Difference between revisions of "Vasco da Gama"

Revision as of 12:43, 22 June 2008

Vasco da Gama is a port city in the west coast Indian state Goa.

Get in

By Plane

Dabolim International Airport is located in the city, and is served by Air India, Indian Airlines, Jet Airways (India), Kuwait Airways and Sahara Airlines.

By Train

Goa Express is a daily train that connects Goa to Delhi, and it passes by the states of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh along the way.

There are also convenient connections for Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai by train.

By Road

Vasco is a 30km drive from Panaji. There are frequent bus services to towns in neighbouring Karnataka and Maharashtra. Also, all major services that connect Panaji to other cities usually have connections from Vasco.

By Sea

While there are no regular ships operating from Mormugao harbour, the cruise ship Superstar Lubra calls at the port on its journeys from Mumbai to Lakshwadeep.

Get around

Get around in a car, bus, scooter, or on foot.

See

The "Japananese Garden" up the hill in a place called SADA. It is in a hill top facing the ocean. The route to the garden from the VASCO station, gives a good view of the ships in the ocean in the goan ship yards on your right hand side. It is seated in a beautiful calm place. You can sit on top and watch the ocean, or walk down to a temple at the shore. There is a side walk that takes you to the navy apartments nearby. It is not a usual tourist spot. It is very quiet and calm in the day time and the ideal time to visit would be early mornings or evenings.

Beaches: Bogmalo is a small beautiful beach behind the airport. But the water can get very rough here. Velsao is a long fantastic beach a little far from the airport. But its absolutely lonely most of the time, nobody is around! It is not dangerous, but can be lonely!

Do

• Being mainly a business town, there isn't much to do for the tourist in Vasco da gama. However the parks and nearby beaches do provide an option to spend a few hours in complete leisure.

• One new attraction is the Sea Walk at Baina beach.

• The Naval Aircraft museum on the way to Bogmalo beach is another must see attraction.

Buy

Eat

• If you want a coffee and a cake, choose "Temptations" near the railway station. It has a youthful vibrant ambience and its open 24 hours.

• If you want south Indian food, there is "Annapurna" which is about 5 minutes from the station. You can go upstairs for airconditioned family space.

• If you want authentic Goan ambience - choose "Anantashram" - absolutely wonderful environment with a thatched roof, cartoons on the wall, and a big screen TV.

• "Little Chef" is a good place for a Goan Fish Curry Thali.

• If you are travelling towards the airport from the station, stop by "Flintstones" a good family friendly restaurant at the circle, for a pizza or a burger!

• A little further from Flintstones is Kababs, Currys and Cocktails - excellent food, rich environment.

Drink

• There are various wine shops that sell alcohol and are available quite easily.

• Harbour Bar in Hotel La Paz and all other hotels usually have a bar.

Sleep

• Hotel La Paz on Swatantra Path is the best business hotel in Vasco. There are few other hotels like Bismark, Citadel and Karma that cater to the business traveller. There are also two new hotels under construction on Swatantra Path. For the tourists, it is best to find a hotel near Bogmalo beach, which is only 8 kilometres away from Vasco da Gama.

• Sleep when the sun is high and hot. All shops close down for a siesta in the afternoons in Goa! Find a cool calm place and rest until 4pm!

Contact

Cybercafes around Vasco Da Gama

• National Bakery, 2 5, Da Silva Chambers, Swatantra Path, Opp Hotel Lapaz, Vasco Da Gama,Goa 403802

Get out

Considering the convenient travel connections to outside the state and the small size of Goa, it is quite easy to travel all over the state being based in Vasco. Consider hiring a taxi or going on the tour buses organised by the tourism department, which can be rented from the Goa Tourism Department run Tourist Hostel.