Select Page

Palolem Backwaters & Canacona Island by Boat

by | Oct 20, 2026

The Palolem river mouth and Canacona Island — sand spit, boulders and a forested hill, South Goa
The Palolem river mouth and Canacona Island — sand spit, boulders and a forested hill, South Goa

Where

Palolem, Canacona, South Goa

Open in Google Maps

Good to know

  • Boats leave from the beach and the backwater point at Palolem's north end
  • Trips are reported to run from early morning until around 6pm, but timings are unconfirmed — check on the day
  • Agree the price with the boatman before you board
  • Early morning and golden hour are best for birdlife
The Palolem river mouth and Canacona Island — sand spit, boulders and a forested hill, South Goa
Sunset over the Palolem backwaters — fishing boats silhouetted against an orange sky, South Goa
Dusk on the Palolem backwaters — Canacona Island seen through coconut palm trunks, South Goa

About Palolem Backwaters & Canacona Island by Boat

At Palolem's north end the river slips behind the beach into mangrove backwaters. Local boatmen run gentle trips past fishing villages and birdlife, out around rocky Canacona Island — herons, brahminy kites and kingfishers instead of beach crowds. Early morning and golden hour are best.

Why visit: the Palolem everyone misses, 200 metres from the main beach — herons, brahminy kites and kingfishers instead of beach crowds.

Photos: Alexey Komarov (CC BY 3.0), Alexandre Ultré (CC BY-SA 3.0) and SINHA (CC BY-SA 3.0) — via Wikimedia Commons.