DAMAN:
Climate: Mostly Warm
Languages spoken: Gujarati, Hindi, English and Portuguese.
Date of our visit: 21st March to 24th March(During the festival of Holi and Easter Sunday)
Number of people: I, my wife and my 2 year old daughter. Total three people.
Internet is a wonder if you utilize its purpose correctly. I am basically very net savvy and love to visit a lot of sites before deciding about one particular thing that I am looking for. Before deciding for Daman we(I and my Wife) checked different weekend destinations to visit. Finally decided to visit Daman(Union Territory). The place is about 173 KMs away from Mumbai.
*"How to reach Daman"
*By Road: You can visit Daman via the Western Express high way going towards Ahmedabad. After reaching Vapi a road bisects toward the Union Territory of Daman. You need to take that route. Time taken by Road, 4 ½ - 5 hours.
By Rail:
Trains: Suarashtra Express(From Dadar at 8:32 AM) and Vapi Passenger(From Bandra at 8:53 AM)
I found this mode the best mode to reach Daman. Takes about 3 ½ hours by rail and another 45 minutes by Taxi or Rickshaw from Vapi station. I had reserved 2 first class tickets via https://irctc.co.in for Saurashtra Express train. This train leaves Dadar station at 8:32 AM in the morning. The train is less crowded in the First class compartment and you can sit comfortably. It reaches Vapi station by 11:35 AM and from there you can hire a Taxi or a Rickshaw for Rs.100/- to your Hotel or Resort. Vapi is the 13th station after Sanjan.
Once we reached Vapi, we hired a rickshaw for Rs.110/- it took us to our hotel.From Vapi Station Daman is about 12 Kms. It takes about 40 -50 mins to reach Nani Daman.(Daman is divided into two parts, Nani Daman and Moti Daman.)
*"Khana, Peena Aur Rehena" in short Accomodation:
*As I said that a little bit of research helps before planning a trip and enjoying the vacation. This is what I did before embarking on the journey. Mainly most of the hotels and resorts are situated at Devka Beach about 4 kms away from the city market area. Dariya Darshan, Hotel Zazira, Silver Sand Resort, Sandy Resort are quite a few ones that you can look out for. There are hotels in the main city, closer to market and taxi stand. Two such hotels are Hotel Gurukripa and Hotel Sovereign. I tried for the ones near the beach but they were already full due to Holi. Finally I decided for Hotel Sovereign. And got a Deluxe AC Double Room(Beach facing) booked from their booking office in Mumbai. For 3 Nights and 4 days. I paid approximately Rs.6400/- including meals, considering I had planned an additional days stay. They had a festival offer of 2 nights and 3 days on the occasion of Holi and Easter. That would have cost about Rs.5400/- including meals. You might be wondering the amount is slightly on the higher side. But compared to other hotels and resorts it is cheaper during the ocassion.
Their Mumbai Office:
*Gurukripa Enterprise
*474, Kalbadevi Road,
Round Building, Opp. Bank of India,
Mumbai -400 002
Tel # 022 22019826
Telefax # 022 22014333
*Contact: Atul Tambe(09224610480)
*"Service at the Hotel"
*Looking at the exterior of the hotel I was bit confused whether it was prudent of me selecting this hotel. But once inside I was surprised to see the rooms and the facilities they provide. I had specifically asked for Beach facing room. There are 4 rooms that are deluxe AC and they are on the third floor of the hotel. 301, 302, 303 and 304 are the ones. Leading to these rooms is a nicely decorated corridor with revolving chairs where in you can spend your time eating food or drinking your favourite liqour in the evening or in the night.
There are two restaurants in the hotel. "Pithora" garden restaurant on the 2nd floor, serves delicious Gujarati food and thali. Besides this it also serves varities of south-indian and punjabi delicasies. Besides the restaurant it also has a Bar which serves liqour.
People from Gujarat especially Surat, Vapi, Valsad visit Daman for drinking as there is a Ban on liqoue sale and imbibing in alcohol in Gujarat.
All Rooms are self-contained well furnished and each one has a Split AC., 24 hours water, World space Radio, A locker, Sauna Bath, TV with Cable. The room service is excellent.
The other hotels that were in the same cost range as to Hotel Sovereign that we checked were Hotel Dariya Darshan(Tel: 0260 2254386/476) and Hotel Ashoka. Dariya Darshan does not provide meals, it is purely for staying. A garden restaurant called "Feta ni Wadi" next to Dariya Darshan provides good sea food and Punjabi delicasies. There is another Hotel just opp. to Dariya Darshan, Hotel Cida de Daman, this one is a 4 star hotel with all facilities that a 4 star provides.
*"Sight Seeing and Shopping".
*There is nothing much to see or shop for in Daman. Mostly it is ideal for those who want to relax and enjoy their weekend. There are lof to liqour shops selling Beer and Wine. Evenins most of the tourist spend in the bars of their respective hotels. The wine here is cheaper than that of some other states. For sight seeing you can enquire with the reception of the hotel and they can arrange for a cab. The charges vary depending upon the sights that you prefer to see and also the distance from the hotel.
Daman consists of Two forts viz. Fort of Nani Daman and Fort of Moti Daman.
There are quite a few portuguese style church.The Church of BOM jesus is the one situated in Moti Daman.
There is a Light Tower/House that is sitauted near the harbour at Moti Daman. Two beaches, Devka beach and Jampore beach are the places to visit in the afternoon. Especially Jampore beach which has pure white non-sticky sand. Yet another beach resort, Jampore beach resort located at this beach. This beach is approx 10 kms from the main market and the hotel sovereign.
For kids and childrens there is water park and amusement partk located about 3 kms from Devka beach, Mirasol Amusement park. This is a amusement cum waterpark managed by Mirsol Lake Resort.
Shoppingwise there is nothing much to buy for. There a local market where in you can by chocolates, imitation jewellry, good sports shoes and dress materials; leather belts and pouch can be purchases at a cheaper rate.
*"Return Journey":
*We left for Vapi station at 11:50 AM in order to catch Gujarat Express that arrives at 12:57 PM in the afternoon. There is another train Saurashtra Express at 01:55 PM. The hotel reception arranged for a cab to Station. The cabbie took Rs.110/- for the service. Apart from the two trains, the other trains are in the evening. We had planned the journey in a way that if we miss the first one then we can surely catch the second train.
Over all the decision to visit Daman was fruitful.
I would rate Daman 7 out of 10 for good food, good wine and relaxation in your respective accomodation.