Palolem Beach
Palolem , 2-km west of Chaudi , pops up
more often in glossy holiday brochures than
any other beach in Goa ; not because the
village is a major package tour destination,
but because its crescent shaped bay lined
with a swaying curtain of coconut palms,
is irresistibly photogenic. Hemmed in by
a pair of wooded headlands, a perfect curve
of white sand arcs north from a pile of
hug boulders to the spur of Sahyadri Ghat
, which here tapers into the sea.
Until recently foreign tourists were few
and far between in Palolem . Over the past
five or six years, however, increasing numbers
of budget travellers have begun to find
their way here, 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 beachfront.
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 (also spelt as Toddy) tapping than
the exigencies of tourism.
EATING OUT
With the beach now lined along its entire
length with brightly lit shack cafes, finding
somewhere to eat in Palolem is not a problem,
although the locals have to buy in most
of their fish from Margao and Karwar . The
one outstanding place is the Classic Restaurant,
where one can tuck into delicious, freshly
baked Western wholefood and cakes.
More popular among budget travellers , though,
is Sun 'n' Moon, behind the middle of the
beach; when it closes, the die-hard drinkers
head through the palm trees to nearby Dylan's
Bar, which stays open until the last customer
has staggered home. For optimum sunset views
of the bay, head for the obscurely named
Found Things bar and restaurant, at the
far southern end of Palolem beach, which
faces west. Travellers on tight budgets
should also note the row of tiny Bhaji stalls
outside the Beach Resort, where one can
order tasty and filling breakfasts of Pao
Bhaji , fluffy bread rolls, Omlettes and
Chai (tea) for next to nothing.
Getting there By
Road
Buses run between Margao and Karwar via
Chaudi where one can pick up an auto rickshaw
or taxi to Palolem . Alternatively, get
off at the Char Rostay crossroads, 1.5-km
before Chaudi , and walk the remaining kilometre
or so to the village. A couple of buses
each day also goes all the way to Palolem
from Margao ; these stop at the end of the
lane leading from the main street to the
beachfront. The last bus from Palolem to
Chaudi / Margao leaves at 4.30pm; check
with the local for the times, which change
seasonally.
Transport
Cycles On Rent: Cycles may be rented from
a stall halfway along the main street.
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