Benaulim also known as Banavali, is a census town in South Goa district in the state of Goa, India. It is a beach town a little south of Margao in Goa, India.

It is a town of immense natural beauty, located along the scenic south Goa coastline. Legend has it that Lord Parashurama, incarnation of Lord Vishnu, shot an arrow from the Sahyadri Mountains in adjacent konkan; the arrow (Baan in Sanskrit) landed at the site of this present-day town.Thus it was known as Banahalli or Banavalli (the village of the arrow) before the advent of the Portuguese. Ancient Banavalli had a magnificent temple dedicated to Shiva and Parvati, known as Katyayani Baneshvar, ruins, of which can be still found in the village. The deities were shifted to Aversa in North Kanara in the 16th century to avoid religious persecution and the original temples were demolished by the Portuguese as mentioned in the historical records. The village also has a special significance for Christians as it is the birthplace of Father Joseph Vaz.