About Diu

Country: India | State: Daman & Diu

Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days

Nearest City to Diu: Somnath (82 Kms), Bhavnagar (209 Kms)

Best Time to Visit Diu: October to March

Peak Season: November to February

At a distance of 82 km from Somnath, 122 km from Amreli, 135 km from Keshod, 149 km from Junagadh, 173 km from Palitana, 209 km from Bhavnagar, 210 km from Porbandar, 232 km from Rajkot, 305 km from Jamnagar, 313 km from Dwarka, 343 km from Okha, 369 km from Ahmedabad, 427 km from Vadodara, 564 km from Surat and 842 km from Mumbai, Diu is a small island in the Union territory of Daman and Diu. Lies near the coast of Kathiyawad region of Gujarat, Diu is one of the popular tourist destinations in India you must include in honeymoon packages and among the must include places in Gujarat Tour Packages.

Diu, the picturesque isle located off the coast of Gujarat is surrounded by the Arabian Sea on three sides. The name Diu is derived from the Sanskrit word 'dweep' meaning island. Diu is separated from the mainland by a narrow channel and two tiny mainland enclaves. It boasts some stunning beaches, limestone cliffs, and shimmering golden sand beaches. Diu is one of the oldest Portuguese colonies of the world and among the least populated districts of India. It is also a major fishing town popular for delectable seafood.

Diu was once an important port on the Arabian Sea trade route and was considered a part of Saurashtra in Gujarat. According to ancient history, Diu was ruled by Maurya dynasty from 322 to 320 BC, followed by the Kshatrapas, Guptas, Maitrakas, Chalukyas and finally the Portuguese. Diu remained under the colonial regime from 1535-1961 and was liberated alongside Goa and Daman in 1961 under Government of India. After Statehood of Goa in the year 1987, Daman and Diu became a separate Union Territories. After being under the colonial regime for so long, a lot of the Portuguese influence can be seen in the architecture and culture that the people of Diu follow.

Diu is more popular as a tourist place because of the natural beaches, bold history, many other attractions, and sightseeing. The Diu Fort, a primary imprint of the Portuguese on the area's heritage and architecture makes up a popular tourist attraction. Skirted by the sea on three sides, it stands tall like an island of courage with frightening canons atop, aiming in different directions. Diu Museum, Gangeshwar Temple, Nagoa Beach, Shell Museum, INS Khukri Memorial, St. Paul's Church, Naida Caves, Jalandhar Beach, Ghoghla Beach, and Zampa Gateway are the other important tourist places to visit in Diu which are frequented by large numbers of tourists. Besides, the beaches of Diu offer multiple opportunities to engage in water sport activities like Parasailing, sunbathing, surfing and swimming. Nightlife in Diu is also quite enjoyable and safe.

The people of Diu celebrate almost all the festivals with lots of enthusiasm starting with Makarsankranti in January till Christmas and New Year eve in December. Among those, Festa De Diu is the most famous one as it is the longest beach festival in Asia. Organized by Diu Tourism Department, it is held every year from December to February. The festival has tons of fun events and lots of performances by artists.

Diu Airport is the nearest airport which is about 6 km from Diu Bus Station. It has well-connected flights from Mumbai. Somnath Railway Station is the nearest railhead which is 82 km from Diu. It has well-connected trains from Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Jabalpur, Okha, and Porbandar. While, Veraval is the nearest major railhead to Diu that has well-connected trains from Somnath, Jhansi, Okha, Bandra, Rajkot, Porbandar, Thiruvananthapuram, Pune, Jabalpur, Indore, and Ahmedabad. One can hire a bus or cab to reach Diu town. Diu Bus Stand is well connected by buses with Porbandar, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Jamnagar, Somnath, Veraval, Bhavnagar, Vadodara, Surat, and Junagadh.

Being a coastal town, Diu remains humid for most of the time but winter is the best time when the weather is ideal for sightseeing. It is also the time to witness the Festa De Diu, the longest beach festival in Asia.

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Other Info
Internet Availability: Average
STD Code: 02875
Languages Spoken: Gujarati, Hindi, English & Portuguese
Major Festivals: Makarsankranti, Festa De Diu & Christmas
Notes/Tips:
None

How to Reach Diu

By Air

Nearest Airport: Diu - Diu Airport (6 Kms)

By Train

Nearest Train Station: Somnath (82 Kms)

By Bus

Nearest Bus Station: Diu Bus Stand (0 Kms)

Top 10 Places to Visit in Diu

Heritage

#1 of 15 Places to Visit in Diu

At a distance of 2 km from Diu Bus Station, Diu Fort is an ancient fort located in Diu. Situated near Diu Collectorate, it is one of the historical forts in India and among the prominent places to visit in Diu during your Diu Trip.

