Depicting a spectacular specimen of a pure scenic beauty, Diu is a serene windswept island on the south coast of Gujarat’s Kathiawar peninsula. Diu Island offers a perfect blend of peace and tranquillity. This Island is infused with Portuguese history wherein it was made a Portuguese colony from 1539 to 1961.
Diu Island is an apt place to experience a dream vacation in one’s life. The Island offers excellent opportunities for swimming, surfing and parasailing.It offers an altogether unique and impressive sight of sand crowned beaches and allures a flock of tourists every year.
Weather in Diu Island is pleasant throughout the year. The average temperature remains in between 25 to 28 degree Celsius. As far as the rainfall is concerned, this tourist place receives 540 mm of rainfall during the period that lasts in October.
Admiring Diu Island in its Own Way
Best time to visit Diu Island
Diu is undoubtedly a phenomenal place on this planet. Embedded with ample beaches and tourists spots, this place can be visited at any point of time; but to be peculiar about the best time further intensify our stay and fun over here. Due to the fact that this particular place is surrounded by a number of beaches, the weather in Diu remains humid.
Also, receiving sufficient rainfall during the season, the best time to visit this landmark is the summer season. Summer season in Diu prevails from March to July. The reason for suggesting this idea is because of the fact that during this period, patrons can opt for different activities on the beach. The tourists can also go for sightseeing at all other famous destinations located on the Diu Island.
Moreover, in the summer season, the tourists can enjoy a range of water sports to mark their pleasant journey. The temperature in summers is recorded at an average of 31 degree Celsius which is pretty good to visit an Island like Diu.
How to reach Diu Island
In this age of trends, where the people are equipped with endless modes of communication and transportation; getting out to a particular place is not a tedious job per se. But the prominent prospect to be considered in this scenario is reaching one’s destination comfortably in an economical manner.
The closest railway station to Diu is Veraval. This railway station falls at a distance of 90 kilometres from Diu and it is very well connected to the major cities of Ahmedabad and Rajkot. After getting down at the Veraval railway station, one can hire a taxi or take the Gujarat State Transport Bus to Diu.
As far as connectivity with the airport is concerned, Diu has its own airport in Nagoa. One can also opt for direct flights to the Diu Airport from Mumbai as well.
Places to visit in Diu
Diu is a charming beach resort town connected to Gujarat as an Island paradise by a creek. Diu is known to host a number of attractions as a reason of which this place lists its appearance in the list of must visiting places in India.
Talking about the places to visit in Diu, one can cherish the serene and composed atmosphere of Diu by admiring these places.
1. Nagoa Beach
Located at a distance of just 3.5 km from the Diu Island, Nagoa Beach is one of the most popular picnic spots in Diu. The highlight of this place is its structure which resembles the shape of a shoe. Owing to its exotic beauty and ambience, this palm-fringed beach witness a huge tourist traffic throughout the year from all over the world.
2. Naida Caves
Carrying a rich history of Portuguese along with, Diu represents a number of sculptures from this period. Naida caves are one of those sculptures where the Portuguese hacked out their building material.
These caves have a natural opening in the ground, which extends beyond the zone of light. The formation of these caves is said to have undergone the geological processes. This place is just 7 km away from the Diu Island.
3. Gangeshwar Temple
At a distance of just 6 km from the Diu Island lies the spiritual centre named as Gangeshwar Temple. This place is famously known for its 5 Shiv Lingas dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Displaying an example of ancient beliefs and traditional architectural designs, this temple is a superb place to visit in terms of inner peace and obtaining mythological stories. This temple makes Diu Island a much-visited place in India as well.
4. Diu Fort
Another example of the Portuguese era, Diu Fort is administered by the Indian Government and is located on the west coast of India. At a distance of 8.5 km from the Diu Island, this place is a striking structure on the coast.
The above-discussed temple is also located on this fort along with three other churches. The place is also equipped with a lighthouse which is a major attraction over here.
5. Shell Museum
Shell Museum in Diu is a rare structure showcasing a collection of rare and unique sea shells from around the world. Diu Island and its surrounding attractions are known to provide a lifetime experience through their exquisite beauty and uniqueness per se.
This landmark is located 6 km away from a town based in Nagoa road.
6. Sunset Point
This one perhaps is the most attracting place in Diu. A hillock located near the Chakritirath Beach offers a mesmerising view of the sunset. Magnificently illuminated and landscaped, Sunset Point is a prime destination near the Diu Island and is located along the Diu town.
Things to do in Diu
The above discussion creates an interesting prospect to know more about the Diu Island. Together with this, another important thing to be mentioned over here are the activities that one must do at this place. There are a number of prominent things to be mentioned over here. Let’s discuss a few of them.
1. Swimming in the Ghoghla Beach
There are a number of awe-inspiring beaches at and around the Diu Island. These beaches have been tagged as safe places for swimming and playing water sports.
The largest beach of Diu is the Ghoghla Beach which offers an excellent opportunity to play numerous water games and spend time by swimming in the lap of nature.
2. Exploring Portuguese History
The history reveals that Diu remained a Portuguese colony for almost 240 years. This place holds a rich history in this regard. The Diu Fort is the best option to view the remnants of this community and allows the history lovers to capture these remains in the camera. The stonework is brilliant over here.
3. Boat Riding to Panikota
Panikota is often referred to as the water fort in Diu and offers a lifetime opportunity to ride a boat along the famous Arabian Sea. This water fort looks splendid from the sea while boating. Truly, a clear depiction of nature in its own form; Diu renders a world-class experience through its extensive beauty and ambiance.
4. Trying out the Local Cuisine
Owing to its history and location, the cuisine in Diu Island mainly consists of Gujarati and Portuguese food. Gujarati style of cooking is perhaps the most followed option here in Diu. The speciality, however, is the seafood which is tried by almost all the patrons visiting the Diu Island.
Ice Cream also serves as a major attraction in the cuisine section.
How Many Days do you Need here?
The truth lies in the fact that a destination like Diu Island attracts the hearts forever. But, to be peculiar as to how many days one needs to explore this place; caters to all the above discussion. Four days are enough to explore the cultural tradition and ambiance of this particular place.
The foremost place to visit is the Nagoa Beach which is very close to the Diu Island. Hereafter enjoying the beauty of lighthouse and its shape, one can opt for the largest beach named as Ghoghla. After having fun at the water activities, in the evening one can go for a walk along the Diu Island.
The second day can be kicked off by visiting the famous Gangeshwar Temple. Getting a spiritual touch to your vacation will aid in getting confidence through which one can soak the best of it. The water fort can be visited after this spiritual journey for witnessing the Arabian Sea.
The third day can be spent by visiting the Shell Museum and reaching the sunset point thereafter. At the time of sunset, one can admire the beauty of this place in a more eager way.
The fourth day before the departure one can enjoy a sunbath at a beach. All the above mentioned days can be followed by trying out different cuisines over here.
Clearly, Diu Island promises an overwhelming experience through its zeal filled atmosphere with a sense of getting close to nature. Diu Island is a must visit with all the amenities and beauty lying on the west coast of India.
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