Diu, a small town on the west coast of India, holds the legacy of Portuguese settlement, which stood for about 425 years. From 1537 AD to 1961 AD, it was under Portuguese rule, hence a significant impact of Portuguese culture is seen here.
Diu was conquered by troops of the Indian Union in 1961 and was annexed to India as a part of the Union territory of Goa, Daman, and Diu.
There are several old buildings in Diu, which exhibit the Portuguese colonial architecture, viz. Diu Fort, St. Paul’s Church, and Diu Museum.
About 180 local catholic people still speak in Diu-Portuguese today.
Our Plan And Journey:
Diu was included in our plan for the journey to the Saurashtra region during the Puja vacation in October 2024. We planned for a 1-day visit to Diu. Accordingly, we hired a taxi to visit Diu from Somnath (Veraval) at 8:00 AM. The weather was fine, not too hot, and was partially cloudy. We covered a distance of about 82 km on NH 51 in about 2 hours.
Places We Visited:
A photograph of INS Khukri by Kishor Kumar Misra
Upon arrival at about 10:00 AM in Diu, we first visited INS Khukri, the decommissioned warship that has been converted into a museum. It was worth a visit as it gave a good idea of the life of navy soldiers in the warship, their way of living and working inside it. The cost of the entry ticket is INR 100.
A photograph of Diu Fort by Kishor Kumar Misra
Next, we visited the famous Diu fort, the seat of Portuguese rule in Diu. It was built in 1535 AD, covering an area of 5.6 hectares in Diu Island. Old architectural buildings and terraces, walls and balconies surrounded by sprawling green lawns make the fort a beautiful site to visit. A good number of cannons and balls are being displayed there. Old and new light houses, church, barracks, and other constructions are attractions. Entry to this fort is free.
St. Paul’s Church and the Diu Museum are popular places of tourist interest. We got entry into the Church, but could not get access to the museum since it was closed for maintenance.
INS Khukri Memorial is located near the beautiful “Chakratirth” sea beach, which houses an open-air stage and a beautiful garden. We took a battery-operated vehicle to go to the top.
A visit to Diu will be incomplete if one does not visit the Gangeshwar Mahadev temple. This temple with five “Shiva Lingams” is continuously being washed by sea waves. We offered our prayers there.
A photograph of Gangeshwar Mahadev temple by Kishor Kumar Misra
We had our lunch in a local restaurant and got ready for an afternoon visit. As the “Fudam Bird Sanctuary“ was also closed for maintenance, we could not enter inside, but had a beautiful view of the surroundings from the adjacent clock tower.
Like Goa, Diu is popular for its beautiful beaches and water sports in the sea. One of the most beautiful beaches is Nagoa Beach. We spent about one hour on this beach.
It was late afternoon, and our plan for 1-Day visit to Diu was coming to an end. We returned to the hotel in Somnath (Veraval) at about 6:30 PM after a 2-hour journey.
Concluding Words:
The small town of Diu serves as the headquarters of the Diu district. Cultural heritage with beautiful beaches attracts tourists to this place. Though a full day visit is sufficient to cover the places of interest, a 1N/2D visit will be more comfortable and enjoyable.
Apart from road connectivity, Diu is connected via train and air. Nearest railhead for Diu is Veraval (90 kms.) and there is direct air connectivity from Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Surat and Veraval.
Kishor Kumar Mishra
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