Diu, Portuguese-built fortress town in western Gujarat, India
Diu is a small town on an island off the coast of Gujarat with stone bastions and fishing quarters along the waterfront road. Sandy beaches alternate with rocky outcrops and small harbours at the western end of the island.
The island came under Portuguese rule in the early 16th century through an agreement with local rulers. Colonial rule ended in 1961 with incorporation into India after a brief military action.
Many lanes still show Portuguese doorways with coloured tiles and carved wooden panels next to small limestone temples. Fishermen return with their boats in the late afternoon and sell the catch directly on the beach.
The town centre can be explored on foot and the main roads run along the coast from the fort to the beaches in the west. Local buses and rental bicycles offer easy access to all parts of the small island.
At some beach sections hundreds of palm trees grow almost to the water and their shade makes the sand softer. A small market near the harbour sells dried fish and local spirits that remain permitted here unlike in the rest of Gujarat.
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