In recent years, holidays in India have become more popular among tourists. Many people choose to visit Goa for exploring the country. Travel companies are actively offering low-cost tours to Goa, luring with bright sunny photos of beaches with palm trees. There are travelers who plan their vacation themselves, choosing a route and hotels without any outside help.
When planning an independent trip, it must be borne in mind that in India the weather conditions are very different from each other at different times of the year. A great time to relax is from October to February. Excellent weather, many resort activities at this time are available in full. During this period, the load on the Dabolim airport in Goa increases significantly due to the large influx of charter flights from all over the world.
Goa - a tourist paradise for tourists
The smallest state of India (the former colony of Portugal) is interesting for travelers due to its inherent features:
- In Goa, you can find a varied vacation. The north and south of the state offer a radically different holiday. In the north - discos, many impressions. In the south - a quiet, relaxing holiday.
- Smiling Indians, friendly and always ready to help, fascinate with their spontaneity.
- Sunrise and sunset fascinates with its indescribable beauty and transience.
- Many interesting sights, original holidays and colorful ceremonies. Goa has an original landscape and many beautiful temples and churches that are worth visiting.
All this color attracts tourists to the state. In recent years, the influx of tourists to Goa has increased significantly.
How to get to Goa?
The constant flow of tourists to Goa poses a real problem with finding inexpensive tickets. Please note that charters fly only during the holiday season. They fly according to their schedule, and operators can change it at will. In addition to them, there are also regular airline flights. There are direct flights to Goa with a departure from Moscow. The number of flights is fixed, so it is better to worry about buying tickets in advance. You can also get to Goa with a change: through Delhi, Mumbai or the UAE.
Goa Air Service
How many airports in Goa? The only air port in the state is Dabolim Airport. It is located on the southern outskirts of the city, near the village of Dabolim, from where it took its name. Previously, it was a military airfield. The increase in tourist flow has forced the state government to take measures to expand the airport for receiving passenger traffic and to limit military flights. Now Goa Airport (India) has a terminal for receiving international flights.
The first terminal was built in 1950, when Goa was still a colony of Portugal. After gaining independence, the airport passed to the Indian military.
When the first travelers began to come to the country in 1960, the need arose to renew the region, and the first hotels began to be built in Goa. State authorities have agreed with the military to use the airport terminal for peaceful purposes, to receive passenger flights at Dabolim Airport. In 1966, the first international flight flew to Goa Airport.
Dabolim Airport
The full name of the airport is Goa International Airport Vasco-da-Gama (DABOLIM). There are 2 terminals in total:
- terminal 1 receives domestic flights;
- terminal 2 - international.
The movement between the plane and the airport building is carried out only by bus. Baggage claim takes place in one part of the airport, there are 2 baggage belts. Luggage trolleys are available at the airport. At the exit from the airport there is a taxi rank with fixed prices for all the resorts of Goa.
You can enter the Goa Dabolim Airport building only by presenting a ticket, and not earlier than 4 hours before departure. This is a feature of all airports in India. In the spring of 2014, Dabolim Airport was completely updated. A new building was opened - a modern terminal with levels and spacious waiting rooms. The flow of tourists at that time was already more than 4 million people a year.
How to get to Dabolim airport?
From the resort, the Goa Dabolim Airport building can be reached in various ways:
- By train to Dabolim Rail Station. This is the nearest station, located 1 km from the airport.
- By local buses. Ticket price - from 250 to 650 rupees. Buses stop moving during breakfast and lunch.
- Transfer from hotel or taxi.
From the airport building, you can also get to any state resort by bus, taxi or train. At the entrance to the terminal is a prepaid taxi rank. The tourist makes payment in advance, receives a receipt and at the end of the trip gives it to the taxi driver.
Passport Control at Goa Airport
Upon arrival in Goa, you must go through passport and customs control. Even on board the plane issued a questionnaire to fill out - Arrival Card. The questionnaire must necessarily indicate the place where the tourist will be during his stay in Goa. Therefore, it is better to take care of renting a hotel and choosing a resort in advance.
Usually the passport control procedure does not take much time. There is a nuance of passing inspection for those who arrived by domestic flight (for example, with a transfer from Delhi). After passing control at the local terminal, you will have to get another 25 minutes to the international terminal to go through a similar procedure there.
To passport control, you must present:
- a questionnaire filled in the airplane;
- passport with entry visa.
When applying for a visa upon arrival, it is necessary to present a visa approval and get a stamp in the passport that replaces the visa.
What do tourists think?
Goa Airport has not the best reviews from tourists. According to tourists, there are many shortcomings at the Dabolim airport, on average, the comfort of staying there is rated at 3 out of 5. The main drawback noted by tourists is irrelevant information on electronic displays. Therefore, the main advice for travelers to Goa is to be very attentive at the airport, to independently monitor the time and as often as possible to check with the staff the relevant information so as not to miss the flight.
The tourist destination in Goa was opened relatively recently, and the renewal of the airport from military to receiving international flights occurred only a few years ago. Now the main passengers of the Dabolim airport are tourists of international flights. With the opening of the new terminal, staying at Goa Airport has become more comfortable. The new international terminal is a two-story building with departure and arrival halls, small souvenir shops.
The airport’s internal infrastructure contains everything necessary for tourists: cafes and restaurants, a mother and child’s room, waiting rooms of various classes, racks for renting a car or motorcycle, equipped transit zones and parking.
The runway of the Dabolim airport is very interesting, it has a length of 2393 m and abuts against the sea coast and the beach. This makes takeoff and landing very unusual.