Best Places To Visit Near Surat - Weekend Getaways

Surat is the city of undhiyu and dhokla, diamonds and beaches, khari biscuits and naankhatai. But of course, once explored to its limit, you may not find much else exciting here. Be it the scorching time of summer or the blessed monsoons or even the chilly winters, there are always options for you to take off from Surat to nearby places to visit. Weekend getaways, especially, are highly coveted, and take you to places like Daman, Diu, Vadodara, Saputara, Mumbai etc in search of greener pastures. If you are in search for ideas for a small getaway like that, read on.

An erstwhile Portuguese colony set by the side of beaches, Daman is a splendid weekend getaway from Surat. Not only is it close by (only 122 km) but also has some great beach resorts, shacks, hotels and recreation on offer. The vibe here is very uber cool, and despite being so close to Gujarat, its Union Territory status allows you to drink alcohol here. What should you do when around? Well, enjoy the beaches like Nagoa, Jampore and Devka, tour places like Gangeshwar Temple, Moti Daman Fort, Church of Bom Jesus, Fort Jerome, Fort of Diu, Zampa Gateway and the Lighthouse.

A port town not more than 25 km from Surat, Hazira is known for its mineral water springs and beautiful warm beaches. The Hazira Beach is very famous here and a massive tourist haunt. Surat residents like to enjoy one or two day trips to Hazira, usually by driving down. But buses and trains are also available. You can enjoy local restaurants and shacks, get some tasty Gujarati food items, plan your accommodation in home-stays and just relax.

The town known for its salted peanuts, Bharuch is one of the best places in South Gujarat, with its temples and bridges and small-town charm. Visit the Golden Bridge, go boating into River Narmada, visit the Narmada Park, pay your respects at the Bhrigu Rishi Temple and Swaminarayan Temple. Like any other small Gujarati town, Bharuch also boasts of a slow, languid lifestyle, and sucks you into a crawl inside of the run you are used to in Surat.

Udvada lises 111 km away from Surat, and is home to the Parsi pilgrimage Udvada Atash Behram. Most year-round tourism here is part Parsi pilgrims, part Surati folks out on weekend escapades. This town hence is also renowned for its drool-worthy Parsi food and spicy Surati cuisine. There is also the Devka Amusement Park and the Mirasol Water Park for you to enjoy here. And Devka Beach is another place to spend an evening.

One of Gujarat’s most important cities, Ahmedabad is 266 km away from Surat and a nice short holiday over a long weekend. People prefer to travel to Ahmedabad by car, visit the Sabarmati riverfront, hog on street food, go shopping in markets or Pols, check out the mosques and temples, and visit some ancient architectural marvels like Adalaj Stepwell, Sarkhej Roja and Teen Darwaza. Gandhi Ashram is another place that Gandhians must visit.

A hill town perched in the Sahyadr hills of Gujarat, Saputara is all green lush landscapes and cute cottages and resorts. The town’s name is dedicated to the snake god that they worship here and also points to its mythology and religious connection. Apparently, even Lord Ram spent the longest part of his exile in this region. You can drive to Saputara from Surat, a distance of 157 km. Enjoy treks in jungles and ropeway rides, zorbing and paragliding and parasailing among others.

Gujarat’s pride, its cultural capital, the seat of the Gaikwads - Vadodara or Baroda as it was called earlier, is a beautiful city about 154 km away from Surat. There isn’t much nature recreation or adventure here but a cultural extravaganza to be devoured- from ethnic shopping to palace hopping, from markets to museums, roadside eating to five star experiences. Visit during Navratri or Uttarayan for the best experiences as the city comes more alive (if that is even possible) during these festivals.

The land of mata temples and archeological parks, forts and rivers, Pavagadh is 183 km away from Surat. Here you get a mix of nature and religion, Jain temples and mosques. Visit the Mahakali Temple, Jain Temple, Pavagadh Fort, Manchi Fort and Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park. A short weekend is more than enough to cover the attractions of Pavagadh and rejuvenate your weary souls.

