We live in Mangalore, Karnataka, so getting to Goa by train takes only six hours, which makes me wonder why I don’t go there more often. My friend and I traveled to Madgaon in South Goa by train in the early morning, arriving in the afternoon.

We took a taxi to our friend’s house in Santa Cruz in North Goa, which is located above and below the Mandovi River in North and South Goa, respectively. We learned that the Goa government has launched an app called GoaMiles (download it here) where you can hire a taxi for a fixed price, despite the fact that taxis are one of the most convenient ways to get around the state.

You can also rent a car, take the ferry (available only from Betim to Panaji, Old Goa to Divar Island, Querim to Tiracol, and Cavelossim to Assolna), use the Pilot service (motorcycle rickshaws), and take local auto-rickshaws and buses. However, whenever it was more convenient, we took the bus or our friend’s car to explore Santa Cruz and some of its surrounding areas.