Imagine yourself as a potential homebuyer who harbors a great interest in owning a luxurious villa or a spectacular apartment in North Goa. You have explored your options and narrowed down your choices between two very worthwhile locations – Anjuna and Candolim. Which one would you pick? It may not be easy, especially when both places are like two precious diamonds in the crowning jewel of North Goa.
Let us take a quick dive into the fascinating options both of these North Goan sites have to offer their potential residents.
ANJUNA:
Earlier, Anjuna earned its reputation as a hippie paradise in the early 1960s and 70s, with bag packers and tourists, especially from the west, leaving their trails of mingling several subcultures in the town. Many decades have passed, but this tourism’s slight traces still find its place in Anjuna. It is still considered a fantastic place where tourists head for funky beach parties, flea markets, clubs, and shacks. The music scene in Anjuna is all about EDM festivals like the Symposium Festival and the Disco Valley Carnival, which pulls crowds worldwide. Other tourist attractions include the extremely popular Anjuna Beach. The beach is part of a 30-kilometre stretch of an extended coastline trailing along the west coast of Goa by the Arabian Sea. Languages spoken here are Konkani, English, Hindi and Marathi etc.
Shopping and Nightlife in Anjuna are as exhilarating as it gets. The famous Anjuna flea market on Wednesdays looks like a kaleidoscope of colours. It starts around 11 am and has various items and souvenirs to offer to all the shopaholics. One can test their bargaining skills in this market. This market provides options like bangles to yoga mats, trinkets, baggy t-shirts, music cassettes, bags, and so much more. The clubbing scene is also getting more intense with each passing year. Clubs like Club Cabana, Purple Martini, and Xtreme Sports Bar invoke the party animal inside you!
If you are not a fan of clubbing or loud, thumping psychedelic sounds, you can always resort to the different adventure sports offered in Anjuna. It is one of Goa’s go-to surfing destinations, and you can also test your strength by kayaking in the neighbouring Chapora. There are lots of great Supermarkets and Food Stores. It’s cheap to eat and drink in Anjuna, and there are plenty of local stores and supermarkets to choose from, such as Larry’s Hub and Balaji Super Market.
Anjuna is well connected to National Highways 60 and 65. But unfortunately, there is no railway station in close proximity of 10 km. You will find educational institutions for both primary and secondary and higher education. This neighbourhood also has government medical centres and hospitals. Overall it has decent connectivity to restaurants, temples, parks, markets, malls, banks and ATMs.
However, one concern that residents may have to deal with is this place’s heavy traffic, especially on weekends. It’s a heavily visited tourist area and a lot of immigrant population, which is flocking in, can create such commotion in Anjuna.
CANDOLIM:
The harmonious town of Candolim consistently ranks higher on the list of potential buyers looking forward to purchasing a property. This scenic location in North Goa has many admirers. Candolim is like a wonderland nestled in an oasis far from the hustle and bustle of city life. Many VIPs and celebs have already purchased their abode in this breathtaking location. Its lush green plantations, heavenly waterfalls and tranquil rivers like Mandovi and Zuari are supreme bounties of nature.
It is home to one of Goa’s most famous beaches, the Candolim beach, which is widely spread along the shore of the Arabian Sea. This beach is excellent for unwinding and lounging around on the sun decks and shacks to quench your thirst and satisfy all your food cravings. But be careful of the sun in the afternoon. You would enjoy a long walk on the beach in the evening, more admiring the sunset. Beach enthusiasts voted for Candolim beach, which fetched itself in the Top 25 beaches of India in TripAdvisor’s 2016 Travellers’ Choice Awards.
Candolim is an excellent site of historical significance as it has many architectural marvels standing as a testament to its rich, vibrant culture and past. The iconic and extremely popular fort Aguada alongside river Mandovi presents a charming view of the grand Arabian Sea. One can also enjoy a relaxing boating experience in the Mandovi River.
Unlike some neighbouring towns, Candolim perfectly oscillates between being a well-developed tourist block coupled with a soothing, relaxed vibe and a fun party destination. If you are a party enthusiast, then it won’t be difficult for you to fetch a club or shack playing some good music to liven up your mood, like Bar Eclipse, Claudina’s Shack, SinQ Beach Club etc., but if you are searching for some inner peace, then there is ample space on the beach to find you some.
Candolim looks even more stunning in the evening; the marketplace will be enough to satisfy the needs of all the Shopaholics. People also visit the all-encompassing supermarket store – Newton’s for dairy, bakery items, liquor, groceries and other daily essentials. You may also want to stroll into the outlets of brands like FabIndia or show your support to local Goan brands and businesses.
Many residents favoured it as an excellent location because it is not as crowded as other towns. It is an ideal place to dwell within a 10 minutes walking distance of the beach. You will find access to all the hospitals, Banks and ATMs available within a radius of 1 kilometre. The area is sound and safe to enjoy nightlife and overall wholly secure. You can find easy accessibility to public transport. There is rarely any occurrence of a power cut, and the water supply is regular. This place offers all the basic amenities, and beyond that, one looks for a while searching for a locality.
Choosing a location to buy a home is a customer’s call. Still, one must recognize that Candolim offers slightly more advantage over Anjuna when it comes to peace and a better living standard for its residents.