Daman

A former Portuguese town at the mouth of the Daman Ganga River, with the well-preserved Moti Daman Fort and Church of Bom Jesus; Devka and Jampore beaches are popular weekend escapes for visitors from the surrounding region.

Daman lies on India's west coast at the southern tip of Gujarat and is the capital of the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, about 170 km from Mumbai and 110 km from Surat. It was a Portuguese colony from 1559 to 1961. The Daman Ganga River divides the town into Moti Daman (Greater Daman) on the south bank and Nani Daman (Lesser Daman) on the north bank. Moti Daman is a well-preserved Portuguese fortified town whose walls enclose the Church of Bom Jesus, the ruins of a Dominican monastery and a lighthouse, with quiet, tidy streets; Nani Daman is the lively commercial and residential district, home to St. Jerome Fort and the fishing harbor. Devka Beach to the north and Jampore Beach to the south are the main seaside areas, lined with resort hotels, and because alcohol laws are more relaxed than in neighboring Gujarat, crowds of visitors from the surrounding region arrive on weekends. The best season is Oct–Mar, when the weather is mild and dry; Apr–May is hot, and from Jun–Sep the southwest monsoon brings heavy rain and rough seas unsuitable for swimming. Getting there: the nearest railway station is Vapi in Gujarat, about 12 km from town; trains from Mumbai to Vapi take about 2.5–3 hours, followed by a taxi or auto-rickshaw. Daman has a small airport but very few commercial flights. The sights are close together and easily reached by auto-rickshaw or rented scooter. Plan on 1–2 days: spend one day on Moti Daman Fort, the Church of Bom Jesus and Nani Daman Fort, then watch the sunset at Jampore Beach in the evening; on another day visit Devka Beach and Mirasol Lake Garden, or head north to Udvada to experience Parsi culture. Local seafood (pomfret, prawns) and dishes with Portuguese influences are well worth trying; dress appropriately when visiting churches.

Top sights

• Moti Daman Fort – A walled fort town with ten bastions, built by the Portuguese in the 16th century. Inside the walls are a church, monastery ruins, lighthou…
• Church of Bom Jesus, Daman – A Portuguese-style church built in 1603 inside Moti Daman Fort. Its white façade and gilded wooden altar make it Daman's most beautiful col…
• Nani Daman Fort (Fort of St. Jerome) – A small Portuguese fort on the north bank of the Daman Ganga River. Its huge gateway has a statue of St Jerome, and the fort contains the O…
• Devka Beach – The liveliest beach in northern Daman, with a newly built seafront promenade, night lights and snack stalls that draw weekend visitors.
• Jampore Beach – A wide sandy beach south of Moti Daman, surrounded by casuarina groves, with water sports such as paragliding and speedboat rides.
• Mirasol Lake Garden – A lakeside garden near Devka Beach, with small islands, arched bridges, boating and a water park, ideal for family leisure.
• Iranshah Atash Behram, Udvada – The most sacred fire temple of India's Parsis, whose sacred fire is said to have burned since the 8th century. The small town preserves old…

Where to eat

• Daman Delite – A long-standing seafood restaurant on the Sea Face Road in Nani Daman, famous for its Goan fish curry, with a buffet an…
• Spice Galleon – A seafood restaurant inside Gold Beach Resort on Devka Beach. Its seafood platter and Goan fish curry are the top recom…