The Palolem season is mid-October to early May, when the beach huts are up, the sea is calm, and rainfall is negligible. December and January are peak — high prices, the most crowded huts, and the warmest, busiest evenings. Late February and March are the best balance of warmth and quiet.
From June through September the monsoon shuts the beach. Most accommodation is dismantled, the surf becomes dangerous, and the bay turns brown with runoff from the rivers. Visiting in monsoon is possible — the hills are wonderfully green — but you will be one of very few travellers in town.