Palolem Beach

Palolem Beach lies in Canacona taluka at the southern end of Goa, about 2 kilometres from Canacona town and roughly 70 kilometres south of the state capital Panaji. The beach forms a crescent about 1.5 kilometres long, closed off by rocky headlands at both ends.

Palolem was a quiet fishing village until the 1990s, when budget travellers began to stay in its palm groves. Fishing boats still pull up on the sand, and the village keeps a relaxed feel compared with the busier beaches of North Goa.

The shallow, gentle water makes the beach one of the better places in Goa for swimming, especially at the southern end. Kayaks and paddleboards can be hired on the sand, and local boatmen offer trips to Butterfly Beach, Honeymoon Beach and to watch for dolphins in the early morning. At low tide it is possible to walk across to a small rocky island at the north end. Silent noise parties, where guests dance with wireless headphones, became a local feature as a way to keep music within local noise rules.

During the main season, from about November to May, colourful wooden beach huts, cafes and yoga centres line the shore. Many are taken down for the monsoon, when the sea becomes rough and swimming is not safe.

The nearest railway station is Canacona on the Konkan Railway, and Goa's airports at Dabolim and Mopa are reached by taxi. Agonda, Patnem and Galgibaga beaches are a short drive away.

The sea deepens gradually and has no fast currents, which suits average swimmers. Lifeguards are on duty in the season. Besides kayaks and boat rides, the beach offers parasailing and fishing trips with local boatmen. On the small rocky island at the northern end, reached at low tide, stands a stone sculpture by the Polish artist Jacek Tylicki.

Fishing families and foreign visitors share the village, with guests staying in beach huts on the sand or in guesthouses in the main village behind the palms. The market town of Chaudi, with banks, shops and the local bus stand, is within 2.5 kilometres. Margao, the headquarters of South Goa district, is about 40 minutes away by road, and buses run roughly every half hour between Palolem and the Kadamba Transport depot in Margao.

Canacona railway station is about 30 minutes by train from Madgaon Junction, where long-distance trains on the Konkan line stop. Patnem lies just to the south and Agonda to the north, both quieter than Palolem. Book huts early for Christmas and New Year, when the beach is at its busiest.