Colva in South Goa and Calangute in North Goa are two beaches with the highest footfall in Goa. Each borders the beaches of Benaulim and Baga, respectively, which accommodate the spillover. Of the two beaches, Colva is deemed far safer for a swim.
However, Calangute’s swimming is fraught with gory tales and subconscious fears attributed to the number of drowning cases in the past. Colva, in comparison to Calangute, is still marked with green patches, which could be because the dunes have acted as barriers to indiscriminate construction. Once frequented by foreigners, Colva is now home to domestic tourists and remains a medicinal bathing spot for locals who throng the beach in the evening.
“We make it a point to come every weekend for the sunset and every day for a month during summer. I remember doing it as a child, and now come along with my grandchildren,” says Marianita, as she supervises her grandkids snacking on the shore . Like Marianita, there are the Laximis and Zubeidas for whom a visit to Colva is a break from routine household chores.
The elderly sit and chat, the middle-aged look after their kids and the teens disappear to explore. With the monsoon withdrawing, Colva is chock-a-block with activity. As the sun begins to set, the lights glowing from restaurants and street lights lend Colva a vibrant energy.
Apart from a luxury resort, the beach has been able to draw investment in a few restaurants from the middle class and a number of domestic tourists trying .