Palolem is a one-kilometre crescent of pale sand backed by a continuous line of coconut palms. The bay is partly enclosed at each end by rocky headlands, which keeps the surf low and the swimming safe — a rare combination on this coast. From November to April the entire shore fills with temporary bamboo-and-palm-thatch beach huts, restaurants on stilts, and yoga shalas; come May they are dismantled before the monsoon and the beach is bare and empty.
The southern end, near the freshwater creek, is quieter. Dolphins sometimes work the bay in the early morning; the local fishermen will run a sunrise spotter trip from the beach for a couple of hundred rupees a head. The water is calm enough for children, and the slope is gentle.