Diu Travel Guide- An unadulterated Island known for its gorgeous beaches, captivating caves and Portuguese style buildings, Diu undoubtedly has the charm to amaze the travellers with its scenic beauty. Also considered as Mini Goa of our country, it is an ideal holiday destination to chill and relax.

DAMAN & DIU: DIFFERENCE

However what percentage of you actually is aware of the fact that Daman and Diu are literally two separate places? Popularly known as Daman and Diu are actually two different locations clubbed in one Union territory and are approximately 650 kms away from each other. Let’s find out together a lot of such interesting facts concerning this place.

ABOUT DIU

Situated in the southern coast of Gujarat, Diu is a beautiful island and a very popular destination for Gujarati folks as Alcohol is legal here. Notable for its stunning beaches spread all over the island, Diu is a home of serenity which has started attracting the travel enthusiasts from all over the country.

As soon as you enter this eccentric island, be rest assured to bid farewell to the hustle bustle of the city life. Much calmer, serene and clean, this attractive island has plenty of things to surprise you.

Normally a couple of days tour is enough to explore the beautiful destinations of the Island. Most of the tourist spots are located at the closest proximity, making the trip so much more fun and convenient. Let’s take a glimpse at the top 5 places that one must visit when in Diu.

#1 NADIA CAVES

Photo credits@ Varun Singh

An absolute favorite spot of the photographers, nature lovers and artistic minds, Nadia caves is the ultimate choice to get pleasure from some solitary blissfulness. One may love to spend hours and hours in these naturally formed caves, enjoying the sunrays and stone structures. Additionally, this place is a massive hit for the pre-wedding shoots and if you are one of those who loves to change your Instagram pics quite often, then this place is simply for you.

One of its own kind, these beautiful caves are the true depiction of natural beauty with many picturesque spots. As shortly as you enter these humungous rocky caves, you would find signboards showing directions that helps the tourists to not stray in these caves.

You may also experience a dip in the temperature inside, making it a comfortable location throughout the day. There is no entry fees or restrictive visiting hours, however, it is sensible to depart the location before sunset keeping one’s safety in mind.

You may not find many food stalls outside the caves and can enjoy the fresh lime soda or coconut water along with few eatables including chips and few fruits. Unlike many other caves in the country, I really found these caves clean and less crowded which allures the visitors the most.

#2 NAGOA BEACH

Photo credits@ Varun Singh

The most well-liked beach in the town, it is a perfect place to get dabbled in the clean water. One end of the beach, however, has many huge rocks on its shore making the swimming experience a little dangerous. The beach has gorgeous soft sands tempting you to get your hands dirty and creating some sand castles or carelessly playing with your kids experiencing a serene connection with nature.

A gorgeous beach with lots of fun activities to fancy, it is the prime attraction of Diu and is enclosed by many beautiful resorts, small eating joints and shopping stalls displaying the beach wears, balls and toys for the children.

The beach is mostly loved by the guests for a romantic stroll watching the sun to descend so beautifully. In addition, it is the hub of water sports activities including parasailing, banana rides, and water scooters.

Beach Festival – Festa De Diu

During the months of Dec to Feb, a cultural beach festival is held on the beach of Nagoa which is popularly known as Festa de Diu. The beach gets amazingly flooded by the travellers around this time and one may enjoy a luxurious stay at the beautiful tents.

Cultural programs including dance performances and live concerts are the prime attractions of this fest making it a worthful experience. Everything around it looks so colorful, vibrant and full of life that leaves you awestruck for many days.

#3 SHELL MUSEUM

Usually, museums do not attract the young crowd these days, but the shell museum of Diu can totally blow your mind if you pay a visit there. Owned by an ex-merchant navy captain, it is a wonderful creation of Captain Devjibhai Vira Fulbaria.

His passion to collect the undersea beauties gave birth to this unique museum giving a delightful experience to its visitors. With a beautiful collection of shells and undersea species, this small place would make you think of the efforts put together to create this amazing assortment.

Photography inside the museum is strictly prohibited which is fine as sometimes one should enjoy the moment. The museum is just 2 km away from the Nagoa beach and opens between 10:30 am to 5 pm and has an entry fee of Rs 20.

#4 DIU FORT

Photo credits@ Varun Singh

Built by the Portuguese in 1535, the fort is another example of great architecture and the human mind. Surrounded by the Arabian sea by three sides, it is an exquisite tourist spot for photo enthusiasts and history lovers. The Fort accommodates a lighthouse which is also the highest point of the city and three small yet beautiful churches.

The view from the lighthouse is spectacular and is the showstopper of the show. One may love to take a glance at the ancient cannons scattered here and there inside the Fort wondering about the Era these were used in. With an ample amount of picturesque views, the Fort conjointly includes a small garden to laze around.

The Fort can be visited between 7 am to 12 pm and again from 2 pm to 5 pm every day.

