Palolem
South Goa

Want to see one of the most beautiful beaches in India?

Palolem in South Goa is a photogenic paradise surrounded by coconut forests, clear water and a relaxed atmosphere!

But even if the white beach is large, it`s packed during the high season. If you`re patient, you can find a quiet spot far south of the beach or far north.

The rumours of charming Palolem have spread fast the last couple of years, so more and more backpackers have travelled to this popular village.

However, if you prefer a quieter Palolem, the best time to visit is October-November. We arrived there early October and almost no backpackers had arrived yet. But around mid-October, the place started to fill up...

Where to sleep

There are loads of family houses and bungalows in Palolem. It`s not a problem to find a place to crash. Just look for street signs, or signs hanging on treebranches, restaurants, fences etc.

The cheapest option is to stay at a family house, but don`t expect any room standard. Some rooms are Spartan basic, usually not clean and have squat toilet. While other rooms have better standard, like Western toilets and ceiling fans.

The two family houses/guest houses we stayed at didn`t have a name, and my intention here is to give you an impression of how family houses are. So, don`t use your precious time to find the ones I`ve mentioned.. You`ll find loads of others around Palolem.

Unknown family house

Price per night: 450 rupees (Oct 2007)

We stayed at a large family house. The 2nd floor had spacious, clean rooms and shared bathroom. The bathroom had Western toilet which occasionally worked, cold water and a kitchen area we could use. You`ll get an own key to lock yourself in at nights.

Unknown guest house not far from Cafe Del Sol

Price per night: Around 500-600 rupees

Large room, small double bed, Western toilet, cold water and a narrow balcony where you can fit in a hammock if you`ve bought one. There was no ordinary shower, only showering from a water bucket. The guest house was next to a pig family running around the area.

Western toilet and bucket shower	Pig family right outside our guesthouse

Palolem Beach Resort is located near the beach.

Price per night: Around 400-600 rupees

Spacious rooms, internet, safe deposit lockers, beauty parlor, money change and a restaurant. It also offers beach trips and water sports.

Return to top

Where to eat and relax

Eating at the beach

At the beach, there are food vendors who sell fruit and beverages. Buy cheap fresh fruit like papaya, mangoes, pineapples and coconuts while you`re relaxing at the beach. Or you can buy fruit for day trips.

Other Restaurants

There are small, cheap family restaurants inside the jungle where most of the bungalows and family houses are located. About 50 metres from the south side of the beach.

Cafe Siesta

Café Siesta serves excellent Mexican and Western food. It`s on your right side before entering the "main road" where all the shops are located.

My yummy fish Masala	Indian fruit seller on the beach -- pineapples!

Cuba

At daytime Cuba Restaurant and Bar is the place to chill in their large, comfortable bean bags.

They serve Western and Indian dishes. And you should try their delicious sea food!

They served red snapper, tiger prawns, kingfish, barbeque, lobster and even baby shark. I tried everything besides the baby shark cause sharks in general are on the verge of extinction, and they`re important animals to the food chain. Believe it or not.

Anyway, you can order fillet or a whole fish. As for entertainment, they have 4-in-a-row, playing cards and a pool table. There`s no queue system, so be patient.

And they get an extra point for their smoking water pipes and their selection of fruit tobacco (apple, liquorice, grapes, orange, mango etc).

At nights, Cuba turns into a packed bar. You should get here early if you want seats.

If you love Indian food like I do, you have to try the restaurants along the south side of the beach.

It`s the perfect place to go after you`ve been swimming, or if you want to hide away from the scorching sun.

One things`s for sure is that you`ll get to watch the beautiful view of Palolem beach.

You should try their fish Masala or the fried rice with vegetables! And not to mention, the banana and mango lassi! The restaurants also serve Western food like toast, cereal, "salads" etc.

But when it gets darker, watch out for large dragonflies that will fly towards the lamps hanging above you.

They`ll hit the lamps so hard that they land in your food or drink...! They`re like those poor birds who fly right into windows and get smashed. It gets so dark at the beach that the only light the bugs see, is the light at the restaurants.

Chinese Corner Dolphin Restaurant

Chinese Corner Dolphin serves excellent vegetarian food, and is one of the best restaurants in India. You can get spaghetti, pizza, enchaladas, Greek food etc. And not to mention tofu sizzlers!

Return to top

Where to party

I don`t have many party places to recommend in Palolem because I basically went to Cleo`s and Cuba every night. But here`s what I`ve got for you:

Cleo's

Cleo`s is the party place to be if you just want drinking and dancing!

Many travellers gather here for beers, wild hormones and crazy atmosphere. It`s about a 15-20 minutes walk from the center of Palolem. Or you can get a bike ride near the beach.

Laughing Buddha

I heard that friendly Laughing Budda was a great place because of its cool atmosphere and ambient/house/hip-hop/trance music.

Return to top

Where to shop

There are loads of stalls along the road to the beach and inside the residential area by the south side of beach. They sell anything from clothing, wooden jewellery, souvenirs, day-to-day items, hammocks, flip-flops, sarongs and so much more. And remember to bargain!

If you`re interested in getting nice "Aladdin" pants or tube dresses, they have these in Palolem.

Otherwise, there are persistent Indian ladies who will approach you the minute you`ve lay down on the beach. They sell beautiful textiles, silk scarves, bikinis, sarongs, jewellery and etc.

Activities in Palolem