India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (95 page)

Goa

Airlines
Even the smallest hotels are able to make air travel arrangements for you and usually charge a small fee to process tickets, which saves you the hassle of having to travel all the way to Panjim. Alternatively, book your seats online; both
Kingfisher
(
0832/254-2020
)
and
Jet
(
0832/243-8792
)
have very user-friendly websites, or you can try
www.travelocity.co.in
for the best deals and sometimes discounted fares. Jet is open Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm (Patto Plaza, near the Patto Tourist Hotel and the bus stand, Panjim;
0832/243-8790
). An assortment of budget airlines
offers cheaper airfares.

Ambulance
Dial
102
or 108, or you can call the
Panjim Ambulance and Welfare Trust
(Panjim;
0832/222-4824
). Also in Panjim, call the 24-hour
Vintage Ambulance Service
(
98-2305-9948
). In Margao, call the local
Ambulance Trust
(
0832/273-1759
). In Mapusa, call
0832/226-2372.

American Express
Call
American Express
(
1600/1801-242
or 1800/1801-245).

Area Code
The area code for
Goa
is
0832.

ATMs
While some of the smaller villages may not have ATM facilities, for the most part you won’t have to search hard to find one. Ask your hotel for the nearest machine with credit card facilities, and—unless you’re staying somewhere remote (like Fort Tiracol)—you shouldn’t need to travel far to draw money. Taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers can also usually take you to one without much bother (preferably during the day). In Panjim. there’s an ICICI ATM at the Sindur Business Centre on Swami Vivekananda Road.

Banks & Currency Exchange
For the best rates, you can exchange cash and traveler’s checks at
Thomas Cook
in Panjim (8 Alcon Chambers, D. B. Marg;
0832/222-1312;
Mon–Sat 9:30am–7pm). Another location is between Baga and Calangute, at the State Bank of India, in the Hotel Ofrill Building (
0832/227-5693
).