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Chapora

Chapora is a friendly village, 10km west of Mapusa, just half a km north of Vagator. It is located on the south bank of the Chapora River. It is a pleasant place to stay and is an easy place to meet fellow travelers. If you sit down at a fruit juice stand or restaurant, it is quite normal to strike up a conversation with whoever else is there as if you have known them for years. It is the kind of place you think you will visit for a few days and which you wind up staying for a few months.

Only basic accommodations are available in Chapora, and there are not many places. Most travelers stay in rented houses around the village. There are a few good vegetable and fruit stands and a good general store. If you are staying in Vagator for awhile, you will almost certainly have to come here for supplies.

Information
Soniya Tours and Travels, next to the bus stand, books air, train, bus, and internet access. They are trustworthy, but may try to overcharge you, so be careful. They also change money quickly at a reasonable rate. Noble Nest Travels (274-335), at the other end of the village, seem to offer cheaper rates for plane and bus tickets, and the people running it seem trustworthy. They change money at a good rate.

There is no beach in Chapora, but the beaches in Vagator are just a half-km south. To get to the beach, you can take a motorcycle taxi for Rs 20. You can also walk to the west end of town and up the hill to the main road in Vagator. You then take a right to get to the beach. It is a pleasant walk.

Across the river, north of Chapora, is the secluded Morjim Beach, which goes for kilometres. If you go to the west end of the village and make a right to the fishing boat area, you can hire a boat for Rs 30 to take you to Morjim.

Portuguese Fort
There is a Portuguese fort in Chapora which was built in 1617 over a previous Muslim structure. It was deserted in the 19th century and there is nothing left of the fort except the walls. It is a fairly hard climb xe "Chapora" uphill to see the fort, but the views from the fort’s walls are fantastic.

Where to Stay
Most people stay in rented private houses in the area. You can ask at the restaurants, such as Green Shadow or the Baba Restaurant, about available rooms in people’s homes. House rents start at Rs 2,000 and go up to more than Rs 5,000 per month. If you want to rent a house for just one month, expect to pay a high price. A nice house is more pleasant than the basic hotels in Chapora.
If you plan to stay during the high season, it is best to first stay in Calangute or Baga, then come here during the day to find a place to stay. You may have to wait a few days for a vacancy. It can be difficult to find a room in a guest house as many people live here on extended stays.
Shertor Villa is a popular place with basic rooms with common bath for Rs 200. If you are staying awhile, you can get a discount.
Baba Restaurant, nearby, has basic rooms for Rs 200.
Helinda has rooms with common bath for Rs 150 and better rooms with bath for Rs 250. It has a restaurant.
Amora is a basic place where you can stay if you are desperate.
Green Shadow Restaurant has three good double rooms in the back for Rs 200.

Where to Eat
There are many small cafes in Chapora.
Sai Ganesh Cafe, near the bus stand, serves fresh juices.
Scarlet Cold Drinks, just east of the main street, serves fruit juices and is more popular. They also serve good fruit milkshakes, lassis, mueslli with curd, and ice cream.
The popular (even with the locals) Green Shadow has good Indian, Chinese, and Western preparations. It is an outdoor place set back from the main road.
Next door, the Helinda Restaurant, is also good.
At the other end of town, Noble Nest has good food.
The popular Welcome in the middle of the main street has reasonably-priced Goan, Western, and vegetarian preparations. They play techno and reggae music.
Preyanka serves Western, vegetarian, Indian, and Chinese foods.

Travel
To get here from Panaji (30 min to Mapusa) you must first take a bus to Mapusa (9km east, 20 min, every 15 min). The bus stop for the bus to Mapusa is on the main road. To get here from Calangute or Baga, it is best to take a taxi (Rs 125) or a motorcycle taxi (Rs 75) as there is no direct bus. The fare to Anjuna should cost Rs 20 to Rs 30 by motorcycle taxi during the day and a little more at night.

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