I want to do this also. I'd say ask at the beach shacks or ask a taxi drive you trust. A lot of them will try and rip you off. Depending on distance I might try and take my scooter.

You can either get a taxi to take you, or get the bus to Betim, ferry to Panjim then bus from there.
Also some of the travel agents/hotels do coach tours there.

If you are going on a scooter from the north beware that there is often a police check point on the Mandovi bridge which might demand papers etc. Also this section is National Highway so helmets are compulsory.

Once you get there you are likely to be offered a guide (separate ones for each side of the green area), most of them are quite knowledgeable and full of interesting facts, they will often point out things that you might otherwise miss or not realise the significance of. Some of them just stick to the positive side of things, while at least one of them is quite good at balancing it by showing the darker side from the time of the Inquisition (look for the Catherine Wheel).

This is kind of hard to explain. Old Goa is inland up the Mandovi, head to Panji and turn left immediatley after you cross the bridge and you can;t miss it. It's probably 10 miles give or take from Calangute/ Candolim.

It is rideble on a moped but the section between Panji and Old Goa is national highway so can get busy with nutty drivers. You don't have to go through Panji, just tickle the edges but I wouldn't recommend the ride unless you have ridden in Goa alot before. If you really want to drive yourself hire a jeep.

Taxi shouldn't be more than a few hundred rupees. I think last time we went to see the crocs we paid 600 rupees for the return taxi and you go through Old Goa on your way to the crocs.

Wont ride it then. Rather get a tour and have the full experiance.

So if we get a taxi there and back it shouldnt cost more than 600 rupees?
Also, are these the kind of taxi drivers that will drop you off and then come and pick you up at a set time you both agree on?

Yes the driver will probably hang about anyway. You just tell him what time you want to return and he will be waiting for you.

Brilliant, thanks for the advice. Just couldnt find anything else on this forum about Old Goa

600 - 700 rupess return I'd say - certainly no more than 800.

Its about half the distance the airport is if that''s any help (although not in the same direction)

Has anyone been?

To Old Goa, not really.

I've passed through many times and Sanjay (from Ice n Spice) has taken us to a restaurant in the hills overlooking a few times (somewhere where they are building a new road) but only ever driven round Old Goa - not my thing really.

Has anyone been?

Yes - twice, also passed through a few times.

The taxi fare for a return trip is usually only 10-20% more than the single and usually includes an hour or so waiting time. Best check before you set off.

If going by taxi it is also worth including looking round a couple of Hindu temples at nearby Ponda and maybe having lunch at a Spice Plantation and take in a plantation tour (350 rupees for a buffet lunch and the tour and just outside Ponda)

Just couldnt find anything else on this forum about Old Goa

I always make a point of never going anywhere without a good guide - Lonely Planet or Rough Guide to name only two.

Got the lonely planet guide. When you say the taxi includes an hour or so waiting time..I would prefer to be there longer so would they come back for us

Thanks about the spice plantation, sounds interesting

Superking, when you get there ask about while at the shack/restaurant or hotel. You will probably get a driver who will take you and act as a Tour Guide
You can do Old Goa and the spice plantation in a day no problems. You get a lovely lunch included in the entry price at the spice farm

We went to Old Goa in January, cost 700 rupees with taxi driver but we went to Mapusa as well. Our taxi driver who we used a lot this year and last year is very knowledgeable and also a very safe driver and he doesnt mind how long he is waiting. For all the criticism of taxi drivers this year we never once felt ripped off but I suppose because we were two females our taxi driver was very protective. Where in Calangute will you be based

I went to Old Goa and three temples around Ponda in January - price was agreed a couple of days beforehand, 1000 rupees from the taxi stand in Candolim. The driver were picked us up from and dropped us off at our accommodation. He waited quite happily whilst we went off and did what we wanted. We showed ourselves around Old Goa (it's not big) with the aid of a Lonely Planet Guide. Hardly saw another western tourist whilst we were there. Old Goa is a UNESCO world heritage site, and was quite a different side from being surrounded by other tourists. I wouldn't say an hour is long enough in Old Goa, so perhaps agree how long you want there with your driver.

What there is to see in Old Goa
http://goacentral.com/Goatowns/oldgoa.htm

And some nice pictures here too
http://photoguide.to/goa/oldgoa.html

Thank you Phoebe,
There are some very good photo's on the second link you have given,a very helpfull guide ,everything is there on Old Goa.
Thanks again -lassi

I meant to say, in my reply above, that the first hour, maybe two, of waiting time is free with the return taxi price, if you want more than an hour or so there is a very small per hour charge. Most taxi drivers have little chance of getting another job by leaving you and going back, so they usually have no problem in waiting as long as it takes.

I once took a taxi (to the Vrundavan Hospital near Mapusa) and wanted to come back 6 hours later. I asked him if it would be better to let him go away and treat it as two single journeys, he agreed but in fact he stayed outside all the time asleep in the taxi.

Old Goa was once a large town but was abandoned nearly 200 years ago. Today all that survives are some of the Churches, Convents and Se Cathedral (the largest church in Asia). There is also an archaeological museum. It is quite odd to see all these large buildings now surrounded by open spaces.