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| HILL STATIONS |
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| Diu |
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This was the first landing point for the Parsis when they fled from Parsia, although they stayed only three years. Like Daman and Goa, Diu was a Portuguese colony until it was taken over by India in 1961. The former colony includes the island of Diu itself, about 13 km long by three km wide, separated from the coast by a narrow channel. There are also two tiny mainland enclaves. One of these, on which the village of Ghoghla stands, is the entry point to Diu if you arrive through the town of Una.
Diu's crowning glory is the huge fort, a sight which justifies the long trip here. The rocky or sandy interior reaches a maximum height of just 29 meters, so agriculture is limited although there are extensive stands of coconut and other palms. Branching palms (Hyphaene species) are very much a feature of the island and were originally introduced from Africa by the Portuguese.
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History
These days, it's hard to understand why the Portuguese should have been interested in capturing and fortifying such an apparently unimportant and isolated outpost but, between 14th and 16th centuries, Diu was an important trading post and naval base from which the Ottoman Turks controlled the shipping routes in the northern part of the Arabian Sea.
After an unsuccessful attempt to capture the island in 1531, during which Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of Gujarat, was assisted by the Turkish navy, the Portuguese finally secured control in 1535 by taking advantage of a quarrel between the sultan and the Mughal emperor, Humayun.
The Indian government appears to have an official policy of playing down the Portuguese era. Seven rajput soldiers (six of them Singhs) and a few civilans were killed in Operation Vijay, which ended Portuguese rule. The old church in Diu Fort was also bimbed and is now a roofless ruin. It's said that the Portuguese blew up Government House to stop it falling into 'enemy' hands.
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Information
 The tourist office is on Bunder Rd, the main road which runs through Diu Town parallel to the waterfront, directly opposite the customs office. The main post office is on the town square, and there's another post office at Ghoghla. Diu Festival is held every May, and features various cultural activities, including Portuguese and Gujarati dances.
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Places of Interest
Jallandhar Beach, Nagoa Beach, Fudam, Vanakbara, Diu Museum, Diu Aquarium, Fort, Sunset Point, Gangeshwar Temple, Chakratirath Beach, Ghoghla Beach, Fortress of Panikota, St.Paul's Church, Light House at Diu Fort.
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Places to Stay
Hotel Samrat, Hotel Prince, Hotel Alishan, PWD Rest House, Hotel Ganga-Sagar, Hotel Premalaya, Hotel Sanman, Hotel Hare Krishna, Hotel Jai-Shankar.
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Getting There
There are three flights a week from Bombay. Una is the access point for Diu, and there are direct buses from Bhavnagar, Palitana, Veraval and Talaja. Delwada, between Una and Ghoghla is only about eight km from Diu, is the nearest railhead.
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