*Taxi:**: By taxi

The best transport deals to work out in Goa are with the tourist taxis, usually white Maruti vans or identifiable by their white-background licence plates. They charge Rs 4 to 4.50 per kilometre, plus for waiting at a place. It's advisable when using one for half or all day to arrive at a consolidated rate (haggling is a must). They can be usually found outside all major hotels, resorts, tourists sights, busy squares.

Various travel agencies can organise a taxi too. Try contacting Anil Borkar of the Borkar taxi service at Candolim at tel # 0832-277349, 277444. The two Borkar borthers are safe drivers and very enterprising and can organise anything by way of wheels. Or contact the hotel you're staying at and they can put you onto somebody who rents out either taxis or motorcycles.

In Panjim, they are best engaged near the Hotel Mandovi, on D. Bandodkar Road by the river. In Margao, they can be found in front of the municipal building at the southern end of the central garden. In Mapusa and Ponda, by the main bus stands.

*Auto:**: By autorickshaw or motorcycle taxi
Within a town autorickshaws or the passenger motorcycles, identifiable by their yellow mudguards, are the rule. Along the beach strips one can rent 2-wheelers usually by asking a hotel/resort reception.

*Car:**: Car or motorcycle rental
Charges for a 2-wheeler range from Rs 100-Rs 250/bike/day depending on type. Cars can be rented, either chauffeur driven or self driven from:

Hertz, opposite Dom Bosco High School, Market area, Panjim, tel # 224304
Wheels Rent-a-Car, Panjim, tel # 224304
Budget, c/o Sai Service, Mapusa Road, Porvorim, tel # 217775

*River:**: River cruises
The Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) runs a variety of river cruises on the Mandovi -- daytime, sunset and moonlight. These cost between Rs 50 and Rs 150 per head for an hour to 3 hours. There are two types of day cruises -- from the Panjim jetty, down the Mandovi into the Zuari bay and up the Mandovi to the village of Aldona and a mineral water spring. The hour-long cruises are in the Mandovi channel and include a live band and folk troupe performance.

A few private firms now offer a variety of imaginative cruises or boat tours. Odyssey Tours at tel # 232586 rents out its 42-foot luxury motor yacht Solita for "cruising the surrounding beaches in search of bottlenose dolphins or for exploring bird sanctuary of Chorao along the beautiful mangrove lined backwaters". Their rates are a tad bit steep. Check out their tariffs at http://www.odysseyindia.com

Try Goan Banana's too. Address: c/o Casa Goana restaurant, Cobra Vaddo, Baga road, Calangute, tel/fax # 2776362

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