Ilha De Calma (Calm): The Stunning. Tranquil and Delightful Island of DIU( Daman ) in Gujarat

Important Note:

1. Check the COVID 19 travel restrictions of the place online before undertaking your sojourn.
2. Kindly note that the Distance of places, Prices, Hotel rates, Temperature, and other figures may change according to the conditions prevailing at the time of your visit. There may even be short cuts and extra conveyance available that you can avail of when traveling locally. Tourists must conduct their own research before traveling and take due diligence on rates & distances from authorized online sources. All the facts and information provided in relation to the place is for my own personal use and collected from different online sources and collated together. For more details, Click this link DISCLAIMER.

  [Picture Credits: "Diu - gate to the Diu Town " by User:Aotearoa, Wikipedia is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0)]

"Don't get fooled by the size" is an oft used adage. At times, the smallest work of art hides mesmerizing tales of intrigue and beauty. 

It is said that wherever the Portuguese ruled, there remained a glorious legacy in the form of gigantic monuments, splendid churches, majestic forts, and wondrous heritage structures. Being a naval might during the colonial times, the Portuguese were quite familiar with the sea, and beaches. Right from Kerala, Goa, Alibaug, Sri Lanka, Ambon (Indonesia) to Daman, Diu, the Portuguese left behind an incredible and indelible trail of stunning architecture. Many of the structures still stand testimony to the Portuguese architectural skills.  

Today, I will be covering DIU, the 'Mysterious Isle of Calm' or 'Island of Calm' as the Portuguese called it, which is situated in Gujarat, India. It has achieved the moniker due to its unspoiled coast and low frequency of tourists, which is not the case anymore. Rapid constructions and infrastructure developments coupled with aggressive promotions by Diu Tourism have brought it to worldwide acclaim. 

Now you can find tourists not only from Gujarat but also from other states of India and even the world. It is located South of Gujarat's Kathaiwad peninsula, 64 km SouthEast of Veraval in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. '#Damao' or #Daman is the capital and administrative city of Diu. During its heydays, the island of Diu captured the attention of many colonial powers for maritime trade and was at the center of conflict between Gujarat's Sultans, Arabs, European powers, and Mamluks. Even the Kolis ruled over the city for a brief period. 

[Picture Credits: "St Paul Church DIU" by Mohnish, Wikipedia is licensed under CC BY SA 3.0]

Diu is now a prominent tourism and fishing hub. Diu is one such place where the Portuguese held its sway for a long period, and it is evident in the culture, language, the whitewashed churches, seaside forts, and hard to miss '#Hokka' Trees(also called 'Doum Palm'), which are a unique type of Palm trees native only to Diu, and not found anywhere else in India. Local lore states that these trees are indigenous to Egypt and were planted here by the Portuguese. 

[Picture Credits: "Palm Hokka Tree" by Sarangib, Pixabay is in the Public Domain, CC0]

They bear red edible fruits(gingerbread fruit) at the time of maturity which is also used as a kitchen ingredient in Diu, and the hard as the iron seed is utilized for firewood. If you yearn for that uninterrupted solitude, then DIU is the place to be in. With its wide, clean, and structured roads, DIU boasts of a splendid infrastructure coupled with majestic arches, gateways, and marketplaces. 

Need some bit of color? Then your visit is incomplete without landing at the stunning beaches and silent Havelis in Diu. 

[Picture Credits: "Palm Hokka Tree Fruit" by Sarangib, Pixabay is in the Public Domain, CC0]

#Diu is a miniature copy of Goa with fewer beaches, resorts, restaurants, and other scenic places, but it carries its own grace and charm with whatever it has to offer. Here you will find Churches, Forts & Beaches coexist in heavenly serenity. 

Golden sand Ghogla beach is the largest beach with a long coastline. In succession, there are beaches like #Nagao which is the most famous beach in Diu with crystal clear blue waters, #Chakratirth, #Gomtimata(secluded, but a busy beach), #Devka for its magical sunsets, #Jallandhar(visit for solitude), etc. 

The sunset at the Devka beach is simply breathtaking and tourists gather at the spot to watch it after their day's routine is over. 

[Picture Credits: "Nadia Caves, Jalandar Beach" by Rashmi Parab, Wikipedia is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0]

Diu is a small place so it can be covered in  1-2 days even with a cycle. There are exclusive cycle tracks in Diu for the leisurely folks, but for the hard-pressed of time, there are plenty of cycle rickshaws, taxis, and tuk-tuks (rickshaws). 

