
Church of St John the Baptist
Apart from the lovely Benaulim beach, there is the Church of St John the Baptist which is situated on a hill beyond the village and is worth a visit. On the arrival of the monsoon, Feast of St John the Baptist (Sao Joao) is celebrated as a thanksgiving. Young men wearing crowns of leaves and fruits tour the area singing for gifts. To commemorate the movement of St John when he was in his mother's womb and visited by Mary, the mother of Jesus, the young men of this village jump in the wells.
At Benaulim beach you will find only few hotels for your accommodation but you can definitely rent a house if you are going to stay for long. The Colva beach, which is situated next to this beach, houses plenty of resorts and low-budget hotels.
Alegria This Goan specialty restaurant is reminiscent of an old-fashioned landlord’s drawing room, with sepia photographs on the walls and carved wooden furniture. The variety of menu items makes an excellent introduction to local cuisine. If you want to be adventurous with dessert, try the adsorachem merend, a feni-infused (with cashew or coconut-palm hooch) tender coconut mousse with saffron sauce. Live singing accompanied by guitar and mandolin adds to the scene.
Joecons The interior is spacious – but nothing special – at this Goan restaurant, the chief attraction is getting here – it’s a lovely walk (less than a kilometer) through paddy fields from Benaulim village. Try biking it if you’re staying in Benaulim – the sea breeze will be full in your face and you’ll arrive suitably primed for the feni and masala prawns.
Taj Exotica Here you’ll find undoubtedly one of the most luxurious and attractive places to stay in Goa, on extensive grounds beside tranquil Benaulim beach. The lobby has gleaming marble floors and spotless white sofas. Its sunken, open-air atrium is full of foliage. Rooms with shady verandahs look out onto two golf courses and the Arabian Sea. You can opt for a villa with an outdoor private pool, or one with a hot tub overlooking the sea. Although all of this luxury takes you well away from the mass-tourist clutter of Colva, the resort remains close to the heart of Goa – with the exemplary warmth and good humor of its staff, some of whom occasionally join professional musicians to serenade guests while they dine. There’s also a lobster shack on the beach here.