Do’s and Don’ts

It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes while throughout the Fort visit as one could expect a lot of walking inside.
Also, it would be a good idea to carry a water bottle to quench your thirst as you would not find anything inside the Fort. Although, there are few local food stalls available outside the Fort selling coconut water, aerated drinks, and fresh lime water along with delicious vada paos and pakoras to satisfy your hunger.
Additionally, one must carry an umbrella or hat to avoid the scorching heat.

#5. ST PAUL’S CHURCH

Photo credits@ Varun Singh

Influenced by the Portuguese architecture, the church has some beautiful wooden carvings done inside that is an absolute delight for the eyes. Not in a very good condition though, it demands quick maintenance today but surely reminds us about the gorgeous churches of Goa.

One part of the church also has a school and a small garden. Few meters away from this church is The Church of St Francis of Assisi, whose one section has been turned as a hospital and St Thomas Church which is a museum now.

Photo credits@ Varun Singh

#6. NANI DAMAN FORT

Image credit– Amit Pasricha, Fort Nani, Daman, Daman & Diu,1614AD

Nani Daman Fort occupies an area of 12,250 sq. metres. Its construction, begun by the Portuguese Viceroy to India -Dom Jeronimo de Azevedo in 1614 AD, took over fifty years to complete.

Lovely sculpture of Saint Jerome (lived 347-420 A.D.). Appropriately pictured here with a book, probably the Bible, in his hand, Saint Jerome was a learned man who wrote many theological works and translated the Bible from Hebrew into Latin.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS

GANGESHWAR TEMPLE is an ancient Shiva temple which has five naturally formed Shiva lings. No matter how astonishing it may sound, but the fact is these Shiva lings are formed in such a location that gets a daily wash by the sea waves itself.
INS KUKRI MEMORIAL is the war memorial created in the memory of the brave naval soldiers those got martyred in the 1971 war against Pakistan. The unfortunate sinking of INS Kukri is still remembered by the people of Diu. The place has a model of the naval ship placed there along with a foundation stone on which the name of the martyrs is engraved. The memorial is located on a hill rock and is an excellent place to enjoy the sunset and spectacular sea view.
JALANDHAR BEACH is another popular destination in Diu, known for its sunset viewpoint and sheer beauty.
FUDAM BIRD SANCTUARY is one of the beautiful bird-watching spots in Diu which is a home of Flamingos, spoonbills, and many migratory birds. If you are one of those who loves to embrace the mother nature then, the early morning visit to one of these spots would give you mesmerizing views of birds playing, dancing and getting ready to fetch their food.

BEST ROUTE TO REACH

Diu has a beautiful airport making it so convenient for its visitors to reach. If you flying from Mumbai, it merely takes an hour to reach this beautiful destination. However, one could also drive down from Ahmedabad airport which would take nearly 7 and a half hours to cover a distance of approximately 353 km.

As we had a plan to visit the famous Shiva temple “Somnath” before heading for a relaxing tour of Diu, we started our road journey around 9 in the morning covering a distance of 336 km (from Dhrangdra) and reached Somanth around 3:30 in the noon.

The roads connectivity was pretty good which made our journey really comfortable. Post our Somnath darshan, we started for Diu and completed our journey in just 2 hours.

Alternatively, one could choose a train journey and get down at Una (Gujarat) railway station which is just 12 km away from Diu.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Although December to February is the time when a lot of cultural festivals like Runn of Kutch festival in Bhuj and Festa de Diu (Diu) are organized and thus are the most preferred months by the travellers. The island can be visited throughout the year however summers and winters are the preferable seasons by the travellers. The most preferred months

FOOD AND ACCOMMODATION

Diu has some amazing restaurants serving delicious kinds of seafood with a range of prawns and fish dishes. An evening walk near the seaside can take you to the countless food stalls with lip-smacking street foods and non-veg dishes to taste.

As alcohol consumption is legal in this place, you may get amazed by the number of bars the city has. However, do not even think of carrying the liquor bottles along with you in your return journey as strict security checking is done at the exit way of the Island.

One may find plenty of good hotels inside the city making it convenient for travel enthusiasts to visit its prominent attractions which are very close to each other. To enjoy the stay at exotic resorts, one could head towards Nagoa beach where the bunch of fine resorts is located.

Photo credits@ Varun Singh

GENERAL DO’S & DONT’S

Just like Goa, Diu also allows its travellers to enjoy a cycle or scooter ride and provides them on rent. With a refundable security deposit of 500 – 1000 Rs, the vehicles can be available on rent just for Rs 20 to Rs 50 per day, and scooters for Rs 150 to Rs 200 per day.

It is most advisable to travel back to your hotels before its too dark as there aren’t any restriction on alcohol consumption on the beach which may not be likable by many, particularly those who are travelling with their families.

SUMMARY & CONCLUSION

Diu is one of the least populated places in India with gorgeous natural beauties all around. Its glorious beaches and historical monuments are so inviting and smitten with the tranquillity that acts almost like a therapy. The naturally formed caves, the beach festival, and mystical temples are few added treasures that can be cherished throughout your Diu trip.

Diu is a perfect holiday destination for somebody who loves to stay connected with nature and get charged up for a new day. In simple language, this place is just like Goa but in a calmer and less crowded way.

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