Mapusa is the main market town in northern Goa. Mapusa is pronounced by the locals as “Mapsa.”xe "Dudhsagar Waterfalls" It is about 15km north ofxe "Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary" Panaji and about 10km inland from the Calangute, Baga, Anjuna, and Vagator beaches. If you are coming from Mumbai by bus, you can get down here and then head to one of the northern beaches.

There is not much to see in town. It has an interesting and busy Friday market.

Information and Travel
From Mapusa it is easy to get a motorcycle, taxi, auto-rickshaw, or motorcycle taxi to one of the beaches. A motorcycle taxi to Calangute or Anjuna takes twenty minutes (Rs 40).

As soon as you get off the bus, touts will approach you to rent a motorbike, telling you that it is cheaper to rent one here than at the beaches. This is not true. Also, if you do not have an international license, the police here tend to stop motorbikes, especially on Fridays when they set up roadblocks on the border of town to catch tourists coming to the market.

There is a Tourist Office in the Tourist Hotel.
You can change money at the State Bank of India to the right as you exit the bus station.

The Other India Bookstore (263-306), above the Mapusa Clinic (open Mon to Fri 9 am to 6 pm, Sat 9 am to 1 pm) has a good selection of books on Goa and other unique titles.

Where to Stay and Eat
Sirsat Lodge (262-419) has basic double rooms with a common bath for Rs 150.
Hotel Vilena (263-115), Feira Baixa, has good, clean rooms with common bath for Rs 225 and with bath for Rs 350.
The popular GTDC Tourist Hotel (262-794), off the roundabout below the square, has good-sized clean rooms for Rs 250/350. It has rooms with four/six beds for Rs 450/550. You can get hot water in buckets. The A/C rooms have hot water heaters. It has a decent restaurant. Inside this hotel is a Goa Tourist information counter and a Damania Airways office.
Hotel Trishul (262-700) is a good alternative. It has rooms with a bath for Rs 300.
Hotel Satyaheera (262-849), at the top of the square, opposite the Maruti (Hanuman) Temple, has rooms with attached bath with hot water for Rs 400 and A/C rooms with TV for Rs 650. It is the best hotel in town.
Hotel Vrindavan, east side of the mxe "Mapusa" ain square, has cheap, Indian-type snacks, ice cream, and shakes.
Ruchira, on the top floor of the Hotel Satyaheera, serves Indian, Goan, and Chinese food.

Travel
There are many private bus companies near where the buses stop at the bottom of the square that can book long distance buses to Mumbai (17 hr), Bangalore (14 hr), and Pune (14 hr).
Kadamba bus terminal is where the long distance state buses, and local buses to Calangute, Baga, Anjuna, Vagator, Chapora, Arambol, and Margao depart. Buses from Baga, Anjuna, and Arambol beaches only go as far as this station, then from here you must catch a bus to other places in North Goa. There are frequent buses to Panaji (30 min).
A motorcycle taxi to Calangute or Anjuna costs Rs 45 and takes about fifteen minutes. A taxi costs Rs 90.

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