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 kilometre 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 keep 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.