One of the major tourist attractions is the 'Festa De Diu', which is held in December and hosts adventure, cultural, heritage, and nature tours and sightseeing. It is the longest beach festival in Asia and is a sight to behold with numerous artisans dispensing their crafts. 

[Picture Credits: "Nani Daman Fort" by Pradeep717, Wikipedia is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0]

Lined up are music concerts, carnivals, workshops, jam sessions, and literary events all in a themed calendar format. For the dare-devils, hot air ballooning, Bungee jumping, Ziplining, and Parasailing are the activities to indulge in.

Local tourists can take the Junagard route which is well maintained by a four-lane highway. You will encounter Somnath along the way which is at a close distance to Diu. Expect a dense green carpet on both sides of the road from Ahmedabad to Diu during the rainy season.  

Due to the influence of Portuguese culture, many Catholic residents of Diu speak Portuguese, but the mainland languages remain Gujarati, Hindi  & English. Daman and Diu are polar opposites, where Daman remains boisterous and noisy, Diu Town comes as a serene sibling. 

[Picture Credits: "Diu Fort" by Sumit Sharma, Wikipedia is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0]

Daman is like an enigma where it lies separated into two parts the smaller one called Nani Daman and the bigger older part of the city called Moti Daman. The irony of the fact is that Nani Daman is actually bigger in area than Moti Daman. This made me wonder why on earth the naming twist  The Daman Ganga river separates the two parts of the city as if it's avoiding a clash of siblings(pun apart!).   

Diu is one of the cities being nominated for the Smart City Mission of the central Govt. and efforts are on to project it as a city with a clean image. 

The climate of Diu is hot, semi-humid as it's at sea level. 

Visitors should carry all the accessories to keep away from suntan and scrappy blisters (for those with sensitive skin). 

The culture of Diu is influenced by the Kathyawadi culture and this extends to dress, language, customs, food habits, and other practices. 

[Picture Credits: "Daman Fort Lighthouse" by Premshree Pillai, Flickr is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0]

Hindus are the predominant religious group here, followed by Muslims and the minority Catholics. 

The old Diu town is arrayed with Portuguese architectural remnants like the Diu Fort and its chiseled arch, which reminds me of the St Catherine Arch of Goa, yet another glorious Portuguese colony on the west coast of India. This arch was the exact point wherein the Portuguese forces entered into Old Goa, the vantage, fabled city of Goa. 

How to Reach:

The town of Diu is separated from the coast by a narrow channel and consists of two mainland enclaves. You can arrive straightaway at Ghogla side if you happen to travel from Una. 

[Picture Credits: "Diu Fort, Diu Island" by Aditya Mahar, Wikimedia Commons is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0]

The closest towns are Una, Veraval, Somnath & Gir. The nearest railhead is at Veraval, around 90 km from Diu and 70 km from Ahmedabad. The next closest railhead is at Somnath which is around 65 km from Ahmedabad. Taxi is available from Veraval to Diu which costs around 1500 max (may change).

There are 3 trains departing from Ahmedabad viz:

1. Somnath Express 
2. Ahmedabad - Veraval Intercity
3. Jabalpur - Veraval Express

By Road: This option is the most exciting as it traverses the length of Gujarat amidst a carpet of greenery and red earth. The road trip provides a sneak preview of the Gir Lion sanctuary which is simply amazing. 

Below listed are 3 optimal routes to  reach Diu  from Ahmedabad by road:

• The best, safest, and least traffic Route 1 (approx 370km):  It takes you via Bhavnagar to Una entering Diu
• Next is from Ahmedabad to Amreli via Una to Diu
• The final route traverses from Rajkot - Junagarh - Veraval - Somnath - Kerseval - Diu.

By Airways: There are direct flights from Mumbai to Diu by Air India flights. Diu being a small place, the airport is just a strip with a small terminal building.

The town of Diu is quite accessible by bridge to the mainland. Air India subsidiary, Alliance Air runs direct flight from Mumbai landing at Diu Airport. Local transport is also available from the nearest town of Una. 

