Goa to Jamnagar Flights

  About Goa

Located on the West coast of India is the quaint beachy paradise, also known as Goa. The state of Goa is hardly 3,700 sq. km, with a small population that is known to be one of the biggest tourist destinations in India. The state has a heavy Portuguese influence and culture as it is a former colony. Thanks to their Portugal-influenced, the culture and outlook of Goa are visibly diverse from the other parts of India. Goa sees a regular throng of tourists as Indian and international travellers constantly flock over to the tropical state. The domestic and international routes are well-connected, making travelling by flight to Goa, an easy task.

Best time to visit Goa

The best season to visit Goa is undeniably winter! The winters in Goa call for a celebration as the temperatures drop to offer a pleasant atmosphere. The months starting from October to February are peak season where Goa sees an abundance of travellers. The flight tickets to Goa during this season is also quite expensive as the demand is high. However, with various music festivals, Christmas and the spirit of New Year's taking over, Goa easily becomes one of the best places in winters.

The monsoon season that stretches between June to September is ideal for nature enthusiasts. While many assume Goa's beaches to be its identity, the green expanses of the Western Ghats that passes through Goa get some love from nature enthusiasts. The state's hues change from sparkling blue to emerald green, and it is worth exploring.

The summers are considered to be bad as the tropical region faces sweltering temperatures. Often the mercury spikes up to 40 degree Celsius, making it unbearably hot. The flight tickets to Goa are cheap during this season for obvious reasons. If you can handle the heat, then you can make use of good flight deals and book flight tickets to Goa.

Places to visit in Goa

Museums and art galleries

The state might be known for its tourism, but they also indulge in arts and culture. There are many art galleries around the Old Goa region. The state's Portugal roots can further be explored by visiting the Goa State Museum. You should also visit the Museum for technology and Art, which goes by the name Sensistan. Benaulim's Houses of Goa, Goa Chitra Museum and many other religious art museums have intriguing stories that should be explored.

Beaches

Goa's highlight is the beaches, the cuisine and the nightlife. The pristine blue waters by the coasts sparkle under the sun and attract people from all over the world. The most famous and best beaches in Goa include Palolem, Vagator, Chapora, Anjuna, Arambol, Morjim, Colva, Candolim, Mandrem, Butterfly, Agonda, Calangute, etc. The best thing to in Goa to travel within would be to rent a vehicle and beach hop as every beach caters to a certain kind of audience. Depending on your vibe, you might enjoy a certain stretch of beach. The beautiful beaches are definitely worth it.

Churches

The famed Bom Jesus Basilica with the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier is a legendary church. Built in 1605, the church's distinctive architecture using wood, gold, stone and granite gives it a vintage vibe. Not to mention how you will get to witness the miraculous undecomposed body of Francis Xavier, whose body is preserved by the church officials. Other notable churches include the Church of St Francis of Assisi, Church of St Catejan, Se Cathedral and Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.

Things to do in Goa

Water sports

Goa has copious amounts of water sports activities that would keep you indulged all-day. Right from learning how to surf to snorkelling to kayaking in the wide sea, there are various water sports that you can take up. Specific beaches host scuba diving and snorkelling activities while some are known for their parasailing, banana boat ride, ferry tours and other such activities. Depending on which part of the state you're in, you'll get to experience the said kind of water sport.

Beach hopping

The beaches of Goa can either by calm and quaint or loud and noisy. Depending on which neighbourhood you choose, you'll find your own sweet nirvana. The North beaches are more commercial with Baga, Calangute, Candolim, Anjuna, Vagator and more, experiencing excessive crowd. The South beaches are quaint and quiet with luxury settings and fewer crowds. If you wish to indulge in water sports and other such activities, then you should head to North where they happen in abundance. If taking strolls at the beach or going for a swim is what you wish to do then the South beaches are it for you. You can rent bikes or cars and go on a beach-hopping spree.

Ocean treks

To reach some beaches in Goa, you will have to trek the trails. The Butterfly Beach in South Goa is one such beach where you need to trek up the stony trails to reach the exquisite and quaint beach. It is undoubtedly one of the best beaches in the state. Parts of Cabo de Rama beach also expects you to do some trekking, which only adds to the fun of diving in the sea. North Goa's Arambol beach is also famous for ocean treks.

Quad Biking

If you wish to take a day's break from the beaches and the water, you can head to the adventure side of Goa where you'll find quad bike tours. Basically, you can do dirt bike riding on muddy terrains created. You don't need to be an expert to indulge in this activity as it doesn't require any levels of riders.

