Have you ever found yourself as a foreigner in your own land? When I visited Goa for the first time, I instantly fell in love with the culture and the beaches. In this piece of writing, all I hope to do is, introduce you to a place where I move when I need to heal and inspire you to make a move when you need to heal. So the village of Palolem in South Goa is where we are heading to. Come along, hold my hand.
As you hold my hand, I am warning you. We won’t be partying but exploring the completely opposite side of Goa, a side that most of us are unaware of. We are not traveling in the month of December, but February, as we’re looking at exploring Palolem in a shoe-string budget.
Palolem Beach, in the district of Canacona, is one of the most serene South Goa beaches. The shoreline is beautifully embellished with coco-huts and shacks that offer stay and food by the beauty of nature. The best part of staying in a coco-hut is that you could anytime put your beachwear on and move towards the inviting ocean, all on your feet. If not, just sit down on your patio and overlook the beauty from your coco-huts balcony.
Palolem also offers the unique combination of hills, beach, and backwaters nestled together to fix your broken heart and detox your city life. There’s a forest by the right end of the beach which is echoed by the chirping of birds in the morning – a suitable place for trekking on your own. Local fishermen are very friendly and you’re likely to strike a bond with a local who would take you on a boat ride across the ocean and towards the backwaters. If you want to get the feel of staying in a marooned island for a while ask him to take you to the nearby honeymoon and butterfly beach. You’re sure to spot a couple of dolphins in the sea water playing and indulging among themselves! If you’re the thrill seeker kind of a person, just hire a kayak and sail to your destiny.
During the evening, the entire seashore is lighted up with beautiful candles that are tactfully placed on the tables that are arranged right on the beach facing the Arabian Sea horizon. A Goan sunset has the capability to hold you spellbound and therefore take your place on one of the tables before the Sunset.
If you are a social person, dinner time is going to be a lot more fun than you’d have imagined. You can find travelers and backpackers from around the world who are willing to share their tales of travel over a mug of beer. I was fortunate to meet a trio from the Czech Republic who couldn’t help but gush over the beauty of Goan beaches. And yes, this is the moment where you feel like a foreigner in your own land. Their love for Goa makes you fall in love with India deeply, more than ever.
A few days from this vacation, it’s going to be Monday again and life would not be as sorted as it was in Palolem. Yet the magic of Goan Sunsets will linger for a while and give you the much-needed strength to battle the challenging city life.
I am currently based out of Gurugram, where I write at Starbucks and leave for the Himalayas when I struggle with the writer’s block.
I have sailed to the Andamans, camped with the Indian Jawans in Arunachal Pradesh, scuba dived in the Indian Ocean, swum with the dolphins in the Mediterranean, danced to Bollywood songs on the streets of Prague, floated free for hours on the beach in the Island of Mallorca. I wish to travel the world before I die!
Every year, I spend time in the coastal village of Palolem in Goa as I feel I belong there! A minimalist at heart, with every passing day, I find myself moving farther from the never-ending quest of owning material possessions and a step closer to owning a vast ocean of experiences.
A post-graduate in management from the prestigious B-school IMI, New Delhi and a graduate in Computer Science and Technology, I have worked with corporates like HSBC and Coffee Day Beverages. On the Open Road draws inspiration from my real-life experiences and I wish to inspire my readers to listen to their heart and follow their dreams.
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