There are several more connections to Mumbai and other places available from Margao, 24 km away.įor a list of trains, see the main article. Vasco da Gama (IR station code : VSG) is connected by direct trains to Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai.
Thomson Airways fly from London-Gatwick and Manchester. Seasonal charter flights land at Dabolim Airport, direct from Europe. Goa's only international airport, at Dabolim, is on the outskirts of the expanding city, and is served domestically by Air India and internationally by AirAsia and Qatar Airways. This area's largest naval presence is INS Hansa, which includes the Dabolim Airport. Overlooking the Mormugao Port is the Navy's hydrographic school. Nearby is the naval hospital INS Jeevanti. INS Gomantak is the headquarters of the Indian Navy in Goa and sits on the hill overlooking St Andrew's Church and the Zuari river. The Indian Navy also has a conspicuous presence in Mormugao, with its vast campus, and its contested control over the Dabolim Airport enclave. Ship-builder Goa Shipyard Limited, that builds Navy and Coast Guard vessels, is built on the 1957-formed colonial barge-repair yard Estaleiros Navais de Goa. Between one-third of India's ore exports leave from here. Mormugao Port was constructed in 1888, and is today one of the major ports of India. Vasco - as Goa's most populous overgrown town is referred to, and the adjoining Mormugao port are busy, dusty and mainly commercial centres today. Inter state buses also ply right here from close by states.Vasco da Gama is a port city in the west coast Indian state Goa. Its specialty lies in the traditional handicrafts as well as designer clothes and accessories.īy Air: The Dabolim airport is located at a distance of just 4 kilometers from Vasco Da Gama and has flights plying from major metros of India regularly.īy Rail: Vasco Da Gama features a railway station in the southern finish where trains from nearby places in south and central India appear right here on a typical foundation.īy Road: Vasco Da Gama is effectively related by a broad network of roads and this location can be reached quickly by hiring local transport. Anant Ashram also has the City Shack garden restaurant, which has live music on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. They have a huge variety, but the chicken dum biryani and seafood Goan dishes are best. Biryani and fish curry rice are the best bets at Royal Durbar, in Indira Niwas near Madina Masjid.ĭon’t miss a meal at Anant Ashram near the Municipal Gardens. Lymaur’s is also on Swatantra Path, and serves Goan, Chinese and a few continental dishes. Vasco da Gama has a large sprinkling of non-Goan cuisine restaurants.Īnnapura Restaurant, is popular for vegetarian food, as is Meghdoot, in Colaco Building on Swatantra Path. The lower budget hotels include Hotel Annapura, on DD Deshpande Road and Hotel Nagina, a few metres down the same road. Rooms are neat and well appointed at The Citadel, on Padre Jose Vaz Road. The Karma Plaza Hotel, on the Rajendra Prasad Avenue has a 24-hr coffee shop, a restaurant, a pub, a business centre and a beauty salon. This is the grand dame of hotels, in Vasco da Gama, with three restaurants. The 3-star Hotel, Hotel La Paz Gardens, overlooks the Municipal Gardens on Swatantra Path. Vasco caters to business travelers, so it has some good options. Each ward sends a tableau and the entire city turns out to witness it. Vasco comes alive at night when the parade begins. Saptah begins with a coconut being carried in a procession to the Damodar Temple. Vasco da Gama is famous for the 15-day Saptah at the Damodar Temple, its September festival which is quite possibly the biggest in Goa India. It commanded a strategic point for defence during colonial times – an uninterrupted view of the mouth of the Zuari River. The massive wall of the fort runs through the garden. It is home to the ruins of the Fortaleza Santa Catarina. Japanese Garden : Further up the road from Pilot Point, right at the very top of the Mormugao Ridge, is the Japanese Garden, maintained by Mormugao Port Trust. EmailThe town is also famous for the ancient Saint Andrews church, which is almost 400 years old and is a picturesque monument.