Anjuna Beach

During Goa’s hippie heyday, Anjuna Beach was party central; and though flower children have given way to backpacking hipsters, much of the beach’s Bohemian roots remain, including a thriving but highly illegal drug culture. Anjuna may not be Goa’s most scenic stretch of sand, but it is quintessentially Goan, and visit you must.

As afternoon turns to evening, the laid back beach goers who favor Anjuna descend upon the beachside shacks to sip beers to the sounds of psychedelic trance tunes while watching the sunset. The crowded beach isn’t as commercial as Calangute or Sinquerim, but it’s home to one of the liveliest nightlife scenes in Goa.

The beach is perhaps best known for its Wednesday flea market, a legacy of the 1960s crowd who came here to sell their belongings so they could afford a few extra days in the sun. Even if the largely touristy knick-knacks aren’t your thing, the market’s bright colored wares and boundless energy are infectious.