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.
How to Get There
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 go 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.
Useful Information
Cycles on Rent:
Cycles may be rented from a stall halfway along the main
street.
Phone:
The village has only a couple of public telephones, but
avoid the one in the beach resort, which charges more than
double the going rate for international calls, and head
for the reasonable ISD/STD booth next to the bus stop.
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