Hi everyone! Diu was the last stop on my recent trip to Gujarat, but I decided to write about it first because there’s not much to talk about, really. So while India was under British rule for nearly 90 years, the little territories of Goa, Daman, and Diu had a distinct colonial past under Portuguese influence for 450 years. These regions not only share a significant historical connection but also fall under the same religious leadership as part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese.

Why I visited Diu

Hailing from Goa, I’ve always been intrigued by the intertwined history of Diu with my home state, which is quite often mentioned in our churches and Sunday school sessions. This deep-rooted Catholic connection motivated us to include Diu as a key stop in our itinerary through Gujarat. Another compelling reason for choosing Diu was for practical reasons – it aligned with our route. Our journey from Rajkot to Junagadh, then Gir, and finally, Diu followed a seamless path on the western and south sides of Gujarat. Choosing Diu instead of places like Kutch, Ahmedabad, or Surat spared us the extensive travel across the fourth-largest state of India that would have been required to go to more exciting destinations.

Moreover, Gujarat is predominantly a vegetarian state, and having tried Gujarati cuisine several times, my curiosity was piqued to try some non-vegetarian dishes that were almost impossible to come by. Goan Portuguese food is so different from the rest of India, so I wanted to see what Portuguese-influenced Gujarati cuisine would taste like – especially since here in Diu, meat and seafood are on offer.

 

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Where to stay in Diu

I had presumed that Diu, being a popular tourist destination, would offer a tons of Airbnb options – but to my surprise, that was far from the reality. No matter what dates I entered, Airbnb only displayed a single listing, and it didn’t seem appealing at all. Unlike our usual practice of booking in advance, we decided to adopt a different approach in Diu. This decision was mainly because of the unsettling discovery that many seemingly decent hotels were plagued with hundreds or even thousands of fake reviews, some even featuring the ChatGPT prompt within them. Finally, we resolved to personally inspect 2-3 hotels upon our arrival and make our booking on the spot.

Our first visit was to Apple Inn, which had garnered favorable online reviews. Although the room appeared tidy, the overall ambiance of the hotel left much to be desired. The view from the windows overlooked an empty plot, and the absence of even a nearby restaurant on its street was disheartening.

Our next stop was The Grand Highness, which also had positive feedback. This hotel exuded a more luxurious and well-maintained air, with professional staff and an expansive lobby that instantly put us at ease. The premium room was suitable for a short stay, but after some negotiation, we managed to secure an upgrade to the Presidential Suite, which was a significant improvement. It boasted balconies with a view of the sea, a comfortable seating area, two TVs, a separate luggage storage area, and a well-appointed bathroom.

The hotel also housed a restaurant, and moreover, the bustling Fort Road with a smattering of shops and eateries was conveniently within walking distance. However, it’s worth noting that the housekeeping standards were sloppy and half-arsed.

In hindsight, we were grateful to have chosen The Grand Highness over Apple Inn and the other hotels we had considered. As I will elaborate further in this blog, our experience in Diu revealed a dearth of things to do, leading us to spend a considerable amount of time in our room. Settling for subpar or underwhelming accommodation would have certainly dampened our overall trip to Diu. Funnily enough, when we were checking in and handing over our IDs, the receptionist was in disbelief when he saw ‘Goa’ on it. “Why did you come here from Goa? Diu has nothing that Goa lacks,” he said, shaking his head in disappointment. “There is absolutely nothing to do here but drink.”

Restaurants in Diu – where to eat and what to avoid

During our stay in Diu, we ate two dinners and one lunch. On our first evening, we opted to dine at the hotel’s restaurant on the ground floor – unfortunately, I can’t remember the name. While the restaurant provided a cozy ambiance and top-notch service, the food was blah. The Afghani chicken we ordered was bland and undercooked, with the gravy being the only saving grace. We also tried the Crispy Veg starter, which was decent. Throughout our stay at The Grand Highness, we observed the restaurant operating at near-full capacity for dinner and lunch. Additionally, we ordered room-service breakfast on both mornings, which met our expectations.

For lunch on the second day, we decided on O’Coqueiro based on its positive online reviews and also because we have a legendary O’Coquerio in Goa (no connection between the two). Unfortunately, the dining experience fell short of our expectations. Situated outdoors in the courtyard of a humble house, this no-frills restaurant had a simple decor, which was acceptable given that some of the best dining spots are unassuming.

However, I was put off when the owner took our order while he was sitting at another table, which came across as rather lazy/unhospitable- not something you see often at restaurants. We were not even offered water to drink, and his tone when speaking was slightly condescending. Though the fried fish and lime soda were really good, the “Portuguese Curry” was anything but Portuguese, despite its online acclaim. We left more than half of that watery, coconut-milk based curry untouched. We also tried a pasta dish that was disappointing and dry. While I hesitate to dissuade others from dining here, the limited dining options in Diu make that challenging.

