What is Diu? For better or worse, this tiny ex-Portuguese island is the reason most travellers come to Gujarat. And while it might not quite be the tropical paradise they imagined, it has a quirky charm that will tame you from asking too many questions.
The ex-Portuguese enclave of Daman is like Diu’s feral cousin – a wild-eyed resort town on a grey, soupy sea that ain’t no tropical paradise. There is the piquancy of old Portugal here though, in the fine forts and churches (the evening services are spiritually charming), and a booze-soaked whimsy (to be sure, to be sure) that attracts exiles from Mumbai and feni-filled Gujarati thrill-seekers swaying harder than the palms on nearby Devka Beach.
The capital of Kutch is an interesting outback city resurrected from the 2001 earthquake that killed 10% of the city’s 150, 000 people, and devastated its rich cultural heritage. But the city’s physical and psychological scars are healing, and much of interest still remains. The beguiling bazaars sell amazing Kutch handicrafts, and some historic buildings, such as the Aina Mahal and Prag Mahal, have an eerie beauty that makes Bhuj more than just a springboard for visits to the surrounding tribal villages.
Bhavnagar is a busy industrial centre that makes a useful base for journeys to nearby Shatrunjaya and Velavadar National Park. Founded in 1743, Bhavnagar has long been an important cotton trading post, but now supplements its survival on diamonds, plastics and ship parts – Bhavnagar lock gate keeps ships afloat in the port at low tide. The tangled bazaars and crumbling wooden houses of the old city feel remarkably untouched by the outside world, but otherwise there’s little to see, and tourists are treated with a warm second glance.
Ahmedabad (also called Amdavad) is Gujarat’s major city, and a startling mini-metropolis. Straddling the Sabarmati River, it’s one half old-world charm, and the other half new-world noise. Yet it’s also remarkably cosmopolitan, with a rich Muslim history, a tangled, beautifully restored old city, stunning museums, fine restaurants and fabulous night markets. Many travellers stop off briefly on route to Rajasthan or Mumbai, sneaking in a visit to Sabarmati Ashram (Gandhi’s former headquarters). However, those able to swallow the smog will discover a pulsating Indian city, with a media that preaches tolerance. Ahmedabad is a sky-scraping step-off point to the rest of Gujarat.