Here is a map of Vagator



BLUE - Places

RED - Restaurants

YELLOW - Accomodation

Vagator situated North of Anjuna near the Chapora River is more of a backpackers choice rather than a family resort due to the trance parties which take place (despite the clampdown) over the Christmas and New Year period, so probably not a good idea to visit then if a 3 day trance party is not your cup of tea. The place is absolutely hammered from the 15th December till the 15th January as people from all over the World and the hordes from Mumbai visit the home of Trance.

Once the parties are over Vagator becomes a peaceful place with plenty going on for everybody. There are 3 beaches :

OZRAN - Or spaghetti beach as it`s known locally is the first Beach nestling at the bottom of a palm fringed cliff, a few shacks down here and also the famous Shiva Rock carving is at the far end of this beach.

LITTLE VAGATOR - Or Tel Aviv beach is the next one up divided by a few rocks from Ozran, pretty much the same here, a few shacks nestled at the bottom of the cliffs. This is my favourite beach with great swimming and my favourite beach shack Sharmilla`s, to get here go down the cliff by the side of Alcove restaurant, it is underneath the 9 bar.

BIG VAGATOR - The biggest obviously, mainly used by Indian families and a lot less hassle from beach sellers, majestically overlooked by Chapora fort on the hill (well worth a walk up at sunset), reached by the main beach road near the taxi stand. A local once told me that Jimmy Hendrix once played on this beach in the early 70`s

RESTAURANTS & BARS TOUR

The ones I have tried,

Beach road :

TIN TINS - Great food good menu, British owned I think, Sunday dinners if that`s your thing.

JAWS - Mainly back packers eat here but the food is good and cheap, Goan dishes served and they show new movies in the evening

MANGO TREE - Some money been spent by Steve the owner, big screen for movies in the evening, food is great and plentiful, pizza , tandoori, Curries, Chinese and Pasta, also a ice cocktail bar to watch the world go by.

Opposite the Mango tree, about 50 yards down the road is CHINA TOWN, a very good restaurant , usually always full.

Further still and left brings you to THE PRIMROSE, this used to be the coolest place to hang out in Goa, they have built a disco at the back, inside to get around the no amplified music after 10pm law, food available as well as money changing.
Out of the Primrose turn left as far as yo can go turn right through the crossroads with the little chapel. This is the other main area of Vagator where there are cheap rooms and a very nice place called Leony resort is based http://www.nivalink.com/leoneys/index.html.
As you go through the crossroads there is a restaurant called SALT AND PEPPER, I have eaten here a few times and can recommend the steak and the sea food, this road has a few small bars dotted about if you fancy a drink or two. Further up the road is a place called LE BLUEBIRD, I havn`t eaten here but am told that this French restaurant is second to none for its food, Past the chapel keeping left brings you to a a few backpackers eateries, don`t let this put you off as some of them are really nice like the RAMDAS SWAMY, once round the bend take a right and you will find the 9 BAR and THE ALCOVE, 9 bar plays Goan trance from around 4 in the afternoon till 10pm everyday , a great place to watch the sunset with a cold beer. The Alcove has now built some rooms and a pool, some of them are directly on the clifftop overlooking the beach and sea, truly awesome i should think.

Also nearby Vagator is Chapora, a proper little Goan fishing village with a small port, get down early in the day and watch the women fish sellers go about their daily business while the fishermen are in the bar drinking fenni.

Anybody wanting any more info, fire away

That's great information there, Feelthevibe!

I really like the wildness of Vagator Beach but my abiding memory is of a Rajastani stall holder assaulting me (literally) for money after I'd taken a photograph that included her stall. Normally I'd give a few rupees and apologise but this lady was extremely rude - I told her the reason her trade was bad was because she had a bad attitude. Not clever, I know but she really annoyed me.

The following year - there she was again. "You bad man" she greeted me. I had to smile and I'm sure beneath that weather beaten face there was a hint of a smile! How do they remember? Was I really that rude?

That wasn`t at the top of the cliff near the 9 Bar by any chance ? there is one up there that has hounded me since 1999

That's the one! She's a real charmer, isn't she! At least I know it's not just me she has a go at!

Thanks for the info FTB.

We really enjoyed Vagator (except for the beachsellers) could have done with this info before we went

Excellent stuff.

