Goa is India's smallest state in terms of area and the fourth smallest in terms of population. Located on the west coast of India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its western coast.

Panaji (Panjim) the state's capital, Vasco da Gama (Vasco) the largest city, while the historic city of Margao still exhibits the influence of Portuguese culture.Goa, an endearing abode of scenic charm is a paradise, squeezed between the seas and the lush forested hills. It offers glistening sands, swaying coconut palms, and ultra fresh seafood.

The whole world knows Goa as the land of fun and frolic, land of mesmerizing beaches or the destination of most effervescent carnivals. One gets to explore sensuous beaches and historical forts that have kept the legacy of Portuguese alive.Here are some of the most exotic beaches of the all time hub.

ANJUNA BEACH With its fluorescent painted palm trees and full moon parties, Anjuna Beach, 8-km west of Mapusa, is one of the most popular beaches of Goa. Most people's reasons for coming to Anjuna are the same as they were in the 1970s: dancing and lying on the beach slurping tropical fruit. While browsing in the area have a day trip to the famous flea market of Anjuna, a major shopping hangout, beside the beach.

Anjuna attracts a variety of tourists touring Goa, and the crowd includes from the happy go lucky kinds to overlanders, monks, defiant ex-hippies, gentle lunatics, artists, artisans, seers, searchers etc. Even those particular kinds of tourists who prefer to travel within the limit of their tour itinerary, cannot resist visiting this charming beach site.

Tropical Sights of Anjuna Beach Bathing is generally safer at Anjuna than at most of the nearby resorts, especially at the more peaceful southern end of the beach, where a rocky headland keeps the sea calm and the undertow to a minimum. Taking long walks under the moon on the silver sands of this beach is something that any visitor would love to do at Anjuna, beside the favourite pastime of watching the sun going down.

At the north of the Anjuna Flea market ground, the beach area broadens, running in an uninterrupted kilometer long stretch of steeply shelving sand to a low red cliff. The village bus park lies on top of this high ground, where small cafes, bars and Kashmiri handicraft stalls are lined, making a perfect hangout zone near the beach site. Every lunch hour, tour parties from Panjim also pull-up in here for a beer, before heading home again, leaving the localities and tired tourists to watch the sunset peacefully and relax a bit.

Visiting Time The tourist season in Anjuna starts in early November, when most of the long staying regulars show up. During the Christmas and New Year rush, the village and beach site is busy with a mixed crowd of round the world backpackers and tourists from all over India, attracted by the promise of the big beach parties. In off-season however, Anjuna has a surprisingly simple unhurried atmosphere. Visitors can also opt to stay at the large package tour hotels and beach resorts that have appeared over the past couple of years near the Anjuna beach site.

Entertainment & Amusements at Anjuna Thanks to the kill-joy attitude reputation, Anjuna is a rave-venue for big parties that take place over here from time to time, especially around the Christmas-New Year full moon period. At other times, Anjuna's nightlife centres on the Shore Bar, in the middle of the beach, which has a pounding sound system and play some real funky music that always keeps the atmosphere alive. The biggest crowds show up accompanied by the latest ambient trance mixes from London.

The music gains pace as the evening wears on winding up before midnight, when there's an exodus over to the Guru Bar, further up the beach, or to the Primrose Café in Vagator, both of which stay open until after midnight.The Alcove, over looking Ozran Vagator Beach, is another worthwhile nightspot to hangout near Anjuna. More mainstream musical entertainment is on offer at Temptations, in the Red Cab Inn just below Starco's crossroads, where Indian classical recitals and guitar based cover bands feature with fire dancers on Mondays.

Eating Out Places at Anjuna Both the beachfront and village at Anjuna are flooded with good places to eat and drink. Most are simple semi open-air, thatched palm leaf affairs, specializing in fish and western food. All serve cold beer, invariably with thumping techno music in the background. On the beach, tourists can buy fresh fruits, including watermelons, pineapples and locally grown coconuts from the local vendors.

BAGA BEACHB aga Beach is part of a 30-km stretch of beach coastline along the west coast of Goa by the Arabian Sea, 10-km west of Mapusa, is basically an extension of Calangute beach. The beach begins at Fort Aguada continues as Sinquerim beach, then as Candolim Beach and merges into Calangute beach and then to Baga beach and then Anjuna Beach and then to Vagator Beach finally ending at Chapora Beach and Fort.

