This video, filmed in 2006, takes you to South Goa and North Goa, by the road in India. It will show you the amazing surprises in Indian traffic, like cows on the road in some village. You can travel from South Goa, Cabo de Rama Fort to North Goa by the road.
See the local passangers carrying basket on their head, which is an exotic way for a European to deal with the things. Also you see how passangers use the same road for walking as the cars and buses and other vehicles and animals. You might think there’s nothing strange in that, but considering how narrow the road was, it did look scary sometimes. But these were the Goan roads in 2006. I don’t know how they are today.
You will also get to see how the local buses were in Goa, and lots of passangers driving on their bikes without a helmet, because at that time it was possible.
Around 3 minutes you get to walk as a pedestrian in some random sandy road at dusk and daylight. Sometime a scooter stops by you offering a ride, because you’re a woman walking alone. Little bit later you’re walking away from Anjuna Flea Market.
You’ll get to see how Calangute and Baga in North Goa looked like in 2006 and get to drive from Baga to Mapusa, the “capital” of North Goa, or at least it used to be.
After Mapusa you’ll get to see how dog can suddenly jump in front of your vehicle to cross the road and how you deal with that with the scooter. Or, if there are big vehicles like trucks and buses in front of you, how you weave between them.
The video shows also the interesting long and straight street lamps in North Goa, which have always looked unusual and charming to me. Also you’ll get an experience of how it is to drive with the scooter in a dark road without street lamps, when you’re stuck with a sandy road.
You’ll see the new road being built from Baga to Anjuna during the days, when the badly-needed new bridge was being built across the Baga-river. The old bridge from Baga to Anjuna had been really a nightmare for a traveller, since it was so narrow and dark and with a ceiling on top and a bumby road underneath. But even the road from Baga to Calangute has been fixed after filming this piece, so don’t base your opinion about the road on this video anymore. Rather I’d encourage you to see it from a historic point of view – how Goa used to be with all the greenery and all.
You’ll get to see lots of tourists riding a bike without a helmet, because at that time it was not a crime. In turn, two years back it was very easy to get a fine as a tourist on a bike, if one was without a helmet.
If you’ve ever wandered how is the traffic in Goa during Christmas and New Year, you’ll get a glimpse of that also in the end of this video, when the Goa traffic police is needed to guide the long queues in Calangute, North Goa.
TAXI FROM GOA AIRPORT TO NORTH GOA AND SOUTH GOA
When a tourist arrives at Goa Dabolim Airport, there is often a shuttle bus waiting directly for the hotel. If it is not a package tour, but the room is independently booked from a good-quality hotel, an airport pick-up can be booked through the hotel, with the air-conditioned taxi driver waiting for the customer with a name tag at the airport exit. The safest option for the self-employed traveler is to book and pay in advance at the airport for a prepaid taxi, which then takes you to the agreed destination at a pre-determined price. At the airport you can pay by card.
The safest way for a tourist is no doubt to take a taxi in Goa, but it is also a very expensive way. Here I’ll attach the taxi price list from 2019 and it will show you the prices and distances from Goa Dabolim airport to various villages in North and South Goa. Sedan is a common car with separate compartment for cargo and Suv means sports utility vehicle. Both the car models are air-conditioned. Their price is mentioned in rupees and euros, and it may have increased by now. The rate I used is 1e = 81inr. Note also that the night-time rate between 23-05 is about 35% higher.
While waiting for the well functioning public transport, here’s what the traveller will meet.
NORTH-GOA
| Destination | Km | Sedan (price in 2019) | Suv |
| Candolim | 44 | 1427 INR / 17,60 EUR | 1700 |
| Calangute | 43 | 1372 INR / 16,92 EUR | 1650 |
| Baga | 44 | 1427 INR / 17,60 EUR | 1700 |
| Arpora | 46 | 1515 INR / 18,68 EUR | 1780 |
| Anjuna | 48 | 1603 INR / 19,77 EUR | 1860 |
| Vagator | 50 | 1636 INR / 20,17 EUR | 1880 |
| Mandrem | 57 | 1961 INR / 24,18 EUR | 2180 |
| Morjim | 55 | 1900 INR / 23,43 EUR | 2130 |
| Arambol | 63 | 2010 INR / 24,78 EUR | 2230 |
| Ashvem | 58 | 1933 INR / 23,83 EUR | 2160 |
| Mapusa | 43 | 1372 INR / 1692 EUR | 1650 |
| Pernem | 62 | 2148 INR / 26,49 EUR | 2360 |
| Tiracol | 82 | 2258 INR / 27,84 EUR | 2450 |
| Miramar | 34 | 1240 INR / 15,29 EUR | 1530 |
| Sinquerim | 46 | 1515 INR / 18,68 EUR | 1780 |
| Porvorim | 35 | 1240 INR / 15,29 EUR | 1530 |
| Panjim | 30 | 1094 INR / 13,49 EUR | 1380 |
| Assagao | 50 | 1636 INR / 20,17 EUR | 1880 |
| Aldona | 50 | 1636 INR / 20,17 EUR | 1880 |
| Siolim | 50 | 1636 INR / 20,17 EUR | 1880 |
SOUTH GOA
| DESTINATION | KM | SEDAN (price in 2019) | SUV |
| Mangueshi | 42 | 1279 INR / 15,77 EUR | 1560 |
| Quepem | 45 | 1372 INR / 16,92 EUR | 1650 |
| Benaulim | 34 | 1094 INR / 13,49 EUR | 1380 |
| Canacona | 68 | 2021 INR / 24,92 EUR | 2230 |
| Agonda | 74 | 2159 INR / 26,62 EUR | 2440 |
| Loliem | 87 | 2615 INR / 32,24 EUR | 2780 |
| Palolem | 70 | 2059 INR / 25,39 EUR | 2340 |
| Mobor | 44 | 1339 INR / 16,51 EUR | 1680 |
| Margao | 34 | 1094 INR / 13,49 EUR | 1380 |
| Ponda | 41 | 1251 INR / 15,43 EUR | 1530 |
| Cuncolim | 43 | 1304 INR / 16,08 EUR | 1650 |
| Betul | 52 | 1603 INR / 19,77 EUR | 1860 |
| Sanvordem | 55 | 1629 INR / 20,09 EUR | 1910 |
| Sanguem | 60 | 1812 INR / 22,34 EUR | 2040 |
| Colva | 30 | 1014 INR / 12,50 EUR | 1300 |
| Chandor | 34 | 1295 INR / 15,97 EUR | 1480 |
| Varca | 36 | 1144 INR / 14,11 EUR | 1430 |
| Cavelossim | 45 | 1372 INR / 16,92 EUR | 1650 |
| Majorda | 25 | 964 INR / 11,89 EUR | 1250 |
| Curtorim | 31 | 1196 INR / 14,75 EUR | 1480 |
INDIVUE is not responsible for the correctness or accuracy of these prices. They are just approximate prices from a taxi booth in Dabolim airport in 2019.
For a comparison: In Delhi, you was able to reach 80km at INR 1200-1300 or get an air-conditioned taxi for 8 hours.
In Delhi, suitcases are tied to the roof of a taxi, but in Goa, suitcases are not necessarily tied to a car.
Note also: Cheaper and non-air-conditioned rides can always be found in India outside the airports, but a tourist can never take for granted the destination of those rides.
This article is part of the INDIVUE – Trip to Goa – consider following me in social media and you will get the updates to it easily!
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