Goa’s only international airport in India is called Dabolim. It is the gateway to the famous Indian state for tourists and travelers, they fly here from all over the world on chartered and scheduled planes to relax and have fun.
Description of Dabolim
It’s quite an old airport, it was built back in the 1950s. At that time the state of Goa was a Portuguese colony, not owned by India. A decade later, Dabolim in Goa was occupied by the Indian armed forces, and today belongs to the military.
For decades, the authorities of the state, located on the eastern shore of the beautiful Arabian Sea, which has an excellent climate and unique beaches, have chosen the tourism industry – the main direction of its development.
Dabolim on the map of Goa
Technical features of Dabolim airport
Civilian flights arrive at and depart from Goa airport between 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. The rest of the time there are exercises at a military airfield. This is too short a time for a peaceful harbor, and passengers are uncomfortable.
A few years ago, an additional international terminal for tourists and visitors to Goa was built at the airport to relieve the pressure, but it did not solve the problem of passenger traffic completely.
Dabolim Airport has one runway of almost 3,500 meters. It is built over the Arabian Sea, and tourists are totally amazed and delighted by this arrival in the fabulous India.
On the official website of the airport there is a board, using it at any time you can find out the schedule of flights, what time is required for check-in, etc. Prepare yourself mentally for the prospect of long lines in advance.
Baggage check
At Goa Airport in India, all luggage is subject to thorough screening. It goes through the scanner. All checked items are tied with a plastic band for security, it can not be opened until the luggage is received at another airport.
Hand luggage weighing up to 2 kg is allowed in the cabin of an airliner. It, too, is subject to inspection, including. on the metal detector, but then stays with the passenger, who in turn passed the procedure of personal inspection.
How to get from the airport to the hotel?
When you arrive in Goa at Dabolim Airport, you will definitely need a means of transportation to get to the hotel whose room was booked in your name when you purchased the tour.
There are three options for resolving the problem.
- Transfer by cab or shuttle from Dabolim airport to the hotel is usually included in the price of the tour. At the exit of the terminal a driver will be waiting for you and will take you to the right place.
- If the transfer service is not included in the tour, order a cab. You can do this in advance, while in Russia, or you can approach cab drivers standing near the airport of Goa. But more often it is done at Bali airport online at intui.travel.
- At Dabolim Airport you will be offered a four-seater car, minivan, minibus, etc. The driver will stand outside the terminal holding a sign with your name on it. Transfer price $40 – $150, depending on the distance to the hotel.
- You can go to the ATM at the exit of the terminal and order a public cab there. You will see a banner with prices for cab services near Dabolim in Goa. Pay in rupees for a cab, get a receipt and wait in line.
- The most budget option is a shuttle bus. The trip from Dabolim Airport to the hotel will not cost more than 100 rupees. But you have to put up with its length and many transfers. After 19:00 and before 07:00 there are no buses on the routes. It is impossible to get on such a bus with large luggage, it is almost always overcrowded with people. You can go to Vasco, change to another bus and go to Panaji, the state capital. And from the capital you can safely go to Mapusa and other resorts.
