¤ About Mapusa
Mapusa is also a shopper's paradise as it offers almost all the goods and services to the tourists holidaying on the beaches of Condolim, Calangute, Anjuna and others. The famous weekly market of the town and its close proximity to Goa's famous northern beach belt makes it a hot tourist spot. Calangute and Anjuna may be better stocked with souvenirs, but this bazaar is more authentic. Visitors who have flown straight to Goa, and have yet to experience the rest of India, wander in on Friday mornings to enjoy the pungent aromas of fish, incense, spices and exotics fruit stacked in colourful heaps on the sidewalks. A small town clustered around the Mount (Alto) is Mapusa. It forms the hub of north Goa with an even blend of residential and commercial establishments. Its 13 kms away from Panaji, a sharing taxi or a bus will take you there. Known popularly for its Friday market, people from all over Goa come here to buy and sell their wares. You will also get plants and saplings, ready spiced Goan pork sausages, dried fish and prawns, clothing, junk jewelry, and the famous country liquor, all sold at the most reasonable prices you could possibly find. Mapusa market was first heard in the 1580 by a Dutch Chronicler, who even described it as the "Bazaar Grande". The popularity of Mapusa as a market center grew out of ancient festivals in honour of the God Kanakeshwar Baba, venerated at the Bodgeshwar Temple. The festivals attracted large crowds seeking to fulfill their individual wishes, which needed pots and oil lamps as offerings to propitiate the Gods. Both Mapusa's location at the hub of commercial activity and its proximity to a place of religious pilgrimage have caused the Mapusa market to grow to its current size and scope.

¤ Major Tourist Attractions of Mapusa
» Calangute - About 8 km south from Mapusa, Calangute is Goa's most popular beach, a highly commercialised but sizzling beach that offers good sunbathing, passable swimming and the most delicious food along the coast.

» Baga - A happening beach 10 km west of Mapusa, crescent-shaped Baga is less crowded than Calangute, but comparatively safer for swimming. Baga has soft white sand and a green backdrop of paddy fields. Baga is popular for water sports - parasailing, jet skiing, body boarding and surfing, though the waves aren't good enough for the professional surfers. Another attraction of the tourists are the dolphin cruises on a boat out at sea. Baga's nightlife is more exciting than Calangute's, with music, dance and wine.

» Anjuna - Anjuna has traditionally been a rave centre and attracts partygoers and backpackers to its famous beach parties, especially around the Christmas-New Year season. Anjuna's golden sands and tall coconut palms make the beachfront a pretty hangout place and the sea is safe for swimming.

» Arambol - Arambol (also called Harmal) is pretty but not overcrowded. Arambol's stretches of soft white sand would be just what the doctor ordered for your peace of mind. There are regular trance parties and even full moon parties here.

¤ Accommodation
Nearly all long distance buses pull in to Mapusa in the morning, leaving plenty of time to find accommodation in the coastal resorts nearby. If one has to spend the night here, though, there are plenty of places within easy walking distance of the Kadamba Bus Stand. The best budget deal is GTDC's Tourist Hotel, on the roundabout below the square, which has spacious, and clean rooms, a Goa Tourist Information Counter, and a small Damania Shipping Office.

¤ Shopping
Shopping in Mapusa is steeped in the myriad hues of the Goan rural life. A well-known commercial district, Mapusa provides a number of shopping destinations encompassing local markets and stalls lined along its famous beaches.

Mapusa's famous Friday market beckons vendors and tourists alike with its rustic charm. Fridays usher in a festive atmosphere in this quaint town as villagers assemble from nearby localities with their produce. As you step inside the bustling bazaar, you will be greeted by a heady concoction of aromas arising from sources as diverse as fish, incense, spices and exotic fruits stacked in colorful heaps on the sidewalks.

What adds color to the shopping experience is the inimitable style of the Goan vendors most of whom are womenfolk attired in colorful dresses. The products in display are manifold including fresh and dried fish, incense, spices, vegetables, and souvenirs from other states of India. The famous traditional spirits of Goa such as toddi and feni are perennial favorites among locals and tourists. Shopping in Mapusa would be incomplete without a visit to the renowned Wednesday flea market of Anjuna beach.

¤ Climate of Mapusa
Due to its proximity to some of North Goa's prominent beaches, the Mapusa weather is salubrious throughout the year.

Summer - Typical of most the regions of Goa, the summer weather in Mapusa does not witness any extremities in temperatures. The heat is very much bearable and the occasional breeze from the seas provides succour to the residents. The south-west monsoon arrives in June and the monsoon weather lasts till September.

Winter - The winter months bring in a pleasant climate and this is the peak tourist season. Temperatures hover in the range of 21C to 32C during this period.

Clothing - While packing your apparels do keep in mind that Mapusa is home to Goa's famous beaches such as Calagunte and Anjuna. And that translates to plenty of sun and sand. Do bring along lots of beachwear and colorful sarongs for a day in the sun.

¤ How To Reach Mapusa
» Roads - Other than to shop, one may want to visit Mapusa to arrange onward transport. All buses between Goa and Maharashtra pass through, so one doesn't need to travel to Panjim to book a ticket to Mumbai , Pune , Bangalore or Mangalore .