Beyond the unattractive port city of Vasco da Gama , and its nearby airport, the southern reaches of the state harbour some of the region's finest beaches , with attractive Portuguese-style villages nestled in a hilly interior. Many visitors base themselves initially at Benaulim , 6km west of Goa's second city, Margao . The most traveller-friendly resort in the area, Benaulim stands slap in the middle of a spectacular 25-kilometre stretch of pure white sand, backed by a broad band of coconut plantations. Although increasingly carved up by Mumbai time-share companies, low-cost accommodation here is plentiful and of a consistently high standard. Nearby Colva , by contrast, has degenerated over the past five or six years into an insalubrious charter resort, frequented by huge numbers of day-trippers. More polluted and far less relaxing than its neighbours, it's not somewhere you'd choose to hole up for a beach holiday.

 

With the gradual spread of package tourism down the coast, Palolem , a couple of hours' south of Margao down the main highway, has emerged as most budget travellers' first choice, despite its relative inaccessibility. Set against a backdrop of forest-cloaked hills, its beach is spectacular and development relatively low-key.