Palolem Beach: A Complete Travel Guide to Goa's Most Beautiful Beach

Palolem Beach: A Guide to Goa's Hidden Gem

Palolem Beach, nestled in the serene Canacona region of South Goa, is renowned for its picturesque crescent-shaped shoreline, fringed by swaying coconut palms and colorful beach huts.

Travelers are drawn to Palolem, about 70 km from Panjim, for its pristine white sands, clear waters, and the opportunity to spot dolphins on a cruise. From yoga classes and to exploring nearby Butterfly Beach, Palolem is also the perfect spot for shopping from Palolem Market and Margao Market.

Best things to do in Palolem Beach

• Silent noise party: The best time to go for a a silent noise party is Saturday night, when the party is on till late. Attend a silent noise party wireless headphones at one of the beach shacks or clubs at Palolem Beach, such as Neptune Point or Silent Noise Club.

• Palolem’s Backwaters and Birdwatching: A serene escape behind Palolem beach, the backwaters offer a network of waterways ideal for birdwatching, particularly in the evening before sunset, where you can observe a variety of birds in their natural habitat.

• Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary: Established in 1968, this sanctuary in South Goa features a treetop watchtower for observing animals, and eight nature trails for exploration. Visitors can also interact with local tribal communities as well.

• Dolphin Cruise to Honeymoon Beach: While not directly related to Palolem, a dolphin cruise offers a chance to see these playful creatures in the wild. Honeymoon Beach, accessible via local boatmen from Palolem, provides scenic views of untouched coastline.

• Spice Farm in Palolem: Tanshikar’s Working Organic Spice Farm is a notable spot near Palolem. It offers a glimpse into the cultivation of various spices and has facilities for overnight stays and adventure activities

• Patnem Beach: A tranquil beach located between Palolem and Galgibaga, Patnem is known for its calm waters and peaceful atmosphere. It’s a perfect spot for relaxation and enjoying the natural beauty of Goa.

• Yoga and Meditation in Palolem: Palolem is a hub for yoga and meditation, with several centers offering classes and retreats like Shiva Yoga Centre, Ruban Yoga, Anand Yoga Village, and Trimurti Yoga.

Planning for a weekend trip to Goa? Get the best Goa travel guide from Tripoto

Where to Stay at Palolem Beach

Photo of Palolem Beach 2/7 by — (c) Palolem Beach Resort

• Ciaran's Camp: It offers spacious and elegant cottages with private balconies overlooking the sea. It also has a restaurant, a bar, a spa and a yoga centre. The price for a cottage is around Rs. 5000 per night.

• Dreamcatcher Resort: It offers cozy and comfortable huts with attached bathrooms and balconies. It also has a restaurant, a garden, a library and a massage centre. The price for a hut is around Rs. 3000 per night.

• Palolem Beach Resort: This budget-friendly place to stay at Palolem Beach offers simple and clean rooms with basic amenities and sea views. It also has a restaurant, a bar, a swimming pool. The price for a room is around Rs. 2000 per night.

• Coco Hostel Goa: Coco Hostel Goa offers vibrant and social dormitory-style accommodation, ideal for budget travelers and backpackers, with a lively community vibe and regular events. It's just a 5-minute walk from Palolem Beach. The price for a room is around Rs. 1000 per night.

• Bhakti Kutir: Bhakti Kutir provides eco-friendly cottages and huts nestled in nature, making it perfect for relaxation and yoga, about a 10-minute drive from the beach. The price for a room is around Rs. 2500 per night.

Restaurants at Palolem Beach

• Dropadi Restaurant: Offers a wide range of dishes, such as seafood, curries, pizzas, burgers and salads. It also has a bar that serves cocktails, beers and wines. The price for a meal is around Rs. 500 per person.

• Magic Italy: Offers authentic Italian food, such as pasta, pizza, lasagna and tiramisu. It also has a bakery that sells fresh bread, cakes and pastries. The price for a meal is around Rs. 400 per person.

