Diu - The Destination
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A
blend of sun, sand and sea, the Union Territories
of Daman and Diu lie on the southern borders
of Gujarat. Seen from the window of an airplane,
Diu looks like a desert. A sparse range of palm
trees and shrubs burn under the relentless sun
of a perpetually cloudless sky. Yet, Diu is
idyllic and lends itself as the next-to-perfect
getaway for the hassled urban crowd. Winding
streets, narrow paved by-lanes and criss-crossing
paths bordered by vintage houses and
Portuguese scaffoldings; together with
markets throwing their heavy smell of fish ,
flowers and vegetables into the air that
rings with the incessant |
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babble
of men and women - all out to sell just
about anything.
A place which is forever a favourite tourist
destination, Diu resounds in history.
The wind beaten and somewhat arid island
is full of quarries built by the Portuguese
rulers. Known for her beaches and exotic
liquors, this island is a tourist's haven
for escaping the cacophony of routine
life. Western cuisine has of course not
left Diu out of its clutches but it's
the Indian versions of seafood that we
recommend. The banana lassi's
(preparation from curd, a sweet diluted
drink) are as cooling as the beer; the
prawns as delectable as the pancakes. |
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Be it the rich historic past or the quaint
songs of the anglers, everything in Diu
helps in creating a paradise for one in
search of serenity. The forts and churches
of the past, and the pubs of today, come
together to create an extraordinary ambience
of nostalgia and pleasure.
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Diu - Facts
at a Glance
| State : |
Union Territory of Daman
& Diu |
| Area
: |
38.5 sq km |
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Temperature : |
20°C
- 36°C (Summers)
18°C - 25°C (Winters) |
| Altitude
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29
mts |
| Language
: |
Gujarati,
Marathi, Hindi, English |
| Best
Season : |
October - May |
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History of Diu
Like Goa and even Daman, Diu was a Portuguese
colony until it was taken over by India in 1961.
Between 14th and 15th centuries, Diu remained
a significant trading post and naval base from
which the Ottoman Turks controlled the shipping
routes in the northern part of the Arabian sea.
After their liberation in 1961, the three were
part of the Indian Union Territory of Goa, Daman
and Diu. While Goa was granted full statehood
in 1987, Daman and Diu were separated from it
and turned into an independent Union Territory.
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