India Travel

Daman Arrival and information Accommodation in Gujarat

Related Properties from Gurgaon

Daman Arrival and information in Gujarat

The nearest railhead to Daman is 12km east at Vapi (check when you book that your train stops here). Shared Ambassador taxis charging only RslO per head to Daman will drop you on Seaface Road, a five-minute walk east from most of the hotels - if none is waiting in the square in front of the station, walk to the mam road, take a right and continue 500m until the next main junction.Just beyond the flyover is the ST bus station, with half-hourly buses to Daman.You can also get there by auto-rickshaw. The tourist office (Mon-Fri 9.30am-1.30pm & 2-6pm; (502638/255104), in

Ask any Gujarati what they know about Daman

Ask any Gujarati what they know about DAMAN and they'll probably say "liquor". As a Union Territory, independent ot the dry state that surrounds it, Daman has liberal licensing laws and low duty on booze, making it something of a target at weekends for busloads of Gujarati men who drink themselves senseless, sway up and down the main street and then crash out in cheap hotel rooms for the night, generally being pretty obnoxious. The rest of the tune Daman is quieter but disappointing on the whole, with a rather forlorn feel and a couple of uninspiring beaches, although it

Arrival and information in Gujarat

Arriving in Junagadh by bus or train, you're within easy walking distance of nearly all the hotels. From the long distance bus stand, turn right, then left at the main road and straight on across the railway tracks into the town centre; from the railway station, take a right down Station Road and a left at the end, by the petrol station. Local transport is provided by auto-rickshaws, though bicycles are great for getting around; with a bit of leg-work you can even cycle to the foot of Mount Girnar. Run-of-the-mill bikes can be had from 3 shop just west

Arrival and information in Himachal Pradesh

State-ran buses from Manali, Mandi, Pathankot, Kangra and Delhi pull into the bus stand in the very south of the lower town, though some continue after a short stop all the way up to McLeod Ganj - the usual arrival point for private and deluxe buses from Delhi and Manali. The nearest point of arrival for trains from Delhi, Punjab and Jammu Tawi is Pathankot - the narrow-gauge train linking Pathankot to Jogindernagar also stops at Kangra and at Nagrota. Dharamsala's airport, 11km to the south at Gaggal, has three Indian Airlines' flights a week to Delhi. The tourist office (Mon-Sat

Arrival and information in Delhi

Delhi is India's main point of arrival for overseas visitors, and has two airports, one domestic and one international. State buses from all over the country pull into the Inter-state Bus Terminal in Old Delhi, while private buses stop in the more central location close to New Delhi railway station. Trains arrive at the railheads in Old or New Delhi, both well connected to Connaught Place, the commercial centre of the city, by rickshaw and taxi. For a summary of the kinds of accommodation available in different areas of the city, which may well determine where you head first, see p.

Surat Arrival and information in Gujarat

Surat, on the main line from Ahmedabad to Mumbai, has very good train connections, and is served by regular buses from within Gujarat and interstate. Both stations are on the eastern edge of the city centre, with the massive Ring Road stretching out leftwards from the major junction to your left as you come out of the railway station, or to your right as you come out of the bus station. Private buses tend to leave you about 50m from the railway station, soignore rickshaw-wallahs who offer to take you there as you stagger sleepily off the overnight bus. The

Some history of Diu in Gujarat

The earliest records of Diu date from 1298, when it was controlled by the Chudasana dynasty. Soon after, like most of Gujarat, it fell into the hands of invading Muslims and by 1349 was ruled by Mohammed bin Tughluq who successfully boosted the shipbuilding industry. Diu prospered as a Gujarati harbour, and in 1510 came under the government of the Ottoman Malik Ayaz, who repelled besieging Portuguese forces in 1520 and 1521. Well aware of Diu's strategic position for trade with Arabia and the Persian Gulf, and having already gained a toehold in Daman on the eastern edge of the

Arrival and information in Southeastern Gujarat

The railway station and bus stand are very close together in rhe west of town, within easy walking distance of almost all the hotels. The airport is 6km northeast, or about Rs30 away by auto-rickshaw.There's a very helpful tourist information desk in the station (Mon-Sat llam-5pm), which sells a leaflet with a map and a list of the city's main sights. They also arrange city tours (daily except Thurs 2-6pm), if there are ten or more takers, and a tour to Pavagadh. Sterling and dollars cash or travellers' cheques can be changed at the Bank of Baroda international services branch

Nani Daman in Gujarat

Most of the action in Nani Daman centres on Seaface Road, which runs west from the market past rows of hotels, seedy bars and IMFL (Indian Made Foreign Liquor) stores to the beach. Too polluted for a comfortable swim or sunbathe, Damans dismal strand is only worth visiting around sunset, when the local fish-erwomen hang strips of filleted pomfret on wooden racks to dry. At the opposite (east) end of Seaface Road, the Portuguese covered market has a reputation as a purveyor of exotic contraband, although you won't find many packers of the fabled foreign cigarettes or bottles of whisky among

Nani Daman in Gujarat

Most of the action in Nani Daman centres on Seaface Road, which runs west from the market past rows of hotels, seedy bars and IMFL (Indian Made Foreign Liquor) stores to the beach. Too polluted for a comfortable swim or sunbathe, Damans dismal strand is only worth visiting around sunset, when the local fish-erwomen hang strips of filleted pomfret on wooden racks to dry. At the opposite (east) end of Seaface Road, the Portuguese covered market has a reputation as a purveyor of exotic contraband, although you won't find many packers of the fabled foreign cigarettes or bottles of whisky