Casino and cruises

Goa's nightlife is just as lit as the beaches it offers. While there are regulated parties that take place on the beaches and even some nightclubs, there are dedicated cruises and casino parlours too. Try some play of dice at one of these casinos or hit the party scenes to experience the nightlife of Goa.

Food and Restaurants in Goa

As a coastal state, Goa's staple food involves fish curry and rice. The place serves the most exquisite seafood that one can ask for. The beach shacks have Continental, Seafood and Indian food cuisines as options. A majority of the tourists usually choose seafood over everything else. For the best ambience and piquant seafood, you should visit Curly's in North Goa and Fisherman's Wharf in South Goa. Other places with great seafood are The Lazy Goose, Amavi, Starlight, Ritz Classic, Gunpowder, etc.

While seafood is a staple, the iconic Goan dishes are actually made from pork. Acquaint yourself with names such as Vindaloo, Xacuti, Chorizo and Sorpotel as these Goan dishes are a big hit. From street food to lavish restaurant dining, you'll meet with all kinds of experiences in Goa, and they will all be memorable. The beach shacks also have Goan dishes in their menu so you can always mix up the platter. If seafood is a little too much for you to deal with, then an Italian rendezvous at Da Tita might go down well with you.

How to reach Goa

By Air

Goa's Dabolim Airport, located in Vasco da Gama, is the only airport in the State. Due to the popularity of the state, and the fact that it is the most sought-after destination for Indians, as well as international tourists, the flight connectivity to and from Goa, is incredible. Direct flight to Goa is available from Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, Surat, Jaipur and more. International flights from Goa are also available as some direct planes are flying to Kuwait, UAE, Doha, etc. Although no direct flights are connecting Goa to Western Europe, USA, Russia and the UK, great connectivity and layovers have enabled these international destinations to be connected to Goa.

Nonstop domestic airlines such as IndiGo, Air India, GoAir, Air Asia and Vistara are available. It would be ideal to book your hotels ahead of your trip as shuttle services to pick you up from Goa airport would be convenient. On off-seasons, the flight tickets are cheap and affordable. However, if you wish to travel during their peak season, it is best to book flight tickets in advance for great flight deals online.

By Rail

There are two main railway stations namely, Madgaon Junction and Thivim, which connect other cities to South and North Goa respectively. Direct trains following domestic routes to Goa are also available from Mumbai, Delhi, Mangalore, Kochi, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, to name a few.

By Road

A majority of crowd from the Mumbai and Pune region often use the road as a means to reach Goa. There are overnight buses that travel from Mumbai to Goa, which makes travelling convenient. Various public and private bus service providers have sleeper and Volvo seater buses going to Goa. You can either get down at Mapusa Bus Stand for North Goa or Panjim Bus Stand and Madgaon Bus Stand if you're opting for the South beaches. The State-serviced Kadamba Transport is also available and connects to various neighbouring states such as Karnataka and Maharashtra.

  About Jamnagar

Jamnagar's fame might come from all the Energy refineries and projects undertaken in the region, but the fact remains that it is one of the largest cities in Gujarat. The city has grown into one of the most developed cities in terms of impeccable infrastructure and contribution to the Power and Energy sector. Jamnagar lies on the Gulf of Kutch with the demography of people speaking Gujarati as well as Kutchi. The place is a spiritual haven, as many temples are built there.

The city of Jamnagar has a hot climate with a semi-arid atmosphere. Even though it does witness rain, the heat continues to stay in the air. However, the whole scenario changes during the winter months when there is a temperature drop experienced. While the peak season does see a lot of pilgrims and tourists flocking over to the city, the flight connectivity to Jamnagar from metro cities makes it possible.

Best time to visit Jamnagar

Summers in Jamnagar can be too hot to handle. The weather is hot and humid throughout, making summers a terrible time to visit the city. Not to mention how the temperature rises to 40 degree Celsius between March to June. The weather and the humidity in the air don't give a green signal for travel purposes. Since it is an off-season, airlines often propose cheap flight tickets to Jamnagar. If you can handle the heat and the humidity, going to Jamnagar during summers is okay.

Jamnagar sees heavy rainfall between June and September. Since the weather is hot and humid, the rains are also heavier in the city. Often the rains last till the end of September. Planning to explore the city during monsoon might not be the brightest idea as it would include mucky roads, heavy rains and the possibility of cultural heritages being shut.