The Fort of Diu, formally Fortaleza de São Tomé, is an expansive and imposing structure situated in the extreme southeast point of the island. It was built by D. Nuno da Cunha in the year 1535 subsequent to a defense alliance forged by Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of Gujarat and the Portuguese when Humayun, the Mughal Emperor attempted to annex this territory. Later, the fort was rebuilt by D. Joao de Castro in 1546. The Portuguese ruled over this territory for 424 years from 1537 to 1961 even after India's independence from British and were ousted from Diu only when the government of India launched a military action called the 'Operation Vijay'.

Spread over an area of 5.6 hectares, the Diu Fort is protected by the sea on three sides. The outer wall .....

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Beach

#2 of 15 Places to Visit in Diu

At a distance of 8 km from Diu Bus Station, Nagoa Beach is a stunning sea beach located at Nagoa hamlet of Bucharwada village in Diu. Situated near Diu Airport, it is one of the most popular beaches on the Arabian Sea coast and among the must include places in Diu Packages.

Nagoa Beach is a horseshoe-shaped beach known for its exotic ambiance and scenic beauty. Extends over an area of 2 km, the beach is characterized by an enclosing cove with white sands. It is considered to be the most beautiful as well as the most famous beach in Diu. A walk along the shore is a great way to relax one's body and soul. Also, Nagoa Beach is one among the most unique beaches in India as it is lined with rare Hoka trees which are not found anywhere else in the country. These trees were planted by the Portuguese which they brought from Africa. The trees were sacred to the Ancient Egyptians, evident from the discovery of Hoka seeds in several rulers' tombs.

The palm-fringed beach of Nagoa witnesses .....

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Heritage

#3 of 15 Places to Visit in Diu

At a distance of 1 km from Diu Bus Station, Naida Caves are the beautiful rock formations situated outside Zampa Gate following Vijaypath Road in Diu. These caves are often used in promoting Diu Tourism.

The Naida Caves are a group of interlinked caves below the ground level which keeps a person in awe. It is believed that these caves got their shape when the Portuguese broke down sections of a huge rock formation for construction of the Diu Fort. This is how the caves got shape eventually. However, it is also studied that the caves were formed due to geological irregularities and processes over a significant amount of time. These caves acted as a shelter for the Indian Army during Operation Vijay which was launched against the Portuguese.

The caves feature a big network of tunnels with square hewn steps that remain completely unexplored. The caves also have a natural opening that lets in sunlight, making it photogenic. The orange-brown walls of the caves, maze kind cave tunnels, .....

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Pilgrimage

#4 of 15 Places to Visit in Diu

At a distance of 2 km from Diu Bus Station, St. Paul's Church is an ancient church situated in Diu Island, on the west coast of India. It is one of the oldest churches in India and among the most visited places in Diu.

The St. Paul's Church is one of the three churches built by the Portuguese in Diu and is solely dedicated to 'Our Lady of Immaculate Conception'. The construction of the church was started in 1601 and finished in 1610. Named after St. Paul, the Apostle of Jesus also known as the Apostle to the Gentiles, it is said to be the largest and the only functioning church in Diu till date.

Built in the Baroque architectural style, this 400 years old church of St. Paul exhibits strong similarity but with better workmanship and design than the Basilica of Bom Jesus at Goa, which was also built by the Portuguese in 1605 AD. Renowned all over the world for its stunning architecture by Indian craftsmen, the church boasts of rich wood carvings, splendid facade, intriguing volutes, .....

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Pilgrimage

#5 of 15 Places to Visit in Diu

At a distance of 3 km from Diu Bus Station, Gangeshwar Mahadev Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located at Fudam village in Diu. Situated on the Arabian Sea coast, it is one of the important places of pilgrimage in Diu and among the must visit places as part of Diu Tour Packages.

Situated amidst serenity and scenic beauty, the Gangeshwar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the transformer of Hindu trinity. Here the presiding deity is called Gangeshwar, who is considered to be the Lord of River Ganga since it descended to the earth from the tresses of Lord Shiva. The Gangeshwar Mahadev Temple is more than 5000 years old. It is basically a cave temple located in the midst of rocks on the seashore.

The shrine has five Shivalingas of different sizes which are believed to have been installed by the Pandava brothers during their exile period. These Shivlingas are constantly washed by the lapping waves of the Arabian Sea and one has to touch the Lord when the waves are returning. .....

