08.00 am, and Rs 500
Kick off your day at the erstwhile ‘Queen of Goan Beaches’ with a walk on the sands. Get here early to take a morning stroll. Starting from the northern end of the beach, you can walk down south, encountering a line of shacks enroute. Although this is one of the most crowded beaches, you can still find some peace early in the morning. And with peace (and an extra early arrival), you can also glimpse a really beautiful sunrise – as while Calangute has changed dramatically over the years, the sun has not! This beach inspired the Konkani classic song ‘Conguttche Praier (On Calangute Beach)’ by the famed composer Cris Perry, sung by the legendary Lorna. After a brisk walk, you can then get back on the streets of the beach town. A bottled water is all you need for your walk.
Total expense, Rs 15
09.00 am, Rs 485
Once you are on the streets (the Goa Streets in Calangute, if you will), stroll on over to Calangute Circle. By now, you are probably a bit hungry. Instead of going to any of the ‘shacks’, try a little South Indian food. Plantain Leaf is a short stroll from the Circle. The prices are moderate and the food delicious. A platter of onion utthapam costs around Rs 80, and a beverage about 30 bucks. If you are a big breakfast person, you should also get yourself a plate of idli. That would run up another 60. Of course, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and this repast should be good enough until late in the afternoon.
Total expense, Rs 170
11.00 am, Rs 315
A good day in the sun is what you are looking at from here on. So put on your sunscreen and sunglasses and pick up another bottle o’water. Once out, you should start walking towards the west, follow the route back from where you came. A string of shops display a lot of goodies, right from second hand books, to furniture, clothes, handicraft items, pretty much everything is available. Here you will encounter the Tibetan market, with an abundance of variety that is very well priced. On offer are Tibetan-made artifacts, jewellery, precious stones and other items. Whether you shop or not, you can spend a lot of time here. Then head back out and walk further west. Once more your vista includes a lot of shops and restaurants with people of all stripes seated outside under an umbrella, quaffing beer and other delights. It is a sight to behold, and as you take in the sights, slowly cruise your way north to the other village, Baga, and back.
Total expense, Rs 15
02.30 pm, Rs 300
Back in C’gute, drop into the Infantaria to get some lunch. The risotto here is lovely. It might make a little dent on this mini budget, but it’s worth it. This meat/fish/vegetable-based Italian rice dish will set you back by around Rs 160. Infantaria is pretty well known to tourists and locals alike, so you may not get a seat right away. Be prepared to wait a bit. They also have a lot of offers, like the occasional 5 beers for Rs 100, and happy hours. (If you go for the 5-beer offer, you might want to end your Calangute excursion right now – and perhaps have someone carry you home).
Total expense, Rs 160
3.30 pm, Rs 140
The next couple of hours should be spent in a little quiet and peace, where you don’t burn off too much energy. For this you can hop on a bus or walk to the Calangute Mall. From here, it’s an easy stroll to Literati, a store which sells both old and new books. This book store is placed in a old Indo-Portuguese house, and has a quaint ‘dusty library’ kind of charm. They have a seating space inside the house as well as outside in the veranda. You can stroll through and pick a book in which you can indulge for the next hour. Next, head for Art Chamber, an eclectic art gallery situated to the east of Calangute. Here you can check out a lot of local artwork, including performances and paintings. Your creative mind now satiated, saunter out into a local snack bar, there’s plenty around, and order a cup of tea and local bhaji pav.
Total expense, Rs 30
06.30pm, Rs 110
You can start heading back towards Baga beach again. Along the way you will find Cavala’s, a popular seaside resort. On the weekends, this place is jam packed and buzzing with live music. A perfect family entertainment spot, once here you can just let go, and enjoy a big bottle of beer. Young and old can be seen chilling out, dancing and singing and having a gala time. The music is mostly old ‘classic’ and with an element of nostalgia. Stay for a while and chat up some new friends. The sun is now setting and it’s time to hit the home road.
Total expense = Rs110
09.00 pm, Rs 0
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