Palolem Beaches Goa
Palolem is probably Goa's most beautiful and
idyllic beach and it has 1.5 km crescent
shaped beach. The beach lies on the southern coastline of Goa amidst outstanding natural
beauty. The sweeping crescent of white sand is fringed by a shady rim of
coconut palms and the whole beach is hemmed in at either end by rocky crags. It is fast emerging as
a popular spot for day-trippers from Colva and Calangute,
many travellers drift down from the northern beaches to spend
days, weeks or even months chilling out here; there is very little development
and it's extremely laid-back. Most accommodation is in simple, rickety beach
buts or villagers homes, with a handful of more solid guesthouses scattered
around. Palolem Village is nestled in the palms back from the beach. With
the large influx of tourists to the Northern beaches and the resultant
increasing commercialisation of these places. Palolem fits the
bill and in recent years, more and more tourists have been making a
beeline for this palm fringed golden beach.
Until recently, foreign tourists were few and far between in Palolem. Over
the past three or four years, however, increasing numbers of budget travellers
have begun to pour in, and the village is now far from the undiscovered idyll it
used to be, with a string of cafes, Karnatakan hawkers and a tent camp crowding
the beach front. Souvenir stalls have also sprung up, catering mainly for the
mini-van and boat parties of charter tourists on day-trips from resorts further
north. In spite of these encroachments, Palolem remains a resolutely traditional
village, where the easy pace of life is dictated more by the three daily rounds
of todi-tapping than the exigencies of tourism.
At Palolem (especially) you will see the sea as you have never seen it
before. Set in a bay that resembles the Gulf of Mexico, the water is tepid and
at a lovely depth of 4 feet for about a kilometer into the sea at normal tide.
This is really great for people out with kids and don't want to fret about them
getting in to the water and having fun. It's also great fun for adults. If
you are the type who wants to get 'away from the crowds' than Palolem is
the right place. This impossibly beautiful crescent cove in the far south of Goa is so languid
and balmy that even the water has only enough energy to lap half-heartedly onto
the beach. There's nothing to do here but soak up the rays, and go for long
walks paddling in the shallows, so bring a friend, some factor 15 and a good
book."
A
final note, please treat these lovely beaches
as your backyard and keep them clean. We have lost innumerable natural resources
to our own be
|
Best Time to
visit |
The
best time of the year to visit this area is between
September and
March. |
Travel
Information:
Airport: Dabolim 67kms.
Nearest
Town: Margao 42kms.
Nearest
Railway station: Canacona 10kms. Canacona Station, about 3 km away.
|