The perfect time to visit Jamnagar is during the winter season. Between October and January, the weather is calm and extremely comforting. The city's temperature drops to bring about a pleasant atmosphere. This is also the peak season for Jamnagar's tourism, and various tourists and pilgrims reach the city to visit some of the temples. Jamnagar is known to have many temples and is widely recognised to be a holy city. Hence, the city sees vibrant energy during these months.

Places to visit in Jamnagar

Swaminarayan Temple

The Swaminarayan Temple might be located on the outskirts of the city, but its fame continues to attract various pilgrims from all around the country. The temple's architecture is a perfect blend of traditional as well as modern style. The temple premise is actually peaceful and extremely relaxing.

Pirotan Island

The Pirotan Island is originally part of the Marina National Park but has a cluster of 42 islands nestled together. Entering the Pirotan Island could be challenging as various paperwork needs to be filled and processed. Only confirmed stamps and required signatures would get you to the island. These permissions come from the Forest Department.

Lakhota Fort

Lakhota Lake and Fort are incredibly famous in Jamnagar. In fact, they are the two most visited tourist destinations in the city. The structure was built to keep the enemy away from the city. The complex also has a museum to venerate the history and cultural relevance of the Lakhota fort and lake.

Marina National Park

Marina National Park is India's first national park dedicated to the marine life and ecosystem. The national park is built in the Gulf of Kutch and inhabits a variety of fish, reptiles, underwater flora and more. The park also takes care of diverse birds and the corals that line the gulf.

Mota Ashapura Maa Temple

The city is a spiritual ground with various temples. One of the more famous temples is the Mota Ashapura Maa Temple. It is believed that praying to the Goddess and expressing a wish shall be fulfilled. As long as the devotee has faith in his/her heart, the desires shall be provided to the person. The idol of Maa Ashapura that resides within the temple complex has seven pairs of eyes.

Bhujiyo Kotho

Bhujiyo Kotho is a defence structure that was originally constructed by the earlier leaders of Jamnagar. The idea was to protect the city from any external attacks. The structure is built close to the Lakhota Lake. The majestic structure is definitely worth checking out as it does have an intriguing backstory.

Things to do in Jamnagar

Relax by the banks of Ranmal Lake

Famously known as Lakhota Lake, the sparkling lake is a major tourist attraction that sees a lot of tourists hang out by the ghats of the lake. There is a certain sense of peace and tranquillity that one can attain when nestled along the lake's ghats. Even though the place is populated, you will feel at ease and happy. The lake also sees a plethora of birds such as gulls, pelicans and flamingos that bring about a postcard-worthy scenery.

Indulge in bird-watching at Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary

If you are invested in the study of Ornithology and find birds fascinating, then you should directly visit the Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary. It sprawled across an area of 6 sq. Km, the premise has diverse habitats and many birds to look at. Plus, the site also preserves mangroves and diverse ecosystems. The trip would be wholesome as well as quite educational.

Relish food at Grand Chetna

Grand Chetna is one of the most famous restaurants in Jamnagar and also in Gujarat. The restaurant's claim to fame is the exquisite Gujarati Thalis that they prepare for their customers. With over 29 dishes served as part of the thali, the restaurant has the best food that you can find in all of Jamnagar. The place is definitely a must-visit if you are enthused about food and the Gujarati cuisine in general.

Shopping at Shree Subhash Market

A trip would only be complete when indulged in some street shopping. Shree Subhash Market is one such place where you can haggle prices and take home some prized items, including souvenirs for your loved ones and family. Plus, the street also has some street food that you can find yourself being drawn to. Let go off your inhibitions and give the street food at Jamnagar a try.

Food and Restaurants in Jamnagar

Gujaratis celebrate food and are extremely enthused about their cuisine and experimenting with other food. To them, food is not just a basic essential for survival but also a passion that continues to stay with them. Much of their food such as khandva, dhokla, fafda, jalebi, khaman, undiyo is a favourite among everyone. In fact, the Gujarati thali is also quite a delicious spread that one should definitely try, especially when you're in Jamnagar.

At Jamnagar, you should definitely visit Grand Chetna and Sankalp to get the best Gujarati thali in the city. The two restaurants don't just sell lip-smacking thali but also an ambience and air of positivity that will make your dining experience top-notch. For light food, you can head to Apna Adda Cafe, where you will find affordable, fast food and a hip environment. The city also has more restaurants namely, 360 the Rooftop Restaurant, 7 Seas Restaurant and Riddhi Siddhi Restaurant, that offer some of the best dishes in Jamnagar. When it comes to food, you will not be disappointed in Jamnagar.

