Hotels in Vasco da Gama

Vasco da Gama is Goa's working port town rather than its holiday face. Named after the Portuguese explorer, it grew around Mormugao Harbour, one of India's major iron-ore export ports, and it still feels industrial, with railway sidings, shipping offices and a large naval presence. Be honest: few people come here for the town itself, and the waterfront is more cranes than palm trees. Its real advantage is location. Goa Dabolim International Airport is on the doorstep, and Vasco is a terminus on the rail network, which makes it a practical base for early flights, late arrivals or business at the port.

Small Bogmalo beach is a short ride away if you want sand without trekking north. The sights people associate with Goa, such as the Goa State Museum and the whitewashed Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, are in Panaji, roughly an hour's drive or less, so plan them as a day trip. Stay near the airport or towards Bogmalo for easy flight connections and a quieter, more coastal feel than the congested port centre.