Airlines Air India, Hotel Fidalgo , 18 June Rd tel 0832/224081; British Airways, Shiv Tower, EDC Plaza, Patto tel & fax 0832/420335 or 420320; Gulf Air, Air France, Royal Jordanian, Sri Lankan Airlines, Kenyan Airways, Bimab Bangladesh, Air Seychelles, American Airlines all c/o Jetair, Rizvi Chambers, 1st Floor, H Salgado Road tel 0832/222438,226154 or 223172; Indian Airlines, Dempo Building, Dr D Bandodkar Road tel 0832/223831; Jet Airlines, Sesa Ghor, ECD Plaza, next to GTDC PatoTourist Home , Patto tel 0832/431472; KLM (also PIA), 2nd floor, Mahalaxmi Chambers tel 0832/426678, 224802 or 222633, fax 224802; Sahara Airlines, Hotel Fidalgo , Room 133, 18 June Rd tel 0832/230634; Swissair & Sabena, Ground Floor, Sesa Ghor, EDC Plaza, Plot #20, Patto tel 0832/422255, fax 432233.

 

Banks and ATMs The most efficient places in Panjim to change money are: Thomas Cook, near the Indian Airlines office, at 8 Alcon Chambers, Devanand Bandodkar Road (Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Oct-March also Sun 10am-5pm; tel 0832/221312, fax 221313); and the Pheroze Framroze Exchange Bureau on Dr P Shirgaonkar Road (Mon-Sat 9.30am-7pm & Sun 9.30am-1pm). Unlike most private companies, the latter's rates are competitive and they don't charge commission on either currency or travellers' cheques. The HDFC Bank on 18 June Rd has a handy 24hr ATM, where you can make withdrawals using Visa or Mastercard. Changing money in the regular, government-run banks tends to take a lot longer, but the rates are invariably best: State Bank of India is opposite the Hotel Mandovi , Avda Dom Joao Castro; the Bank of Baroda (where you can draw money on Visa cards), is on Azad Maidan; and the Corporation Bank is on Church Square, around the corner from the Government Tourist Office.

Books The bookshops in the Hotel Fidalgo and the Hotel Mandovi stock a range of English-language fiction in paperback, and special-interest titles and coffee-table tomes on Goa.

British Consular Assistant The British High Commission of Mumbai has a Consular Assistant in Panjim: Shilpa Sarah Caldeira's office is on the third floor of 302 Manguirish Building (opposite Gulf Supermarket), 18 June Rd tel 0832/228571, fax 232828; bcagoa@goa1.dot.net.in .

Hospital Panjim's largest hospital, the Goa Medical College (aka the GMC), in the west of town at the far end of Avda Dom Joao Castro, is grim and overstretched; if you're able to travel, head for the more modern and better-equipped Salgaonkar Hospital. Ambulances (tel 0832/46300 or 44566) are likely to get you there a lot less quickly than a standard taxi.

Music and dance Regular recitals of classical Indian music and dance are held at Panjim's school for the performing arts, the Kala Academy in Campal, at the far west end of town on Devanand Bandodkar Road. For details of forthcoming events, consult the boards in front of the auditorium or the listings page of local newspapers.

Pharmacies Panjim's best pharmacy is Hindu Pharma (tel 0832/43176), next to the Hotel Aroma on Church Square, which stocks Ayurvedic, homeopathic and allopathic medicines.

Police Police Headquarters is on Malaca Road, central Panjim.

Post Panjim's reliable poste restante counter (Mon-Sat9.30am-1pm & 2-5.30pm) is in the Head Post Office, 200m west of Pato Bridge. To get your stamps franked, walk around the back of the building and ask at the office behind the second door on the right. For parcel stitching, ask at Deepak Stores on the corner of the next block north.

Travel agents AERO Mundial, Ground Floor, Hotel Mandovi , Dr D Bandodkar Road tel 0832/223773; Menezes Air Travel, Rua de Ourem tel & fax 0832/222214. For air and Damania catamaran tickets, try MGM International, Mamai Camotim Building (near Secretariat); or Tradewings Ltd, Mascarenhas Buildings (near Jolly Shoes), Dr Atmaram Borkar Road tel 0832/22243.