Hi Paxrax, I may not be the best person to advise as this will be my first trip to Goa, but we have tried last minute booking at Xmas time twice before and I would definitely advise against it.

Dont know about any other time of year.

Even when we have not been looking at actually going, I looked at the prices to see if maybe I had been wrong and they really would come down at the last minute , and believe me they have NEVER come down in price. If anything they have got dearer the nearer to xmas you get. This is why we booked in advance this year. We didnt get a great price as its always dearer to go at xmas, but we got something we were happy to pay knowing the going rate of packages for that time of year. I didnt want the hassle of trawling the internet again without success.

This is purely package holidays, I cannot speak for flight only, but you may have a bigger problem getting accommodation then.

unless you do a package do not do last minute... I have paid for flights Jan and have no accomodation there is nothing available so its best to book in advance

Lots of hotels showing vacancies when I have looked just now, not cheap though.

Dont know about chrtistmas but Jewel holidays have some interesting late deals leaving this Friday 2 Dec from manchester as low as £400 for 14 nights
http://www.jewelholidays.com/s/search/availability?q=1P20111202014MANININAG30G306020000&t=1322629483981

all sorted now, not cheap but thinking back its the same price we paid for christmas and new year nearly 10 years ago.

£620 for a thomson flight out on boxing day and then we have mikes apartment at the highland beach.

happy missus too