i think it depends on how long you want to go for if we were going for a two week holiday we would book a package deal
if you go for more than four weeks you have to go via mumbai and in our experience it works out ok price wise if your going for more than four weeks to book it independently shop around for flights and cheap rooms
anita

Currently you can get a flight from Heathrow to Goa (Virgin & Air India) for £360. (It is open ended so can spend 1 day to 6 months).
While you are over this time get some phone numbers of places you like the look of and phone them for accomodation.
For 2 weeks it does not work out any cheaper, but for 3 or more is much better.
You also get treated like customers rather than cattle on the planes.

Steve

Hi, we are going to Goa in December for the first time

you will learn quick, dont worry its a desease, with no cure

lez

It works out cheaper if you are traveling on your own and finding accommodation with you arrive as one dose not have to pay a single supplement.

Is it easy to find a hotel room, especially during Jan/Feb and not left stranded when you get there?

Colie 1 it is far easier to get accomodation in Jan/Feb, as the Christmas and New Year is over, we for the first 2 holidays in Goa always went package, but we realised there are loads of villa's and apartments for hire, for a two month trip we are paying, roughtly what we did for a 3 week tour with a package holiday.

99% of this can be booked on the internet, or arrange the accomodation whilst you are there.

Colie1,
You will always be able to find some accomodation except for about 3 weeks around Christmas.
From about 7th January to end of February is ok, so long as you don't arrive at half term.
The easiest way is to book with one of the bigger hotels online for a couple of nights while you are in the UK, then ask at the resort you want to stop in once you are over there. Beach huts in Palolem are always available at short notice.

Steve

Thanks for the advice but if I book the hotel online for a couple of nights as a stopover say, I would still need to pay for single person supplement?

Colie1,
This link will take you to the Goa torism site. http://www.goatourism.org (I pinched it from Fiona's useful information section).
Almost all rooms in Goa are sold on a per room basis. They don't charge per person.
The prices on this site range from £5 to £150 per night. Some have web sites so you can see what they look like. Try looking at these then seeing if anyone has stopped at them before. The Hotel review for Goa contains quite a few of these hotels and guest houses that never get into the Charter books.
Good luck
Steve

i could help , as i am form goa
let me know

This site seems to have a range of Goa deals if you wanted a specific hotel

http://www.goaholidays4u.co.uk/

Alan