Did you know that the Mandovi river described as the lifeline of Goa is also known as Mahadayi or Mhadei???
It has a total length of 81 kilometres; 45 kilometres of it in Goa and originates from a cluster of 30 springs at Bhimgad in the Western Ghats in the Belagavi district of Karnataka. The Mandovi and the Zuari are the two primary rivers in Goa. Mandovi joins with the Zuari at a common creek at Cabo Aguada, forming the Mormugao harbour. Panaji, the state capital and Old Goa, the former capital of Goa, are both situated on the left bank of the Mandovi.
Having recently crisscrossed the Zuari river, I decided to try to do the same across the Mandovi River too. A visit to the River Navigation department website gave me a list of all the ferry routes and using Google maps I chalked out a route that would connect all the ferry wharfs on the river.
This ride is dedicated to all who are fighting to save the Mandovi river from the evil designs of the Karnataka government which proposes to divert water from the Mahadayi river to the Malaprabha River basin as part of the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project.
Here are some stuff that may interest you:
- There are total of 10 ferry routes on the Mandovi and one each on its two tributaries – the Mapusa river and the Cumbharjua canal.
- Travel for people and two wheelers is free on the ferries.
- Cost for four wheelers range from Rs 7 to Rs 10. Special trips cost Rs. 100.
- Ferries leave the jetties every 15/30 minutes depending on the place.
- The short distance is between the Cumbharjua – Gandaulim and Tolto – Dhauji jetties, , distance of 70mts.
- The longest distance is between the Raibandar to Chorão jetty, distance of 1.3kms.
- The Volvoi jetty is used by both the Maina and Surla ferries to dock.
- The Raibandar – Chorão route is operated by four ferries.
- Only two wheelers are allowed on the Betim – Panjim route.
- You can come onto or leave Divar island from four different ferry routes – Old Goa, Naroa, Vanxim & St Pedro.
- 11 bridges span across the Mandovi.
- Atal setu – the new Mandovi bridge is the only one were 2 wheelers are not allowed on.
So now that you are here, let me take you on a virtual ride crisscrossing the Mighty Mandovi using 15 ferries, crossing 9 bridges and cycling 107.2kms in a time of 11h 47m.
You can follow the route on Strava too: Crisscrossing the Might Mandovi
PS: Normally it would take me about 6 hours to cover the distance, but at many jetties I had to wait to catch or for the ferries to leave.
The distances I have calculated using the Strava app, the time is what it took the ferry to go from one jetty to the other (it all depends on the tide and flow of the river) and have added some major landmarks I photographed along the way. Enjoy!!!
1. Starting point: Arch of Viceroy, Old Goa
Time: 7am
2. Old Goa to Divar (Piedade)
distance from the arch to the jetty: 120mts
distance between jetties: 260 mts, time to cross: 3 minutes, 2 ferries ply on this route
ferry: Dharbandora
3. Divar Island
4. Naroa Divar to Naroa Bicholim
distance from Piedade jetty to Naroa Divar jetty: 6.3kms
distance between jetties: 200 mts, time to cross: 3 minutes, only 1 ferry operates on this route
ferry: Savoi Verem
5. Naroa to Sarmanas
distance: 6.6kms
6. Sarmanas to Tonka
distance between jetties: 1.2kms, time to cross: 15 minutes, 2 ferries ply on this route
ferry: Sanguem
7. Tonka to Maina
distance: 10.8kms
8. Maina to Volvoi
distance between jetties: 1.2kms, time to cross: 20 minutes, only 1 ferry operates on this route
ferry: Britona
9. Volvoi to Surla
distance between jetties: 300mts, time to cross: 5 minutes, only 1 ferry operates on this route
ferry: Malar
10. Surla
distance to the mosque: 80mts
11. Surla to Volvoi
distance between jetties: 300mts, time to cross: 5 minutes, only 1 ferry operates on this route
ferry: Malar
12. Volvoi – Savoi Verem Anant Shayanum Devasthan Temple
distance: 2.8kms
13. Savoi Verem to Cumbharjua
distance: 11.8kms
14. Cumbharjua to Gandaulim
distance between jetties: 70mts, time to cross: 2 minutes, only 1 ferry operates on this route
ferry: Chandor
15. Gandaulim to Santo Estêvãm
distance: 5.4kms
16. Santo Estêvãm Island
17. Tolto to Dhauji
distance from Santo Estêvãm Fort to Tolto jetty: 3.6kms
distance between jetties: 90mts, time to cross: 3 minutes, only 1 ferry operates on this route
ferry: Haravalem
18. Dhauji to Raibandar
distance: 11kms
19. Raibandar to Chorão
distance between jetties: 1.3kms, time to cross: 8 minutes, 4 ferries ply on this route
ferry: Piedade
20. Chorão Island
21. Chorão to Pomburpa
distance from Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary to Chorão – Pomburpa jetty: 6.8kms
distance between jetties: 220mts, time to cross: 4 minutes, only 1 ferry operates on this route
ferry: Chodan
22. Pomburpa to Betim
distance: 9.9kms
23. Betim to Panjim
distance between jetties: 700mts, time to cross: 7 minutes, only 1 ferry operates on this route and only two wheeler allowed
ferry: Madai
24. Panjim to St.Pedro Jetty
distance: 9.4kms
25. St Pedro to Divar
distance between jetties: 650mts, time to cross: 8 minutes, 2 ferries ply on this route
ferry: Agapur
26. Divar Island
distance from jetty to church: 3.5kms
27. Amboi to Vanxim Island
distance from church to jetty: 2.2kms
distance between jetties: 220mts, time to cross: 4 minutes, only 1 ferry operates on this route
ferry: Quepem
28. Vanxim Island
distance from jetty to church: 850mts
29. Vanxim Island to Amboi
distance between jetties: 220mts, time to cross: 4 minutes, only 1 ferry operates on this route
ferry: Quepem
30. Piedade to Old Goa
distance from Amboi jetty to Piedade jetty: 3.9kms
distance between jetties: 260 mts, time to cross: 3 minutes, 2 ferries ply on this route
ferry: Dharbandora
31: Arch of Viceroy
time 8.52pm
…the end of the amazing ride
If you want to join me on my next cycling adventure, contact me via email or phone/whatsapp.