How to reach Jamnagar (Transportation)

By Air

Jamnagar has an airport going by the same name. Although the flight connectivity to Jamnagar is quite limited, the nearest airport Rajkot has better connectivity with other major cities in India. Luckily though, there are three domestic routes connected to Jamnagar from Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi. Although initially, there was only one city connected to Jamnagar, later, two more cities joined the bandwagon. While Jamnagar's flight connectivity to various popular cities is quite poor, the airport is working towards adding more cities to its connection.

For direct flights from Jamnagar to Mumbai, Bangalore or Delhi, passengers can take it from the Jamnagar airport. However, for cities aside from these three, you will either have layovers or will have to go to Rajkot for better flight connectivity. As for international flight connectivity, you will have to go to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, located in Ahmedabad. The city is 318 km away from Jamnagar.

By Rail

Jamnagar Railway Station, as opposed to the airport, has excellent connectivity with several major cities and towns. The railway station falls on the main line that connects major big cities. This has helped the station to connect with New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Nagpur, Kozhikode, Surat, Jaipur, Jamshedpur and more. Trains heading to the final stops basically pass through Jamnagar which makes train a better bet in terms of reach the city.

By Road

Out of the three modes of transport to reach Jamnagar, buses are considered to be the best options. The roads are brilliantly connected with Jamnagar, making transportation extremely convenient. There are various city buses and even inter-state buses that pass through Jamnagar, further enhancing its connectivity. Buses from cities such as Mumbai, Baroda, Udaipur, Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot and more operator to and from Jamnagar. From public buses to AC Volvo services, there are many options that one can choose from to reach Jamnagar.

  About Goa Airport

Dabolim Airport is the sole domestic and international airport in the state of Goa. Situated in Dabolim, about 4 km from Vasco da Gama and 23 km from the oldest city Margao and 30 km from the state capital, Panjim, the airport is perched up the Arabian Sea. The airport is a civil enclave (a joint-use airport) and is also operated by the Indian Navy's naval airbase, INS Hansa. Goa Airport witnesses a plethora of international passengers throughout the year, especially from the European continent and many from the United Kingdom as well. IN 2013, the airport inaugurated its integrated terminal to increase the passenger handling capacity. The airport recorded capacity of 7.6 million passengers in the fiscal year 2017-18.

Dabolim Airport witnesses many European-charter airlines with flights flying to and from the city on a seasonal basis. There are dedicated charter flights from the United Kingdom, operated by TUI Airways or popularly known as just TUI. These charter flights function from the UK as well as the Republic of Ireland. Along with flights from the UK, Dabolim Airport also witnesses seasonal charter flights from Russian cities. With a consistent increase in passenger traffic and air traffic congestion, a proposal to introduce a second airport in Mopa has been granted a green signal. Mopa Airport is set to complete construction by 2022 and will see flight operations soon.

About Goa Airport terminals

Currently, Dabolim Airport accommodates two terminals for domestic and international flight operations. Terminal 1 handles all flight activities for domestic airlines. Meanwhile, Terminal 2 takes care of international flight operations ranging from landing to take off. The domestic terminal covered an area of 21,527 square feet and was constructed in 1983 while the international terminal came into existence in 1996, covering an area of 10,763 square feet. However, with a tremendous increase in passenger congestion and air traffic, the airport constructed an integrated terminal building to cater to both domestic as well as international passengers. The same was opened in 2013 with extensive features.

The design and layout of the building are aesthetic which comprises of glass and large steel span structures along with frameless glazing. The integrated terminal sprawls across 36,000 square metres and has been designed to accommodate five million passengers in a year. The terminal is also equipped with eight aerobridges. Some of the outstanding features of the terminal include an in-line baggage scanning system, 75 check-in counters, 22 immigration counters for departures, 18 immigration counters for arrivals and a total of 14 security check counters. The check-in counters are located on the ground floor, while the first floor has security checks. Following the installation of the new integrated terminal building, the old ones have been closed.

About Airport Authority

Dabolim Airport is currently being operated under the Airports Authority of India. The government statutory body which falls under the Ministry of Aviation has worked tirelessly towards enhancing the structure of Goa Airport. Over the years, the airport has undergone several upgradations and modernisation. All the expansion projects have been undertaken by the Airports Authority of India. This includes funding and management decisions concerning the projects. Under the AAI, the airport renewed its terminal building into an integrated one that would cater to accommodating international and domestic activities. Some of their works also include installation of the multi-level car parking facility to enable parking of about 570 cars along with parking bays for aircraft. They have also asked for the Indian Navy and the State Government to help them acquire lands to expand the aprons and the older international terminal building space.