Arrival and information for Calcutta

Calcutta's airport, 20km north of the city centre, is served by international flights - although only a small proportion of visitors actually enter India here - as well as services from throughout the country. Officially "Netaji Subhash Bose International Airport", it is still universally known by its old name of Dum Dum - a name that became infamous during the Boer War, when the notorious (and now banned) exploding bullet was manufactured in a nearby factory. The dreary international terminal has money changing facilities, a prepaid taxi booth and a Government of India tourist information counter but little else. In

Arrival and information about Calcutta

Calcutta's airport, 20km north of the city centre, is served by international flights - although only a small proportion of visitors actually enter India here - as well as services from throughout the country. Officially "Netaji Subhash Bose International Airport", it is still universally known by its old name of Dum Dum - a name that: became infamous during the Boer War, when the notorious (and now banned) exploding bullet was manufactured in a nearby factory. The dreary international terminal has money changing facilities, a prepaid taxi booth and a Government of India tourist information counter but little else. In

Arrival and information Gwalior

Gwalior's main-line railway station, linked to Delhi, Agra, Jhansi and Bhopal by the fast Shatabdi Express, lies in the east of the city, just around the corner from the state bus stand. Most of the decent accommodation is within walking distance of the station, with more places an auto-rickshaw ride away to the west, down the busy MLB (Maharani Lakshmi Bai) Road. If you're travelling light, you could save on the fare by squeezing into one of the inexpensive tempos that run along Station Road. Gwalior airport, 9km to the northeast of the centre, is served by taxis and auto-rickshaws.

Arrival and information in Gujarat

Three main roads radiate from the busy road junction at Sanganwa Chowk in the centre of Rajkot: Dhebar Road heads south, past the ST bus stand 100m away; Lakhajiraj Road goes east, through the old city; and Jawahar Road runs north, past Alfred High School (whose former pupils include M. K. Gandhi) and Jubilee Gardens towards Rajkot Junction station, 2km northeast (get off here rather than at City Station if arriving by train), and the airport 4km northwest. Rajkot's rather redundant tourist office (Mon-Sat 10.30am-6prn; ©0281/234507) is off Jawahar Road, north of Sanganwa Chowk behind the State Bank of Saurashtra -

Arrival and information in Gujarat

The centre of town from a tourist's point of view is Bedi Gate near the shopping centre and office complex of New Super Market. As its name suggests, this junction was one of the gates of the old city, which lies to its south, but most of the walls have long since been demolished. Northwest of Bedi Gate, Pandit Nehru Marg leads past Teen Bati, an imposing triple gateway, and on towards the railway station, 6km out. The ST bus stand is 2km or so west of Bedi Gate, on the other side of Ranmal lake, and the airport 8km

Information about Calcutta

The efficient and friendly Government of India Tourist Office, Shakespeare Sarani (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-lpm, is your best bet for information on Calcutta,'West Bengal and destinations further afield, and can assist with itineraries and booking tours.The Government ofWest Bengal Tourist Bureau. 3/2 BBD Bagh East, arranges tours of Calcutta and package trips around West Bengal. They also issue permits and book tours and accommodation at the Sunderbans and Jaldapara wildlife parks. Tourist information counters at the airport and Howrah Station offer the same services. English-language newspapers such as the

Information on Calcutta

The efficient and friendly Government of India Tourist Office, 4 Shakespeare Sarani (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-1 pm;) is your best bet for information on Calcutta, 'West Bengal and destinations further a field, and can assist with itineraries and booking tours. The Government of West Bengal Tourist Bureau, 3/2 BBD Bagh East (©033/248 8271), arranges tours of Calcutta and package trips around West Bengal. They also issue permits and book tours and accommodation at the Sunderbans and Jaldapara wildlife parks. Tourist information counters at the airport and Howrah Station offer the same

Arrival and information The City in Gujarat

Surat's two main sights are some distance apart, but can be seen in an hour if you take an auto-rickshaw between them. A good spot to start is Chowk, the busy riverside intersection at the toot ot Nehru Bridge. Facing the old British High Court building on one side, and the incongruous steeple of an Anglican church on the other, the castle is the city's oldest monument, erected in 1540 on the banks of the Tapti by the Sultan of Gujarat in an attempt to curtail the trading activities of the Portuguese. It later fell to both the Moghuls and

Tattoos in Gujarat

If you spend any time in the rural areas of Gujarat, or come across tribal people in the cities, you'll notice the heavy blues and blacks of tattoos chat cover the arms, hands, faces and torsos ot most tribal women and many tribal men.This art.chhun-dana padavava. has been practised for centuries, and like mekdndi — rich red henna patterns stencilled onto hands and feet - is a traditional form of beautfication and identification. For women, the typical rows and symmetrical designs of dots and simple shapes around necks, wrists and ear lobes are endowed with the power to attract men and

Arrival and information The City Eating in Gujarat

Most of Surat's restaurants are in the better hotels, while many of the cheaper lodges offer basic room-service menus.The ST bus stand refreshment room is open 24 hours. Embassy Hotel, off Sufi Baug, opposite the railway station. Two restaurants, one serving set breakfasts and thalis, the other Indian, Chinese and Western dishes in a clean, pleasant atmosphere. Open 7am-midnight. Mossam, Hotel Yuvraj, off Sufi Baug, opposite the railway station. Stylish, moderately priced Gujarati cooking and south Indian snacks in sophisticated surroundings. Open 1Iam-3.30pm& 7-11.30pm. Savera Sufi Baug. Canteen serving savoury cheap veg and non-veg north Indian food. Open 9am-10pm. Sheer-e-Punjabi, below Omkar Chambers,