McGroogle

Thanks McGroogle, you are right about the sellers though, Sharmilla usually asks if you want to buy anything from them and moves them on if you don`t . They are really nice kids on the whole though I have known most of them since my first visit 7 years ago so they know me well enough to stop pestering, they usually always stop by my sunbed for a rest and a chat and to share a pineapple and a bottle of water then move on saying " Andy if you need Sarong you come find me yes ". I have witnessed the police take money from them and beat them when some were as young as 10 year old, I have even put their stuff in my bag when the police come, they can be a pain but I always have time for them and I think they respect that.

Here is a link for the alcove resort on top of Little Vagator beach, gotta say it is very nice http://www.alcovegoa.com/facilities.htm#1

yes it does look nice! It will be added to our reviews.

FTV
Got to say I think you have sold me Vagator
It looks lovely and not that far from Candolim
I have just emailed Alcove to see if they have a room available for the month as it looks absolute peaceful paradise

heaven

Can you tell me is it priced similar to Candolim for drinks and food

If anything it`s a lot cheaper, one thing about the Alcove I will warn you about is its close proximity to the 9 bar, which only plays trance music till 10pm now .But you could always be elsewhere till then and return to the peace later if it really gets on your nerves

Hi FTV
What is Trance is it hippyish????

It is indeed hippyish if that is what you like to call it shouldn`t be too bad though noise wise I think it adds a nice ambience to the place where this type of music was born...... Others may hate it

Ginlizzy - Vagator is beautiful and well worth a visit.

The prices are a lot cheaper than Candolim (which is cheap anyway).

Put it on your 'Things to Do' list - a great place. Don't know about the Trance thingy - never has been my scene - sorry FTV




McGroogle

Thanks McGroogle
Its on my list, going for a month so hopefully will def give it a go

Thanks again

Ginlizzy

We stayed in Chapora village in 1999. It was lovely, some great restaurants, cheap scooter hire. Whizz up the hill and there you are, on the road to Vagator. We used to laze on Spaghetti Beach and in 99 there was a prgnant lady selling silver/sandalwood. She was so sweet and not pushy at all-I bet she sells there now with her....7 ish year old child....I wonder????

Also in Chapora is a fantastic juice and fruit bar, you can have massive bowls of fresh fruit salad and ice cream here for next to nothing and i really mean MASSIVE!!! and fresh!! they do nothing but fruits and this tiny basic local place on the road is amazing, used by a lot of locals and also lot of 'hippes'
unfortunately the name escapes me right now!! sorry, but Chapora is a small place so shouldnt be hard to find
chilly

There was a restaurant run by Tibetans which did GORGEOUS lasagne and chips (I know I know but we were in Goa, after months of 'India' it was a welcome change to have western food!) Also the Primrose Cafe does the best strawberry juices I have ever tasted!

Vagator, Goa…

General Information.

Altitude Sea Level
Temperature Summer: 30 Deg.C to 34 Deg.C
Winter 15 Dec.C to 25 Deg.C
Rainfall Very heavy during June-September
Best Season November/March
Language Konkani, English, Portuguese, Marathi, Hindi
Nearest City/Town Mapusa 10 kms; Panjim 23 kms;
Mumbai (Bombay) 590 kms; Bangalore 600 kms.
Accessibility From Bangalore: 16 hours by road.
Airport Dabolim 57 kms
Connected by Indian Airlines from
Mumbai (Bombay); Bangalore, Chennai,
New Delhi, Cochin
Railway Station Londa 125 kms. Margao 60 kms. Tivim 18 kms.
Bus Terminus Mapusa 18 kms. Panjim 23 kms.
Local Transport Bus, Taxi, Auto, Two Wheeler
Hospital 4 kms.
Medical Stores 2 kms.
Post Office 4 kms.
Fuel Station 1.5 kms.
Airlines Office/Booking 26 kms. (Panjim)
Railway Booking Margao 60 kms. Panjim 23 kms.

Places of Interest:
Shopping Panjim 25 kms/Mapusa 12 kms.
Workshop Sites Old Goa (Churches and Temples)
Sight Seeing Spots Aguada Fort, Calangute Beach, Panjim,
Dona Paula Beach,Anjuna Beach, Chapora Fishing
Village, Basilica of Bom Jesus;St. Augine Church,
Mardol Temple, Mangueshi Temple, Mayem Lake
and Pottery Village

Holiday Activities:
Treks/Walks Chapora Fort, Small Vagator, Chapora Fishing
Village
Adventure Sports Speed Boating, Deep Sea Fishing
Picnic Spts Morjim Beach, Arambol Beach, Tiracol Fort etc.
Boating At Mayem Lake
River Cruise At Panjim in Mandovi River
Fishing Spts At Chopora River and Vagator Beach