Aura of India: Silvassa, Daman and Diu: The Three Districts and How to Combine

An arched gateway in the ruins of an old church inside the fort walls of Moti Daman

Photo: Sneha Shetty, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped), via Wikimedia Commons

The mouth of the Daman Ganga at low tide, with the walls of Moti Daman on one bank and Nani Daman on the other.

One territory, three districts, and two of them are a thirteen-hour drive apart.

Dadra and Nagar Haveli: the forest district

Dadra and Nagar Haveli is the inland district: about 491 sq km of teak forest, small farms and reservoirs between Gujarat and Maharashtra, run from Silvassa. Once two Portuguese enclaves, it left Portuguese rule in 1954, seven years before Daman and Diu. Many of its people are Adivasi, the first inhabitants of the land: Warli, Dhodia, Kokna and Kathodi communities. The tribal museum in Silvassa, opposite the grey stone Church of Our Lady of Piety, shows their ornaments, instruments and fishing and farming tools.

Silvassa is an industrial town, so the reason to stay is the country around it. The road north-east runs past the Satmaliya deer park towards Khanvel and on to Dudhani, about 40 km out, where a dam reservoir has shikara rides (the canopied boats of Kashmir) and a water-sports centre.

Daman: two forts on one river

Daman is a coastal district of about 72 sq km, held on the land side by Gujarat. The Daman Ganga river splits the town. On the south bank, Moti Daman, "big Daman", is a walled Portuguese town with the Bom Jesus church from the early seventeenth century, a ruined Dominican monastery and the old lighthouse. Across the river, Nani Daman, "small Daman", has the smaller St Jerome fort, with the church of Our Lady of the Sea inside, a view over the fish market, and a Jain temple with eighteenth-century wall paintings.

The beaches are for walking: the sea is brown with river silt. Devka has the promenade and most of the hotels; Jampore, about 5 km south of Moti Daman, is quieter. Unlike dry Gujarat around it, Daman has licensed bars, and weekend crowds from Gujarat come for them. Vapi station is about 12 km away, and since July 2026 a new airport has had a few flights a week.

Diu: an island off Saurashtra

Diu is the smallest district, about 40 sq km: an island off the southern tip of Saurashtra, joined to Gujarat by bridges. The fort at its eastern end was built in 1535 and rebuilt in 1546, with sea on three sides, a moat on the fourth, cannon on the ramparts and a lighthouse on top. Out in the creek stands Panikotha, a sea fort reached by motor boat from the jetty. Just outside the town walls, the Naida caves are a maze of cut rock and shafts of light, open from 8 am to 6 pm.

West of the town, the island is fishing villages and fields. Nagoa, a curved beach, is where most visitors stay; Ghoghla, on the mainland shore, is the largest. At Gangeshwar, five Shiva lingas sit among rocks washed by the waves. Diu airport has a daily flight from Mumbai, and Delwada station, 8 km away, has trains from Junagadh and Veraval.

Putting the three together

Silvassa and Daman are about 30 km apart and make an easy pair from Mumbai or Surat. Diu is a separate trip: 768 km from Daman by road, around the Gulf of Khambhat. The quick link is the Pawan Hans helicopter, which leaves Daman at 10 am from Monday to Saturday and lands in Diu in under two hours. Otherwise, join Diu to a Saurashtra trip with Somnath, near Veraval.

How one territory came to have three pieces

The Portuguese held Daman and Diu from the sixteenth century, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli from the eighteenth. Dadra and Nagar Haveli broke away in 1954; Daman and Diu, with Goa, became part of India in December 1961. Daman and Diu were run with Goa until Goa became a state in 1987. On 26 January 2020 the two union territories were merged into one, with its capital at Daman and three districts.

Districts at a glance

Dadra and Nagar Haveli (Silvassa): forest, reservoirs and Warli country.
Silvassa (Dadra and Nagar Haveli): the tribal museum and the old church.
Dudhani (Dadra and Nagar Haveli): a reservoir in the hills, with shikara rides.
Moti Daman (Daman): the walled town and the Bom Jesus church.
Nani Daman (Daman): St Jerome fort, the fish market and Devka beach.
Diu fort and Panikotha (Diu): the land fort and the sea fort facing it.
Naida caves (Diu): cut rock and light outside the town walls.
Nagoa and Ghoghla (Diu): the island's two main beaches.

Three districts, one administration, and no single road that joins them all.

Plan your visit

Best season	October to March. The monsoon, June to September, turns Silvassa green but makes the sea rough.
How to reach	Daman and Silvassa: Vapi station, about 12 km from Daman and 18 km from Silvassa; Alliance Air to Daman from Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad a few days a week. Diu: a daily flight from Mumbai; Delwada station 8 km away; Veraval about 90 km.
Getting around	Taxis and autos in Daman and Silvassa; scooters, bicycles and autos on Diu. Between Daman and Diu, the Pawan Hans helicopter, Monday to Saturday; check the timetable.
Where to stay	Silvassa town or the road towards Khanvel; Devka or Moti Daman in Daman; Diu town or Nagoa on Diu.
How long to spend	Two to three days for Daman and Silvassa together, and two to three for Diu. For festivals and food, see our Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu guide.

Open Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, India in Google Maps

Questions people ask

How far is Diu from Daman?

About 768 km by road around the Gulf of Khambhat, roughly thirteen hours, according to the Diu administration. The Pawan Hans helicopter takes under two hours.

Is Dadra and Nagar Haveli one district or two?

One, with its headquarters at Silvassa. Daman and Diu are the other two districts of the union territory.

Does Daman have an airport?

Yes. Alliance Air began flights from Daman's NaMo airport to Delhi on 16 July 2026, and to Mumbai and Ahmedabad on 25 August 2026, a few days a week.

Is alcohol sold in Daman and Diu?

Yes, in licensed bars and shops, unlike neighbouring Gujarat. Do not carry liquor across the border into Gujarat.

Pages

Silvassa, Daman and Diu: The Three Districts and How to Combine