Nearby Attractions / Sightseeing places in the vicinity:

• Diu Fort  - The entrance to the fort has some Portuguese inscriptions engraved. One of the strategic bastion at the gate is named St. George.  The uppermost arch point has the engraving of the Portuguese Royal Coat of Arms.  It served as a sentinel against enemy attacks and has a double moat, cannons, and a chapel inside.
• Shiva Temple, Gangeshwar coast - A lone temple on the southern coast of Diu at Fudam village.
• Iconic St Paul Church - Need a visit to view its splendid facade design of Baroque style and wooden stucco work.  
• St Thomas church - now converted into a museum
• Nadia caves - near Jalandhar beach, 1km via Hadmitya road from the city center. Watch the intermingling of orange, green, white colors from the naturally formed rock cuts, as the first sun rays pass through it. These caves are rumored to have formed when the Portuguese blasted the rocks to extra the sand for building the Diu Fort. There are other versions like geological formations, but that remains a mystery.
• INS Khukri - Has an open-air amphitheater. The first frigate drowned during the Indo Pak war of 1971. Find the frigate at the Chakratirth beach. This reminds me of the INS Chapel, a Chamak class missile boat stationed at Karwar beach.
• Nagao beach - Horseshoe-shaped, Pristine, palm-fringed beach approx 20min drive from Diu. The only happening beach where many water sports activities are conducted like parasailing, balloon rides, water skiing, and banana boat rides. Another being Ghoghla which also offers parasailing and surfing. 
• "Fort de Mar" Diu lighthouse(Caveleiro Lighthouse) - Lighthouse jutting the Diu fort overlooking the sea on a cliff. Venture on top to get a wide view of the whole city. (Climb on top is not for the faint-hearted).
• Shell Museum - Housing extensive and exquisite shells
• Fudan Bird sanctuary - with its exotic bird species.
• Bunder Chowk - the main market area for carrying out your leisurely shopping jaunts.
• "Fortress De Panikhot" -  A smaller fort at the mouth of the creek in the Arabian Sea on the opposite side of the main Diu fort. It is a ship-shaped structure 1-nautical mile off the Diu Fort enclosing a lighthouse inside.
• Nagarseth Ni Haveli - An amazing Indian art style haveli with colorful stucco work. It is located in the Panchavati area of Diu town. 
• Vanakabar fishing harbor - Days catch of fish is unloaded at this harbor. It lies 20kms from the city center. Prepare to get your olfactory glands assaulted by a strong heady aroma of the fish.
• Sunset Point - To get a scintillating view of the sunset of the day at Nagao beach. 

Accommodations and Hotel deals:

For accommodation discounts and deals, always go to the big daddies of travel - Tripadvisor, Makemytrip & Yatra. For those looking out for some local rustic stays, DIU provides good value for money choices near the beachside.

I have a clever trick to search for accommodations that will suit your taste and budget. Just search in Google using this phrase 'Hotels near Ilha De Cama Diu' and you will be presented with a few options wherein you can set your price range and accommodation type. 

There are some decent stay options in Diu and you will be surprised at the choices of resorts and guest houses. For the uninitiated, the Circuit Guest House will cost around 1200/day.  Kostamar beach resort at Nagao breach has a unique rooftop restaurant with splendid sea views. Sugati resort at the Diu Fort entrance is a pocket-friendly resort that provides a panoramic view of the sea from its complex. . For the veggie crowd, Apna hotel with its fares and dishes is a crowd puller. 

Tourists attracted to the sandy golden hue of Ghogla Beach can opt for Sea View resort which is quite reasonable. 

For the hipster and eclectic vibe type of crowd, there are few backpacking hostels and hotels. Notable among them is Sao Tome Retiro near the St. Thomas Church which is converted into a museum cum hotel. 

Others include Hersa Goesa homestay and Hoeka Resort where prices are in the range of 3000-5000/day. For luxury ambiance, Try Hotel Laabh which is 1 km from Diu fort & 750 meters from St. Pauls church. 

For those looking for a grub in a cool ambiance, a visit to Coqueiro Music Garden restaurant is a must. Try the prawn's curry which is a hot selling item. To get a whiff of fresh air on rooftop setup, Cats Eye restaurant is a stunner. 

Diu for many is an idyllic getaway, but for some, it's a tipplers paradise, as alcohol is legal here. People throng to DIU to revel in the atmosphere of a bygone era. 

A casual, relaxed walk through this coastal enclave is enough you give you limitless joy & peace. 

The broad promenades and sun-kissed sands promise to provide the much-needed tranquility you always yearned for. 

Here is the #IlhadeCalm island where time refuses to move.  

"Come, explore and revel in this hidden gem to find your Isle De Calm! "