| The busy port town of Vasco da Gama,
named after the Portuguese mariner and explorer who discovered the sea route to India 500
years ago, is a major shipping centre in Goa. Vasco lies 29 km southwest of Panaji, the
capital of Goa. The port laps the shores on the western tip of the Marmagao peninsula,
jutting into the Arabian Sea just around the mouth of the Zuari River. Vasco is
strategically located as a transport hub for sea, air and rail travel to Goa - about its
only claim to fame according to intrepid Goa-goers. |
However, Vasco’s beaches are quiet and
attractive and the old Portuguese villages in the interior have their own special charm.
From the ruins of an old fort on the sea front, there is a sweeping view of the coastline,
Marmagao Harbour, Dona Paula Beach and the Zuari River estuary. Goa’s vibrant beaches
of Bogmalo (8 Km southeast), Majorda, Colva, Benaulim and the less famous
ones of Velsao (10 km), Cavalosim, Canaguinim and Betalbatim
are all within easy reach from Vasco. You can make excursions to St Jacinto Island
(7 km), Kesarval Springs (15 km) and Pilar Seminary (19 km).
Getting there: Being an important transport
hub for Goa, Vasco is easily accessible by road, rail, air and sea. Goa’s only
airport, Dabolim, is 4 km southeast of Vasco, with domestic flights coming in from all the
major cities of India. From the airport you can take a pre-paid taxi, a Kadamba bus to
Panaji or a regular bus to Margao or Panaji. Most trains coming to Goa, including the
Konkan railway, chug by Vasco’s railway station at Dr Rajendra Prasad Avenue. From
the station you can take a taxi, bus, autorickshaw or hire a car to get to your
destination. The Kadamba Bus Stand, 3 km northeast of town, has buses coming in regularly
from Mumbai (16 hours, Rs250). From here, buses leave for Panaji every 5 minutes and for
Margao every 5-10 minutes.
Getting around: Minibuses and autorickshaws
will take you to most places within Vasco and its surroundings. Motorcycles,
chauffeur-driven vehicles and taxis can be hired for either half the day or the full day
at a fixed tariff. The tariffs for vehicle hire hover at around Rs600 for half day and
Rs1000 for the full day.
Accommodation: Vasco, a city that caters to
the business traveller as well as the tourist, has an impressive array of accommodation
options. At the top of the scale are the plush hotels on Swatantra Path. The mid-rung
hotels are located around Pe Jose Vaz Road. Most of the budget accommodation is
concentrated around the railway station, at Dattatreya Deshpande Road and near the main
square. The GTDC Tourist Hostel near the station is a good budget option.
Dining: Vasco is rich in eating out choices,
from classy top-end restaurants to modest ones. The variety of cuisine offered includes
Goan, Konkanese, European, Japanese and Chinese food and of course, seafood is the
speciality. You can eat out at the restaurants in town around Swatantra Path or at the
nearby beaches that have some superb gourmet restaurants and equally impressive beach
shacks.
For detailed state and visitor information, see Goa.
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