Betalbatim Beach Holidays

Betalbatim Beach is kept pretty hush-hush by locals in Goa – they know how nice it is, and don’t want to let the cat out of the bag. The town is your run-of-the-mill Indian village, but the beach is a real corker. Palm-planted sands are backed by seafood restaurants serving punchy prawn curry, juicy lobster tails and crab claws. When the daylight clocks off, head to Sunset Beach for tip-top dusky views.

Bid bon voyage to dry land for a gander at the local sea life. The waters that buffer Betalbatim Beach are chock-full of fish and marine mammals, and there are plenty of boats raring to head out and look for them. Dolphin-spotting trips are the most popular, and you’ll clock sea birds swooping down to grab a snack as you bob across the Arabian Sea.

Betalbatim Beach lives life on the quiet side, but you can feed your sightseeing cravings in a couple of nearby towns. Margao, 20 minutes’ drive away, is the capital of South Goa. It’s got market shopping, colourful gardens and a church that dates back to the 1600s. Double the drive time, and you’ll find yourself in the buzzy port town of Vasco da Gama.