• Cafe Inn: Offers continental food, such as sandwiches, wraps, pancakes and waffles. It also has a coffee shop that serves espresso, cappuccino and latte. The price for a meal is around Rs. 300 per person.

• Zest Cafe: This vegan place at Palolem Beach Goa offersorganic food, such as salads, soups, smoothies and juices. It also has a yoga studio that offers yoga classes and workshops. The price for a meal is around Rs. 300 per person.

• Little World: Offers Indian food, such as thali, dosa, idli and samosa. It also has a bookshop that sells books, magazines and souvenirs. The price for a meal is around Rs. 200 per person.

Must Read: 10 must visit restaurants in Goa

Shopping at Palolem Beach

• Palolem Market: This weekly market is held every Saturday near Palolem Beach. It sells everything from clothes, jewellery, handicrafts, antiques, electronics and household items.

- Open from 9 am to 6 pm.

• Margao Market: This is one of the oldest and largest markets in Goa, located about 40 km from Palolem Beach. Find shops selling clothes, jewellery, pottery, leather goods and other items.

- Open from 8 am to 8 pm

• Colva Beach Road: This shopping street is located about 50 km from Palolem Beach. Find many shops and stalls selling clothes, accessories, handicrafts, souvenirs along with some cafes, restaurants and bars.

- Open from 10 am to 10 pm

• Caculo Mall: This mall, located about 70 km from Palolem Beach, is the best choice if you looking for branded and quality products. Find some entertainment options, such as a multiplex cinema, a gaming zone and a food court.

- Open from 10 am to 10 pm

Must See: A foodie's guide to Goa

Places to visit near Palolem Beach

These places can be reached by boat or road from Palolem Beach. The average cost for a boat ride is Rs. 500-1000 per person, and for a taxi ride is Rs. 1000-2000 per trip.

• Cabo de Rama Fort: It is one of the oldest forts in Goa, built by the Portuguese in the 17th century. It offers a panoramic view of the sea and the coast and some ruins and a church inside the fort.

- 16 km away from Palolem beach

• Cola Beach: Known for its natural lagoon, where fresh water meets salt water at Cola Beach. You can swim, kayak or relax in the lagoon, or enjoy the views of the sea and the hills.

- 12 km away from Palolem beach

• Agonda Beach: It is ideal for sunbathing, swimming and surfing. You can also spot some turtles and dolphins in the water or visit the nearby Agonda Church and Agonda Fort.

- 9 km away from Palolem beach

• Butterfly Beach: This beach is accessible only by boat or trekking, as no road connection exists. It is named after the large number of butterflies that flock to the beach. Spot crabs, starfish and other marine life,

- 6 km away from Palolem beach

• Canacona Island: Also known as Monkey Island, is a lush green 5-acre island accessible by ferry from Palolem Beach, the journey takes approximately 20 minutes. Try various water activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, and surfing.

- 2 km away from Palolem beach

How to Reach Palolem Beach

• Taxi:

Fastest Option: Book a prepaid taxi from the airport or any location in Goa.

Cost: Typically ranges from Rs. 1500 to Rs. 3000 per trip.

• Bus:

Cheapest Option: Take a bus from Panjim or Margao to Canacona.

Fare: Around Rs. 50 to Rs. 100 per person.

• Train:

Scenic Route: Travel by train from Panjim or Margao to Canacona railway station.

Fare: Approximately Rs. 20 to Rs. 50 per person.

Tips for visiting Palolem Beach

• Essentials to Carry: Remember to pack sunscreen, water, snacks, a hat, sunglasses, and a camera for your visit to these places.

• Clothing and Footwear: Opt for comfortable shoes and attire, and consider bringing a swimsuit, towel, and flip-flops for beach activities.

• Respect Local Customs: Follow local customs by dressing modestly, avoiding littering, respecting wildlife and locals, maintaining peace.

