Mapusa is a small town clustered around the Mount (Alto). Mapusa – pronounced as ‘Mapsa’ by the locals – is Goa’s third largest town and the capital of the northern Bardez taluka. It is mainly a market town for the surrounding beach areas of Calangute, Candolim, Anjuna and Baga among others. Even its name is thought to be derived from the Konkani word for a ‘measure’ – ‘map’ and the phrase fill up – ‘sa’.
Otherwise a small town forming the hub of north Goa, its location makes it the converging point of all overland routes in Bardez taluka. Mapusa has an even blend of residential, commercial establishments and gardens. The beaches nearest to this town are the Anjuna and Chapora beaches.