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Heritage

#6 of 15 Places to Visit in Diu

At a distance of 3 km from Diu Bus Station, INS Khukri Memorial is the memorial site of an Indian Naval Ship located on a hillock in Diu. Situated near Chakratirth Beach, it is one of the must-visit places while holidaying in Diu.

INS Khukri memorial was set up in 1999 to commemorate the brave martyrs of Indian Navy. INS Khukri, one of the historic Naval Ships of India, fell prey to three torpedoes fired by a Pakistan submarine on 9th December 1971 and sank 40 nautical miles off the coast of Diu. With the ship 18 officers and 176 sailors laid down their lives for the glory of the nation. Captain Mahendra Nath Mulla Mahavir Chakra was the captain of this warship.

The memorial comprises a scaled model of INS Khukri enclosed in a glass case. Names of all officers and sailors of the ship are displayed at the top. There is an open air theater towards the sea with seating arrangement for visitors. From the memorial, one can get a beautiful view of the setting sun over the Arabian .....

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Beach

#7 of 15 Places to Visit in Diu

At a distance of 4 km from Diu Bus Station, Ghoghla Beach is a spectacular beach on the coast of Arabian Sea in Diu. Situated at Ghoghla Village, it is one of the beautiful beaches in India and among the most attractive tourist places in Diu.

Considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches in Diu, Ghoghla Beach is very long, serene and virgin. The beach is extremely clean and also one of the less explored beaches of Diu. As far as your eyes can see, the golden-hued beach contrasting the sparkling blue of the Arabian Sea is a sheer delight to the visual senses. Since the beach is least explored, it catches the attention of the tourists those who want to spend some time in solitude.

The shallow waters of Ghoghla Beach are inviting. The beach is an ideal destination for thrilling water sport activities like swimming, parasailing, surfing and banana boat. Those who are opposed to aquatic sports can laze or loll over its soft and soothing sands. It offers spectacular views of .....

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Beach

#8 of 15 Places to Visit in Diu

At a distance of 2 km from Diu Fort and 2 km from Diu Bus Station, Jalandhar Beach is a beautiful beach along the coast of Arabian Sea in Diu, India. It is one of the prevalent beaches in this Union Territory of India and among the best beaches to visit during your Diu Trip.

Jalandhar Beach is a small rocky beach near the South Pole Point in Diu. It is a haven of beauty, peace, and tranquility. The place gets its name from a mythological demon, Jalandhar who was killed by Krishna. The beach has a small memorial atop a hill along with a stone face structure of the demon Jalandhar. The beach also houses a temple dedicated to Goddess Chandrika.

Jalandhar Beach is less crowded and one of the untouched beaches of Diu. It is an ideal place for those who wish to spend their time lazing around on the soft sands while the inebriating sea breeze blows over them all through the day. The beach is safe for swimming as the water here is clear and remains calm without any undercurrents. .....

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Beach

#9 of 15 Places to Visit in Diu

At a distance of 3 km from Diu Station, Chakratirth Beach is a serene sea beach located in Diu. Situated next to INS Khukri Memorial, it is one of the five popular beaches in Diu and among the prime places to visit as part of Diu Packages.

Nestled amidst the picturesque hills meeting the Arabian Sea, Chakratirth Beach is a favorite beach getaway for both domestic and the international tourists. It has a significant place in Hindu mythology as it is believed to be the site where Lord Krishna beheading demon Jalandhar with his Sudarshan Chakra. In honor of this legend, the footprints of Lord Krishna are carved out in stone on a hill near the beach.

This pristine beach is an ideal place to soak up the sun or frolicking in the enchanting waters while travelers beat the heat and relax by the calming shores. The tourist appeal of this delightful beach has been amplified with the addition of an open-air auditorium with changing rooms by the hillock. The manicured gardens in the vicinity .....

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Beach

#10 of 15 Places to Visit in Diu

At a distance of 7 km from Nagoa Beach and 13 km from Diu Bus Station, Gomtimata Beach is a pristine beach located on the western end of Diu. Situated at Vanakbara village, it is one of the 5 best beaches in Diu and among the best places to visit in Diu.

Also known as Vanakbara Beach, Gomtimata Beach is about 5 km in length and somewhat narrow, the waves of the Arabian Sea wash upon it, often leaving only a short stretch of beach during high tide. The beach is named after Gomtimata temple that can be found on the beach itself and is an elegant construction of chequered marble. It is dedicated to the Devi Gomti, the daughter of the Sage Vashishta and the namesake of the Gomti River.

The beach is known for its quiet environment, ceaselessly rolling waves and white-sands. The rocky beach is an ideal place to witness the mesmerizing sunset, sea shell collection and seeking a quiet moment of repose away from town. Swimming at this beach is not safe as tides are very high. While .....

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