and boat building.
Baga Beach
A short distance from Mapusa, Baga is a fishing beach that is fairly crowded with foreigners. Some of the best windsurfing, fishing, crabbing, and clamming can be found here. Baga is renowned for its nightlife; Tito's is the best nightclub in the area. Baga also has the best restaurants in Goa. A conventional Goan meal at the Casa Portuguesa is recommended.
Colva and Benaulim Beaches
20 km from Panaji, these beaches are less busy than the beaches closer to Panaji. Colva beach extends for 20 km and is Goa's longest beach. Huge sand dunes provide spectacular views across the sea.
Palolem Beach
One of the most remote beaches in Goa, Palolem is ideal for visitors anxious to escape the swelling crowds during peak tourist season. The beach offers both hardcore adventure options and leisurely fishing cruises.
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