Palolem Beach Reviews

Smita

1405 Followers

View Trip

The hotel is almost one hour plus drive away from the airport. But the drive is simply beautiful with greenery throughout. The roads are smooth with no potholes (such a relief after incessant travel on Mumbai roads). Our package included pick up and drop. They had provided refreshments (water and juice) in the car. They have hit bulls eye on the location front. Spread across acres of lush green lands, it immediately refreshes you. They have their own private beach (about 1 km stretch). Palolem beach is 3 kms drive away. Definitely, they deserve extra brownie points just for the location. Rooms: They offer private villas, sea-view room and garden view rooms. We booked the garden view room. The view we got was not just of the maze garden but the pool too. We could also hear the sound of the sea in the balcony. The rooms are spacious and well lit. The décor is decent. The only drawback was our room was very far from the reception area. Activities: There is table tennis, squash, pool, badminton, carom, kid’s activities area, ATV ride, salsa classes, steam room, Jacuzzi, gym, salon. Actually they have a book of 101 things to do in the resort. Some activities are charged (salsa one-hour session for 500 rs) and others are free. Few water activities were closed due to monsoon. Yet, 2.5 days were not enough to enjoy all of it. Spa: The Rejuve Spa is one of the best spas I visited. The rates are definitely as per the five-star status of the resort. Our package offered 500 rs on any therapy. I chose reflexology which they offer only for 30 mins, but on request and 500 rs extra they made it for 45 mins. We got an excellent spa done in 3k .The ginger tea they provide after the spa is simply wow. Food and Beverages: Our package included all 3 meals in Canacona restaurant. The buffet spread for lunch and dinner is not great neither is the taste. However, the manager Sagar asked us what would we like from the kitchen every time and served us the same. Surprisingly, the food he got from the kitchen was delicious. The breakfast buffet spread is good and the taste is way better than the lunch n dinner. They boast of using ingredients grown in their own farm. One of the nights, there was a live performance. Veri Feni Bar: The sports bar with karaoke. We were the only ones there and so the music was just about ok. Golf: One of the main reason I chose this resort was because of the golf course it has. I have never played golf before and wanted to try it. They have 1 hour session for beginners (50 balls and 1 game) for 1300 Rs(inclusive of taxes).Must must do. They teach well too considering my husband played some lovely shots. As for me, I faired quite ok. It was raining and they don’t generally play during rains. On our request they agreed to teach us. And our session went past 1 hour .Max brownie points just for the golf Staff: Bunch of amazing, courteous people. Our guest relation manager, the concierge manager, activities manager, restaurant manager, spa therapist. They helped us in every way possible. Extra brownie points for the well-mannered and trained staff. What we saw in Goa: Since we had half day Goa tour included, I coaxed my husband to venture out a bit. We covered only 2 places both recommended by the concierge manager

Grashima

1233 Followers

View Trip

You will have to wait for bus to arrive , but as I have mentioned that between money and time that day , I had no money and a lot of time !Tip : the buses are those mini buses . If they do not stop , use a hand to hail them . They usually do not stop at the point themselves.So from the main bus stop I was lucky to quickly find a bus to Palolem beach directly (Rs. 30). You may have to take one to Canaconaand take an auto from there to the beach (Rs 30 - 50). I decided to sleep through the 'most amazingly beautiful' way . So when I reached Palolem and opened my eyes. My Reaction was 'OMG' ! Where am I ? I mean no one told me Palolem was supposed to this beautiful . I mean good holiday spot YES. Amazing village in a corner of goa where you wan to get lost and never go back to the reality !!! After the bus drops you. Everyone goes to the beach through way 1. If you want to live cheaper , take way 2 . There is a small , non commercialized village side walk upto a turning point (do not turn right) . There ask some one for the way to the beach, they will guide you through the huts and cows and hens and cats and pigs. You will arrive at Dreamcatcher . Now this is a great place to live . A 'Gerad' offered me a room for Rs 800 (common bath) . I still wanted inexpensive one , so moved further into the zig zag what they kept calling 'towards the beach' (By the way it was good for the Christmas time !). So anyhow I finally took a hut (Rs 500 for 22 and 23 Dec each ) at a place called Sai Ganesh . It was not directly on the beach , but just 20 steps away and definitely one of the cheapest at the time on the beach (and here I talk only about palolem , not patnem, its 'sister' beach). So took the place. These were just four huts. The owners were very nice people (the female's name was Wish) and also had a utility shop at the beach. They were very warm and nice people. The man talked about the life when he was just a fisherman, when having the fish he and his father had caught was the biggest pleasure in life ! Now , yes he was earning good , but the beautiful simple life was lost. You could feel from his talking How he longed for that true and un-superficial life. Ya but the cons were , not very effectively working bathrooms (Jugaad it was !) , no doors at the bahtroom too. But this was enough to make me irritated ! Anyways the beach was beautiful . And I was seeing waves after a looooong time. I observed How the waves are made ... had never done it before. Thanx for making me observe . So when rupu decided to reach the other day ,(BTW She liked the hut and loved loved the beach !) Now these few days before the Christmas Palolem was appropriately populated. Just the right amount of crowd. Have dinner at those candle lit tables,outside the shacks, facing the beach.

