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Voykit pocket guide · India
Modasa
Modasa is a half-day stop for the lake and hillock views, not a base: pass through on the way to Ambaji or Idar unless you have family in town.
Modasa is a small market town in North Gujarat with a few calm sights — a lake park, a hillock viewpoint and a reservoir — that fill a relaxed half-day. Most travellers use it as a lunch or photo stop between Mehsana and Ambaji or Idar. The town has no major hotels or nightlife; plan to sleep elsewhere.
- Country
- India
- Best months
- Oct–Mar
- Avoid
- Apr–Jun (extreme heat), Jul–Sep (monsoon, roads may be slow)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- INR
- Money
- Indian rupees (INR, ₹) in small notes for autos, street food, tips and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₹800–1,500 excl. bed · Mid ₹1,500–3,000 excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jio, Airtel and Vi sell tourist SIMs at airport counters and their shops; passport, visa and a photo needed; activation can take a few hours.
- Emergency
- Police / Fire / Ambulance 112
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin C plugs fit most sockets; D (three round pins) is the common wall socket; hotels often have universal sockets. UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and dhabas: Nothing.; Restaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Car and driver: ₹300–500 a day at the end of the trip.; Guide: ₹300–500 for a half day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₹50–100.; Auto or Uber: Round up.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles (check the cap), or use RO-filtered refill stations in hotels and cafés; avoid ice from street stalls.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and airports; squat toilets with a water jug or hose in stations and villages. Carry tissue and sanitiser; paid public toilets (Sulabh) cost ₹5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Chai at a roadside stall | ₹10–20 |
| Thali meal | ₹100–200 |
| Autorickshaw ride within town | ₹50–100 |
| Bottle of water (1 L) | ₹20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- AMD · Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (Ahmedabad)
- About 2.5 h by road; the nearest major airport.
Typical fares
- GSRTC bus Ahmedabad → Modasa
- about ₹150–200, 2.5 h (check)
- Autorickshaw bus port → Odhari Lake
- ₹50–80
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Autorickshaws for short hops within town. A private vehicle is better for reaching the reservoir and water park. Walking between the bus port, Odhari Lake and Khalikpur Hillock is feasible (about 20–30 min each).
See and do
Known for
- Odhari Lake park
- Khalikpur Hillock
- Mazum Reservoir
- Sultanate-era frontier history
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ambaji | Bus or private vehicle via SH 56, about 1.5 h | About 1.5–2 h |
| Idar | Bus or private vehicle, about 1 h | About 1–1.5 h |
| Mehsana | Bus or private vehicle, about 1 h | About 1–1.5 h |
| Vadnagar | Bus or private vehicle, about 45 min | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Town centre near the bus port
- A few basic lodges; no mid-range or branded hotels. Most visitors stay in Mehsana or Himatnagar.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How much? | કેટલું?ketlu? |
| Where is the bus stop? | બસ સ્ટેન્ડ ક્યાં છે?bas stand kyā̃ che? |
| I need a rickshaw | મને રિક્ષા જોઈએmane rikshā joīe |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste (palms together) or a handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging or kissing strangers
- Hands and feet: Give and eat with the right hand; apologise if your foot touches someone; avoid: Pointing feet at people or shrines; touching books or food with your feet
- Temples: Shoes off, walk clockwise around shrines, accept prasad (blessed food) with the right hand; avoid: Leather in Jain temples; entering sanctums that say Hindus only
- Home visit: Bring sweets or fruit; accept tea at least once; avoid: Refusing all food; wearing shoes inside
- Questions: Expect personal questions (married? job? salary?) as friendliness; avoid: Taking offence; answer vaguely if you prefer
- Saying no: A firm, polite 'nahi, dhanyavaad' (no, thank you) and keep walking; avoid: Long explanations to touts
- Dress: Loose clothes covering shoulders and knees; kurta tops are cheap and cool; avoid: Swimwear or shorts away from Goa beaches
Scams and watch-outs
- No ATMs may accept foreign cards reliably: carry enough cash from Ahmedabad or Mehsana.
- Restaurants close early (by 21:00); eat before 20:00.
- The water park (Aquaworld) is seasonal — check if open before making the 18 km detour.
Modasa is a quiet town with low crime. The main risks are stray dogs after dark and heatstroke in summer. Avoid walking alone on the hillocks after sunset.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Modasa yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Odhari Lake park
- Khalikpur Hillock
- Mazum Reservoir
- Sultanate-era frontier history
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- GSRTC official site: www.gsrtc.in/
- Wikivoyage: Modasa, revision 5319611 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5319611
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Modasa
આ સરનામે લઈ જાઓ
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police / Fire / Ambulance112
Gujarati is the local language; Hindi also works.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/modasa). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.