Our most memorable meal in Diu was at Hotel Ankur. Despite my initial skepticism about dining at restaurants named after random people, we were swayed by a friend’s review of the restaurant after their recent stay at the hotel. We were happy with our meal of butter chicken, prawns, honey chili potatoes, and butter garlic naan. The hotel has three seating sections – an outdoor lawn area with tacky music (possibly only on weekends – we went on Saturday, but our friend went on a weekday, and it didn’t have music then), indoor seating for bachelors who want to drink because that’s a large chunk of Diu’s tourism, and a cozy air-conditioned section catering to families.

It is true that most visitors to Diu primarily come to drink alcohol, as it is only served in Daman and Diu within Gujarat. So it’s natural, I guess, that there seems to be less emphasis on quality stays, dining experiences, and sightseeing. After all, why bother with all that when the main attraction is to drink yourself silly?

Things to do in Diu

Now, if you’ve been reading my blog or follow me on social media, you know that I have varied interests and am not one to sleep in all day or sit in my hotel room. I love exploring food and going to cafes and restaurants. I go on heritage walks and visit museums, go to the beach, and essentially see and do whatever there is to see and do. Sometimes, I shop – be it window shop at the mall or, better yet, buy souvenirs at a local market. I visit famous sights and monuments, I love clicking photos of architecture and people – and I’d even go to places of worship if I’m really looking for something to do. It’s rare for me to say that I’m bored when I travel. But in Diu – gosh, I was bored!!

Here’s everything you can do here – and you’ll need half a day, at max to do it all.

Visit the Diu Fort

The Diu Fort is a massive fort at the end of Fort Road, and it’s hard to miss. Since it is one of the 2-3 attractions in Diu and has free entry, it is visited by most tourists. Given that entry is free, I was surprised to see it so immaculately maintained  – from the paint on the walls to the lawns, it looks in top shape. The fort is quite massive – I’d estimate it to be 4x of Aguada Fort in Goa but not even half the size of Amer Fort in Jaipur. There are buggies to get around, and for Rs. 50 per head, you can get dropped to the viewpoint at the very end and picked up from there, too.

There are several seating areas all over the fort, which was appreciated, especially since we didn’t take the buggy and decided to walk around – this proved to be very tiring. This Portuguese Fort has the Arabian Sea on one side and it was nice to wander around and wonder about the little chapel inside, the tombstones lying about, the barracks, the granary, the lighthouse, the jail complex, and the arms and ammunition.

Sit on the massive walls of Diu Fort, look out at the sea, and imagine the changes these walls have witnessed. From being built during the heyday of the spice trade in 1535 to protect the trade route, to fending off countless Mughal invaders through the centuries, to witnessing the end of Portuguese rule in 1961… wow! Today, these walls see hundreds of visitors and are the backdrop for Instagram photos – times have changed.

Side note: You will spot women outside the fort selling dry fruits – they aren’t of good quality.

Visit St. Paul’s Church

Mirroring the Se Cathedral in Old Goa, St. Paul’s Church is the only church in Diu and has been around for over 4 centuries. Built in 1610, this church is dedicated to Our Lady of Immaculate Conception. The antiques and artefacts inside are beautiful but it was sad to see everything so badly maintained. Seeing chipped statues and peeling paint, intricate woodwork covered in pigeon poop, and paintings just rotting away made me sad. You’ll need around 15-20 minutes to visit the Church, which is a couple of kilometers from the Fort.

There is another church called St. Francis of Assisi Church, which is not in Diu per se, but on the way from Diu to Una. We did not visit as reviews from as far back as 5 years to as recent as 1 month ago, state that it is closed for renovations.

Walk Through Haveli Quarters

Or don’t – you won’t miss much. Much like O’Coquerio restaurant, the name ‘Haveli Quarters’ seems to be ripped off from Goa’s gorgeous Latin Quarters in Panjim. But while Latin Quarters is an Instagrammer’s dream, with those well-maintained, colorful houses, cafes, stores, and more, Haveli Quarters had narrow, dusty lanes with little havelis touching one another. Compared to the regal havelis in Rajasthan (which is what I had expected), these were more like regular village homes. Much like the rest of Diu, it looked like a poor, impoverished area, and there was nothing to write home about. If you walk through the lanes enough, you would perhaps find a pretty architectural frame or two to capture – mainly that of doorways with stonework.

Visit Nagoa Beach

Nagoa Beach is around a 20-minute drive from Diu. We went here at night at around 8 PM (it was too hot to visit during the day), and we found the beach absolutely empty, save for three vendors selling seashells and pearls. Perhaps we should have done some more research, but I assumed that a beach in a place like this would have some street food, some hawkers, and maybe a shack or two. But there was nothing there, so after walking down a cemented footpath for a while, we hopped into our car and left as the silence was a bit too eerie.

Another thing we did was to drive around to kill time aimlessly – it helps if you have your own vehicle. I am not sure how other people get around here as I did not spot any buses or cabs. We crossed the Dr. Shamji Bridge a couple of times and went to the Ghogola area, where we passed by little settlements, a fish market, and a harbour full of fishing boats. Also, note that while most listicles and articles about travel to Diu suggest visiting Naida Caves, it is closed and will remain so for the foreseeable future.

I was disappointed with Diu as a tourist destination, but I think I did make the most of the trip for the 2N/1D that I was there and I hope this blog helps you plan your trip – or avoid the place altogether hahaha!

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