With rain this heavy, the first question about a wall in Canacona is whether water gets through. An outside wall facing the monsoon squarely can look dry in March and be wet by July, and paper hung on it will lift at the seams. Check for seepage and for old stains before choosing a design, and keep wallpaper to inner walls and to rooms that are aired or air-conditioned. Here the choice narrows to vinyl, over a primer that resists fungus; where a wall stays damp, PVC panels do the job wallpaper cannot. For a guest house, pick a tough pattern with no fashion in it and hang it behind the bed, out of reach of luggage.
- Flats and family houses in Chaudi: one vinyl feature wall on a dry inner partition, after a look for monsoon seepage.
- Guest rooms in homestays: a patterned vinyl behind the bed only, and one roll put by so a torn drop can be replaced.
- Rooms close to the beaches: paper only on sealed inner walls free of salt bloom, and panels on anything weather-facing.
Canacona is the southernmost taluka of Goa, and its town, Chaudi, is the market and administrative centre for the beaches of Palolem, Patnem and Agonda. It lies on the highway to Karwar, beyond the Karmal ghat, with forested hills behind it.
Chaudi itself is a small town of shops, flats and family houses. Around it, the demand is from guest houses, homestays, small hotels and the homes of people who run them. Budgets are practical and the season is short, so durability matters.
Canacona gets some of the heaviest rain in Goa, and humidity stays high for months. The town is a little inland; the beaches are fully exposed to salt.
Sea-facing homes
Sea-facing walls take in salt and moisture, and paper lifts at the seams if the wall is not sealed. Use vinyl-coated wallpaper on an anti-fungal primer, and keep it to inner walls or walls that do not face the weather. Check for salt bloom on the plaster first.
Holiday lets and guest houses
For a let property, choose a hard-wearing vinyl in a design that will not date, and use it where luggage and furniture will not scrape it: behind the bed, not in the corridor. A spare roll kept back makes later repairs possible.
Visiting Canacona
Canacona is about an hour from the showroom, south on the highway. We measure free of charge, and group Canacona, Palolem, Patnem and Agonda into one trip, so it helps to book a few days ahead.
Do you come as far as Canacona?
Yes. It is about an hour from Margao. We visit Canacona, Palolem, Patnem and Agonda together, so please book a few days ahead.
What lasts through the Canacona monsoon?
Synthetic fabrics, PVC and aluminium. Anything that absorbs water, such as cotton, jute, untreated wood or steel, suffers in the long wet season.
