good beach near Vasco da Gama?

Am going to Goa for a conference at BITS. Do you know what is the nearest nice beach to visit while there? Am looking for a place that is clean and safe.

Any hotel recommendations also appreciated.

thanks

The nearest beach is Bogmalo beach which is less than 5 km away.

Thanks - is this a "private beach" or a regular beach open to the public?

It is very much open to the public.

If you need a quieter and much private place, you can try majorda beach which is around 14 kms from the campus. There is a small shack on the Majorda called Albert's, it serves THE BEST tandoori chicken i have eaten till date, so check it out if you are into that sort of stuff.I did my engineering from BITS, so please feel free to ask for any further clarification.

Great - have you been there? How is it? Would you recommend it for a family with children.

Thanks for the recommendation - When you say it is private, does that mean one requires some permission to go there?

If you happen to know what is the best way to get from BITS to this beach please let me know - what would be the auto fare? DO the autos run on meter or do you have to fix up the fare with the driver each time?

There are no auto-rickshaws in the area around the college. You have to take a cab and the taxis in Goa do not run on meter. You have to fix the fare before hand. Bogmalo is a small beach but very peaceful. If you are not an experienced swimmer then I would not advise you to go for a swim.

Thanks for the info. DO you know what would be the right fare from BITS to Bogmalo beach?

What would be the nearest beach where it would be safe to go for a swim close to the shore?

I am hoping for a beach that is clean but not completely lonely. Ideally I would like to see a few more families on the beach, provides a sense of safety in numbers.

There are no private beaches in Goa!!! All are public!!!

One thing I would be concerned about is water quality and what's probably in it.

Several years ago I walked down the Vasco beach while exploring and found it the most polluted beach I'd seen anywhere. It's a public latrine and was literally covered with fecal matter. It also seemed to be home to a large number of out of work toilet pigs, the beach area was crawling with them. Anything that went in the water there could easily end up at nearby beaches carried by the currents.

If you do swim make sure your shots are up to date, and take appropriate precautions to avoid getting something nasty.

W22

There is no taxi stand anywhere in that area because BITS is well outside the nearest city. The closest stand is at Bogmalo which means that a taxi will have to come from there to pick you. I think the cost will be about 300-350.

As far as swimming is concerned, every beach in Goa has risks. All depends on how experienced you are.

YUCK!

So, can you recommend some clean beach in Goa, maybe closer to Madgaon? We don't have to stay in Vasco the whole time.

Benaulim

Thanks, I think we will try Benaulim. Can you recommend a clean hotel? Travelling with child.