Cavelossim Holidays

Shell-white beaches, seafood-mad beach shacks, the winding River Sal – holidays to Cavelossim are chockful of classic postcard moments.

Go to Goa

Cavelossim's on the southwest coast of Goa – that’s Goa of the long-reaching beaches and dramatic sunsets fame. There was a reason hippies gravitated to this patch of the map in the Seventies – there’s a laid-back vibe that encourages visitors to get busy doing nothing. Cavelossim's got the same vibe, and it’s managed to strike a happy medium between popular but not too popular.

Mediterranean flavour

Even if you know zilch about Cavelossim’s history, you could probably guess the area spent a bit of time as a European colony. The architecture is classic Portuguese – Cavelossim has a Catholic church and a village square, and big old primary-coloured mansions are dotted around the countryside.

Life’s a beach

The home of high expectations itself, TripAdvisor, announced that Cavelossim’s sands were voted one of their top beaches of 2012. It was totally deserved, of course – Cavelossim’s main draw is its stretch of white, soft, powdery sand. It’s just part of a continuous string of beaches that edges the Goan coast. Bars and restaurants come in the shape of beach shacks, where chefs have a flair for cooking up the perfect fish dish.

Close to Margao’s markets

As for what’s nearby, Margao is only a 20-minute drive north. This lively city is southern Goa’s trading centre – the covered market sells everything from spices and flower garlands to pyramids of fresh prawns. And a climb up Monte Hill reveals one pretty impressive viewpoint across the city’s rooftops and down to the sandy coast.