tanya.korteling

194 Followers

View Trip

Our taxi dropped us off in Palolem after a very rainy ride from Goa airport. The second we'd left the terminal building the heavens had opened and drenched us with a deluge of warm rain. This continued for the entire hour long journey, showing no signs of letting up! We'd pre-booked four nights in Palolem Beach Resort. It probably wasn't necessary to book anywhere, but we didn't want to leave it to chace. It was the end of the Ganesh Festival (Ganesh Chathurthi) and we'd heard on the grapevine that the limited accomodation was getting booked up.. The resort was okay although a little run down, mainly beause of the off season maintenence going on, I think. Everywhere was green and lush and the usual high season throng of tourists was now depleted with just a handful of westerners, outnumbered by a slightly larger number of Indian's visiting to celebrate Ganesh Chathurthi. This meant uncrowded beaches, less traffic and lower prices etc. It also of course meant there was less accomodation and restaurants, but this didn't ruin it for us at all. It turned out to be just what we needed after a very busy few months and hectic three days in Mumbai. We were ready to relax and take it easy for a few days.

Nehal Mewada

176 Followers

View Trip

Day 1- I started my morning, strolling at the Palolem Beach situated in Canaconaa city in southern Goa. Since this beach is unexplored one can see very few people unlike the North Goa beaches which are always bustling with tourists and numerous shacks. The most beautiful morning I had ever witnessed! As the day progressed the shacks opened up making the beach a little lively still less crowded. My breakfast for the day was the Goan specialty calledRos Omelettea delicious egg omelette drowned in a rich chicken curry served with Pav (Indian bread). A must try delicacy of Goa known as its best street food and the most recommended place would be at the main gate of the Palolem Beach. The best mode of transport here is Bikes, you can either rent a bike or if you don’t know to ride a bike you can hire a Pilot Bike who can take you to your desired destination at minimal cost on a bike, the safest and easiest way to roam through the narrow lanes of southern Goa village. I spent a lovely day at the local market of Palolem and then took a bus from Palolem to Chaudi.

Grashima

1233 Followers

View Trip

So in search of a new place to live, we hired a 'dio' and went off. We looked in palolem and we did find some options but by the time I really wanted to go to patnem, a smaller beach to the south of palolem. We found a good cheap accommodationhere. A house right on the beach, amid the tourist huts.It was owned by a lady called Vineeta. It had a nice small room, attached kitchen, with utensils and a burner to cook on AND a porch to sit and ponder :) (So much for just Rs 550 during christmas). The lady was very nice and on asking once about the homemade fish curry, made it for rupu for two days (I am a vegetarian). Now the cons of the place. The rooms are not separated from the main house i.e. these rooms are a part of big house where the rest of Vineeta's familylives. So you can hear them talk clearly and you might be afraid that you are too loud . Thats it , otherwise I loved the place. (and it had concrete unshared bathroom!).