Where palms set the pace in Goa

The only itinerary at Little Palm Grove involves breakfasts, hammocks and endless beach days

20 Jul 2026

The Goa itinerary always begins with an ambition. Beach at sunrise, cafe by brunch, local market hop before lunch and cocktails at sunset. But somewhere on the second day, one lavish breakfast spread and the sight of a hammock wins over sightseeing. And suddenly the biggest decision is to swim before nap or after? Co-founded by Eva Agardsdotter and Viraj Harmalkar, Little Palm Grove, part of a larger Palm Grove Beach Resort, portrays these exact thoughts. Designed by Pradeep Naik alongside Tallulah D’Silva, this retreat in North Goa makes you realise that the shoreline isn’t the destination, but it’s the everyday rhythm of the dwelling you choose to linger in.

Situated 250 metres north of Ashvem Beach, this bucolic stay opens to the sunsets over the Arabian Sea. A shaded verandah and canopy of swaying palms make it easy to forget about the unpacked bags and the list of places pinned on maps. As Eva and Viraj explain, “Little Palm Grove has always been about listening to the land, to nature and to the people who come seeking stillness.”

“Little Palm Grove has always been about listening to the land, to nature and to the people who come seeking stillness”

Eva Agardsdotter and Viraj Harmalkar

Photographs courtesy of Little Palm Grove

Right before the beach

The retreat comprises five bungalows — four exclusive seafront stays and one overlooking both the Arabian Sea and the surrounding gardens. “In 2011, we built our very first structure here: simple bamboo bungalows, also called Little Palm Grove. That beginning laid the foundation for what this space would eventually become,” the duo reflects. Conceived for couples, small groups of friends and families, the space offers a quieter way of experiencing solitude, nature and tranquil living.

Eschewing trend-driven aesthetics, the architecture draws on ancient Goan mud-houses, crafting a space that’s both eco-friendly and climate-responsive. Minimal interventions, along with yoga mats, define the space, with a king-size bed, a convertible sofa for lazy conversations, a writing desk for quiet moments and an ensuite bathroom to rinse away the beach sand. Complete with a private plunge pool, breakfast spreads and a series of indulgences, the stay invites guests to switch off. Mornings begin with yoga, drifting into restorative massages by the in-house therapist — allowing travellers to ease into the languid pace. The shaded verandahs are where breakfast dawdles into lunch accompanied by the roar of the waves and sandy sandals lie unattended on the laterite steps.

Mud never looked this good

“No restaurant. No noise. No buzz. Just room to breathe,” they say. The red-hued mud walls are built using a clay-and-lime mix, finished with a lime wash in warm sand tones that complement the natural yellow Shahabad stone sourced from Hyderabad, keeping the afternoon heat at bay.

Existing trees dictate the planning, making the landscape more than a mere backdrop to the architecture. Greywater is channelled back into the gardens and waste segregated. Powered by the tropical sun, stocked with organic amenities and committed to regular beach clean-ups, this hospitality lightly treads on the landscape it calls home.

What if the destination was never the beach but the space from which you experience it? After all, while travel is often measured in miles, the most memorable escapes are those that feel instantly familiar, leaving behind not an itinerary but the silhouette of sunlight filtering through the palms.