Daman: A travel guide to an old Portuguese hub in India!

Daman is part of the Union Territory of Daman & Diu, though in reality they rare actually quite far apart, especially by road. It was also a Portuguese colony and became a part of Indian Union in 1961, 14 years after independence and after a brief battle with Portugal. The Portuguese came here in the 16th Century after a storm and soon after became their colony for the next 400 years. Unsurprisingly, they left their mark, like they did in Goa (read more: Goa Beyond the Beaches) and Diu (Read more: Skinny dipping in Diu) and Diu is now famous for it's very European architecture, seen in old house and Churches. It is precisely for this reason that it's become a popular tourist destination.

Here's a Travel Guide to Daman based on my visit and personal experiences.

The golden sunset once again!

It was a warm and sweaty morning when we checked into our resort at Daman. The fact that we had reached earlier turned out to be an unexpected boon as we spent the next two hours immersed in the superb pool sipping beer, and making some absolutely hilarious attempts at diving into the water. We were both learning freestyle at the time, and flaunted it to one and all.

Boats ready to take you into the sea... 

I had planned a trip to this tiny union territory on numerous occasions in the past, but was almost always discouraged to do so hence never really made it here. Daman's more exotic cousin Diu had always taken away not just tourists, but also limelight from this little lazy town.

A narrow lane in Motidaman

Portuguese Legacy

The Portuguese legacy lives on in Daman - in life, in buildings (churches, schools, forts and so on). The Portuguese connection also makes the town a little more exotic for many travellers, though not all. Being the closest wet region in South Gujarat, its a popular destination for those who want to wet their throats occasionally close to home. Beer flows at every corner and one can see the young crowd absolutely in the mood. However, the place is safe for one and all, and hooglism is rare.

The Chapel of our Lady Rosary located within the fort

The Chapel of our Lady Rosary

Daman fort

Boats seen from the Daman fort

There are many places to see, like the forts and the churches and the beaches, however, I would recommend a boat ride into the sea between the Nanidaman and Motidaman. Its a simple ride, but during sunset it transforms into something magical. The boats and the rippling water turns golden as the sun begins to set and birds hover in the sky.

The boat ride into the sea while the sun was getting ready to set...

Me walking into the sea - Jhampore beach

Carriage ride at the Jhampore beach

The Church of Bom Jesus

The Church of Bom Jesus is huge, gorgeous and one of the main attractions in the town. But even then it would be deserted most of the time. Located within the Motidaman (which is also the heritage part of the two Damans), its one of the best surviving Churches in the area. Flanked by old houses on the sides and tree lined roads, the walk to the Church from the jetty is awesome.

The Church of Bom Jesus

Interiors of Church of Bom Jesus

The Church again

Where to stay in Daman

The place is teeming with resorts for tourists and will meet most budget requirements. I would recommend staying in a place with a pool for sure, that would be the best way to kill the afternoon heat in summers. Travel with your friends, drink lots of beer, immerse in the sea water and take some wonderful memorable pictures. With good company, it would be a worthwhile place to visit.

The port wine, it was so bad we had to eventually throw it into the sea!

Some psychedelically attractive light...
extremely representative of the night life here...