The airport is spread across 1,700 acres of land and also accommodates a civil enclave of 35 acres. On a daily basis, Dabolim Airport witnesses about 180 flights with a large concentration of passenger traffic between 1 PM to 9 PM on weekdays. The airport is supposed to function between the slated time slot during weekdays for civilian as it has some naval restrictions. The military requires flight training activities to continue during a specific time period and hence follows the specified rules throughout the year.

As the airport is jointly operated by the Indian Navy and the Airports Authority of India, the two parties entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2017, to construct a full-length parallel taxi track that would be suitable to accommodate aircraft like Boeing 747. Both parties will share the construction cost. For the expansion project, Dabolim Airport also received environmental clearance in 2018. The project has been divided into three phases and is set to be completed in a scheduled manner. The first phase of the airport was completed in 2019, which resulted in an increase in the runway's capacity from 15 air traffic activities in an hour to 18-20 air traffic movements per hour.

Facilities at the Goa Airport

Lounge – Goa Airport has a VIP lounge that only caters to travellers with specific access passes or ticket types.

WiFi – Dabolim Airport offers free WiFi services to everyone. There are no restrictions as such. The same good speed can be availed at the common lounge as well as VIP lounges too.

ATMs and currency exchange – As it is an international airport, provisions for currency exchanges and ATMs are also present at Dabolim Airport. You will receive decent exchange rates for the currency exchange. Further, you can also transfer money to your overseas accounts.

Baby care facilities – The airport has reserved special rooms for baby care. These rooms are well-lit and have all the necessary items to cater to a baby and a new mother's comfort. A cosy chair, as well as a changing table, is also available in the baby care room. Plus, the room is private and only allows mothers with babies to enter.

Restaurants – Some many restaurants and cafes are present in the premise of Dabolim Airport. These restaurants majorly have Goan cuisine. However, there are continental, and other global cuisines also present in the airport. As you wait for boarding, indulging in food could be a good way to kill time.

Medical services – The airport has a dedicated team of medical experts that clock in 24/7. Along with professionals, Dabolim Airport also has a room reserved for doctors to take the emergency cases to. These rooms are well-equipped with basic first aid kits and medical facilities. A paramedic is also present in the airport vicinity.

Spa - A dedicated spa service is available at both the terminals of Dabolim Airport. If there are any flight delays or you have enough time in hand, you can avail their excellent spa services.

Top airlines flying from Goa Airport

Many domestic airlines are operating from Goa Airport. These include AirAsia India, Air India, Alliance Air, GoAir, IndiGo, SpiceJet, TruJet and Vistara. These airlines have flights connecting Dabolim Airport to major cities such as Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mysore, Pune, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Nagpur, Amritsar, Srinagar, Varanasi, Kochi, Lucknow, Nashik, Surat, Madurai, Hubli, Guwahati, Coimbatore and more. In terms of international flights that operate from Goa Airport, these include Air Arabia, Oman Air and Qatar Airways. They connect to cities such as Muscat, Doha, Dubai, Sharjah, Kuwait City and more. The airport also accommodates seasonal airlines such as TUI Airways, Air Ukraine and Thomas Cook Airlines during peak season as the demand for the state is quite high in terms of tourism.

How to reach Goa Airport

Reaching Goa Airport is quite convenient, even though it is in the outskirts of the city. Passengers can take buses, taxi cabs and trains as well to reach any part of the state.

By Bus and taxi cabs

With respect to buses, the city of Vasco da Gama is only 4 km away. Several public buses can be taken to reach Goa Airport. The closes stop to the airport is Chicalim bus stop, which is located about 1.5 km apart. Many public buses run by the state are connected to Vasco da Gama. From the city of Vasco da Gama, you can always take taxi services to reach Goa Airport. Provisions of local mini-buses are also available to the airport from Vasco da Gama and Chicalim. Similarly, taxi cab services are available within the city. The city of Goa has its mobile app to book prepaid taxis and vehicles to smooth the process of travelling within the state and reaching Dabolim Airport. The government is also working towards constructing a 6-lane expressway that would make connections to the airport easier from major cities in Goa. Similarly, a monorail system is also being proposed.

By Rail

Dabolim has a railway station going by the same name. It is the nearest station from Goa Airport. You can take the train service to reach Dabolim Airport from various parts of Goa such as Tivim in North Goa, Ponda and Margao in South Goa. The railway station is quite in proximity to the airport and is hence, considered to be one of the cheap and affordable options to reach Goa Airport.