A small quaint town in the Valsad region, Umbergaon is known around for its exquisite beaches and temples. The town offers a serene vibe that helps you relax all those bunched up muscles, while the setting sun over the sea soothes all that pent up stress. Visit the Bordi Beach and Umbergaon Beach, the Ganpati and the Radha Krishna Temples, check out the Lighthouse and go enjoy an evening at the G.I.D.C Garden. Umbergaon is about 148 km from Surat.

Kevadiya is a small census town near Surat, home to the massive Statue of Unity, the largest effigy in the world - of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, the Iron Man who made India possible. This statue draws massive crowds here and most Suratis take a road trip to enjoy a day in the Valley Of Flowers nearby. You can visit the Sardar Sarovar Dam, check out the Shoolpaneshwar Temple, Vadgam Lake and the Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary.

Mumbai is the ultimate destination for those who want to experience the fast metro-city fun for a short weekend. Be it the Gateway of India or the Bandra Worli Sea Link, rides in local trains or a tour of the Town area, Mumbai is a mix of rustic and modern. Hang out at some of the country’s best pubs in Bandra and eat at Lower Parel’s best restaurants, go to Juhu Beach, Chowpatty, Versova Beach, Worli Seaface and Carter Road for some Vitamin ‘sea’ and enjoy a walk down Marine Drive. Mumbai truly is made up of dreams!

One among many cute small towns of Gujarat, Navsari is quite close to Surat; about 40 km at most. It is a nice spot to go chilling by the Dandi Beach, visit the Unai Temple, sit by the Purna River that drains in the Gulf of Khambat and visit the historic Raymond Tower. Navsari has a rich Parsi history and is home to India’s second oldest fire temple - Desai Atash Bahram.

A coastal town, Valsad is known for its cultural mix of Gujarati and Maharashtrian ways of life as it straddles the two states. Stroll down the Tithal Beach replete with its stormy dark waves, pray at the Swaminarayan Temple and Tadkeshwar Mahadev Mandir, steep yourself in India’s freedom struggle history at the Gandhi Museum and if you are into some adventure, then take off trekking up the Parnera Hill. Valsad is about 97 km away from Surat.

A very good weekend getaway, Champaner is a small historic city that marks the Panchmahal region of South Gujarat. A good 3-hour drive will ensure you reach Champaner from Surat. What’s interesting here you ask? Well, the town is renowned for the Champaner–Pavagadh Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Other than this, you can visit the Champaner Fort, Khapra Zaveri Palace, Amir Manzil, Vada Talav, Virasat Van and Citadel Of Mahmud Beghada.

A hillstation in Maharashtra, about 166 km from Surat, Malshej Ghat is lush green hills personified. Away from the city noise, pollution, chaos and madness, Malshej Ghat offers you some tranquil time-out on routine life. Take a drive up the hills to this destination, which is very close to Pune. There are waterfalls and dams, historic ruins and forts, temples and little Marathi hamlets that serve you local fare. What more could you want from a mist-covered heavenly hill station?

A highly coveted holiday spot in Gujarat, Silvassa is 132 km from Surat and home to many migratory birds in the wildlife sanctuary along with churches, museums and temples that make for amazing visits. A weekend is great spent out here, in the natural greenery and lush lakes. Vanganga Garden, Silvassa vasona Lion Safari and Silvassa Market are some good ways to enjoy your time here. Winters are preferred to visit Silvassa as other seasons are not so merciful weather-wise.

A Wildlife sanctuary home to numerous species of plants, animals and even birds, Purna is known to be the home of monkeys, civets, mongooses, leopards and deer. Squirrels and butterflies also abound in the region and make a safari out here quite cute. Since it is only 118 km away from Surat, the Purna Wildlife Sanctuary makes for a nice day trip or even a weekend escapade into the wild.