Exotic Locales around Baga Lying in the rocky, wooded headland, the only difference between this far northern end of the Baga beach and its more congested center of Calangute Beach is that the scenery of this beach site is more varied, unspoiled and scenic.

Water Sports at Baga The quiet atmosphere and isolated location of Baga, beside the scenic beauty that surrounds it, with the creek, the Retreat House perched on the hill and the lack of local tourist buses all have contributed to the beach being a favourite of the beach lovers. Baga beach is more popular with western tourists who love to use it as a base for water sports and fishing in the area.

Eating Out Places at Baga Beach Baga has arguably the best range of restaurants in Goa, from standard beach shacks to swish pizzerias and terrace cafes serving real espresso coffee. Tourists can opt for a candlelit dinner at the beachside, or a traditional Goan meal at the shacks and restaurants offering continental as well as tempting seafood.

Entertainment & Leisure at Baga Beach Thanks to the droves of predominantly British package tourists who stay here, Baga's nightlife is the liveliest in the area. Most of the travellers end up at Tito's, which has the only dance floor and hefty sound system outside a big hotel for miles. Women are allowed in for free, but men and couples have to pay.

CALANGUTE BEACHA 45 minute bus ride up to the coast from the city of Panjim bring one to Calangute, Goa's busiest and most commercialized resort, and the flagship of the state government's bid for a bigger slice of India's package-tourist pie. This peaceful fishing village was a favourite hideout of the hippies in the 70's and 80's. Today, Calangute beach symbolize Goa's reputation as a haven for beach and coastal splendor.

Shopping at Calangute Beach The road from the town to the beach is lined with Kashmiri-run handicraft boutiques and Tibetan stalls selling Himalayan curios and jewellery. The quality of the goods - mainly Rajasthani, Gujarati and Karnatakan textiles - is generally high. Haggle hard and don't be afraid to walk away from a heavy sales pitch - the same stuff crops up every Wednesday at Anjuna's flea market.

Leisure Activities at Calangute Beach The beach itself is nothing special, with steeply shelving sand, but is more than large enough to accommodate the huge numbers of high-season visitors.

Head fifteen minutes or so south of the main beachfront area, towards the rows of old wooden boats moored below the dunes. In this virtually hawker-free zone, one' will only come across teams of villagers hauling in hand nets at high tide or fishermen fixing their tack under bamboo sun shakes.

Water Sports At Calangute Calangute also makes a perfect beach site if you want to indulge in some water sports activities. Parasailing, water skiing and wind surfing at the Calangute beach starts in the afternoon when the wind is blowing just in the right direction and it goes on till sunset.

Eating Out Joints & Restaurants Calangute's bars and restaurants are mainly grouped around the entrance to the beach and along the Baga road. As with most Goan resorts, the accent is firmly on tempting seafood, though many places also serve vegetarian dishes. Western breakfasts also feature prominently at some of the restaurants in Calangute.

Nightlife & Entertainment at Calangute Calangute's nightlife is surprisingly tamed and provides a nice break from the wild parties at Anjuna. All but a handful of the bars wind up by 10.00 pm. One notable exception is Tito's at the Baga end of the beach, which stays open until after midnight in the off-season and into the small hours in late December and January.

The other places that consistently stay open through the night at Calangute are a couple of hippy hang-outs in the woods to the south of the beach road. Pete's Bar, a perennial favourite next door to Angela P. Fernandes, is generally the liveliest, offering affordable drinks, backgammon sets and relentless reggae. Further afield, Bob's Inn, between Calangute and Candolim beaches, is another popular bar.

Attractions around Calangute Beach Kerkar Art Gallery: Located at close proximity is the Kerkar Art Gallery, displaying the paintings and sculptures of various talented, upcoming artists of Goa. The gallery also hosts a night of Indian music and dance, once every week.Church Of St. Alex: As the vast tourist traffic on the CHOGM road reaches the village site of Calangute, the Church of St Alex greets the visitors with its two towers and a magnificent dome gracing the façade. The inside of the church is a display of the line and beauty of its architectural style and attractive altars.Travel to Goa, to explore the mystical charisma of the exotic abode. It is a promise that Goa will add some golden moments in your memorabilia.