Cavelossim Holidays

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.

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.

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.

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.