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Goa's Best Kept Secrets

Villas in Benaulim, Goa

Updated 7 November 2026

Benaulim is a South Goa fishing beach less than 2 km south of Colva, quieter than Colva and known for rosewood furniture and its Sao Joao feast. Dabolim is the nearer airport and Madgaon Junction the railway station. Airbnb's average villa price in Benaulim runs from ₹6,484 a night in June to ₹10,807 in December.

Our villas in Benaulim

What is Benaulim like?

Benaulim is a fishing village and beach in South Goa, less than 2 km south of Colva. Goa Tourism calls it more tranquil than Colva and still rather undiscovered by domestic tourists, though it fills up in the evenings and at weekends with local visitors who come by bus.

The village has a long craft tradition. Goa Tourism says some of the best traditional rosewood furniture in Goa is made here, and local legend holds that Benaulim is where Parashuram's arrow landed when Goa was created. The Church of St John the Baptist stands on a hill beyond the village. At the start of the monsoon, Benaulim celebrates Sao Joao, when young men in crowns of leaves and fruit go round singing and jump into the village wells.

How do you get to Benaulim?

Fly into Dabolim and take the train to Madgaon. Goa Tourism puts Dabolim 24.4 km and about 33 minutes from Margao, and 6 km from Vasco. For the beach resorts just south of Benaulim at Varca, Cavelossim and Mobor, Goa Tourism gives a taxi distance of 41 to 48 km from Dabolim.

Mopa, the newer airport, is in Pernem taluka on the Goa-Maharashtra border, about 50 km from Dabolim, according to a PTI report. The Free Press Journal put Mopa about 100 km, or two and a half hours, from South Goa in January 2023. In the same month, Gomantak Times reported a Mopa to Benaulim taxi bill of ₹3,200 plus taxes, ₹4,148 in all, charged on the government rate card. Book a flight into Dabolim if you can.

Arriving byUseWhat the sources say
AirDabolim24.4 km and 33 minutes from Margao; 41 to 48 km to the Varca-Cavelossim resorts (Goa Tourism)
Air, alternativeMopa (Manohar International)About 100 km and two and a half hours from South Goa (Free Press Journal, January 2023)
TrainMadgaon JunctionThe station for South Goa; several trains stop, with taxis and rentals at the station (Gomantak Times)
BusMargao bus standGoa Tourism notes plenty of buses and autos from Margao to the beaches south of Benaulim

Which beaches and places are near Benaulim?

Benaulim sits on a long run of sand. Goa Tourism describes Colva's 20 km of white sand, with Betalbatim, Majorda and Velsao to the north and Varca, Cavelossim and Mobor to the south.

PlaceWhere it isWhat it is for
Colva beachLess than 2 km north of Benaulim; 39 km from PanajiThe main beach of the South Goa circuit, with shops and eateries on the road to the beach and the Menino Jesus statue at Our Lady of Mercy church
Betalbatim beachNorth of ColvaStart of a 10 km stretch of uncrowded sand running to Majorda, Utorda, Arossim and Velsao
Varca, Cavelossim and MoborSouth of Benaulim; Cavelossim is 18 km from MargaoCleaner, quieter beaches, shacks with Goan food and seafood, dolphin watching up the River Sal
Church of St John the BaptistOn a hill beyond Benaulim villageThe church linked to Benaulim's Sao Joao feast
Agonda and Cabo de Rama fortFurther south, towards CanaconaGoa Tourism suggests Agonda as a day trip from Colva and Cavelossim; the fort is close by

All distances and descriptions in this table are from Goa Tourism's beach pages.

When is the best time to stay in Benaulim?

October to March, with December to February the busiest months. Goa Tourism gives October to March as the season across Goa, warns that the sea turns rough with dangerous undercurrents from the end of May until the monsoon ends in September, and calls March to June hot but still fine for the beach. In 2025, IMD recorded the monsoon arriving on 25 May and withdrawing on 13 October, with South Goa at 108 per cent of its normal June to September rain, as reported by The Goan.

Prices follow the season. On Airbnb's Benaulim table, December is the dearest month and June the cheapest.

How much does a villa in Benaulim cost?

Expect about ₹6,500 to ₹11,000 a night on average, with December at the top of the range. These figures are Airbnb's monthly averages for its Benaulim villa page, read on 7 November 2026. They cover every villa size, so a five-bedroom pool villa for a big group sits well above the average.

MonthAverage villa price a night, Benaulim (Airbnb)
January₹9,210
February₹8,270
March₹7,894
April₹7,048
May₹6,860
June₹6,484
July₹6,672
August₹6,954
September₹7,518
October₹7,706
November₹7,330
December₹10,807

The same page lists 80 holiday rentals in Benaulim, 50 of them with a pool. For comparison, Airbnb's North Goa villa average in December is ₹18,701. Our Goa villa price guide breaks prices down by bedroom count, and the New Year 2026-27 guide covers peak-week rates.

Who is Benaulim right for, and who should look elsewhere?

Benaulim suits families with children and older parents who want a quieter beach, a short transfer from Dabolim and Colva's shops close by. It suits groups planning a reunion with home-cooked meals at the villa. It suits anyone who wants South Goa prices.

Look elsewhere if your group wants clubs and late nights within walking distance; those are in North Goa, around Anjuna, Vagator and Calangute. Look elsewhere if you are flying into Mopa and do not want a long transfer. Our North Goa or South Goa guide compares the two in one table.

Which areas are similar to Benaulim?

For a quieter, more remote beach in the far south, see Palolem. For a North Goa village base, see Siolim. For big families, see 5 BHK villas and group villas in Goa. Before you pay any deposit, read how to book a Goa villa directly and safely, then check our villas for live dates.

Sources

Questions people ask

Is Benaulim a good place to stay in Goa?

Yes, for families and groups who want a quieter beach with Colva's shops and restaurants close by. Goa Tourism calls Benaulim more tranquil than Colva but notes it fills up in the evenings and at weekends with local visitors.

Is Benaulim in North Goa or South Goa?

South Goa. Goa Tourism places it less than 2 km south of Colva, the main beach of the South Goa circuit, and north of the Varca, Cavelossim and Mobor beaches.

Which airport is closest to Benaulim?

Dabolim. Goa Tourism puts Dabolim 24.4 km from Margao. Mopa is in the far north of the state; a Mopa to Benaulim taxi cost ₹3,200 plus taxes, ₹4,148 in all, on the government rate card in January 2023, as reported by Gomantak Times.

How much does a villa in Benaulim cost per night?

Airbnb's Benaulim villa page, read on 7 November 2026, shows monthly averages from ₹6,484 a night in June to ₹10,807 in December. That average covers all villa sizes, so a large pool villa for a group will cost more.

Is Benaulim crowded?

Less than Colva or the big North Goa beaches. Goa Tourism says Benaulim is still rather undiscovered by domestic tourists, but gets fairly crowded in the evenings and at weekends when local visitors arrive by bus.

What is there to do near Benaulim?

Visit Colva beach and the quieter Varca and Cavelossim beaches, visit the Church of St John the Baptist on the hill, shop for rosewood furniture, and take a dolphin-watching trip on the River Sal from Cavelossim. Goa Tourism lists all of these.

Information only, checked on the date above. Prices, rules and timings in Goa change; confirm with the venue or authority before you travel.