Ponda is served by regular buses from Panjim (via Old Goa) and Margao, and lies on the main route east to Karnataka. The Kadamba bus stand is on the main square, next to the auto-rickshaw rank.

 

There are plenty of places to stay if you get stuck here. Best of the budget lodges is the Padmavi (no phone; up to Rs100) at the top of the square. For more comfort, try the President (tel 0832/312287; Rs200-600), a short rickshaw ride up the Belgaum road, which has large, clean en-suite rooms, some with air conditioning. More upmarket is the three-star Atash (tel 0832/313224, fax 313239; Rs600-900), 4km northwest on the NH-4 at Farmagudi , whose comfortable a/c rooms have satellite TV, and there's also a restaurant and car parking facilities. However, the best mid-range deal within striking distance of Ponda has to be GTDC's Tourist Resort (tel 0832/312932; Rs200-900), also at Farmagudi (look for the signpost on the roundabout below the Shivaji memorial), whose en-suite chalets, stacked up the side of a steep hill overlooking the highway, are spacious, clean and reasonably priced. There's also a small terrace restaurant serving a standard menu of spicy mixed cuisine.