Top Places to Visit in Surat

About Surat

Situated on the bank of the Tapti River, Surat is a port city and the second most populated city in Gujarat. It is located 305 km from Gandhinagar. Surat is famous for its diamond-cutting and textile industries. It was a major port city in the Medieval era. By the 19th century, the city was under British control. After gaining independence, it emerged as the commercial and industrial hub of Gujarat.

Surat is home to several prominent tourist attractions, including Suvail Beach, Dumas Beach, Hajira Beach, Tithal Beach, Umbharat Beach, Surat Castle, and the Science Centre Complex. While visiting Surat, be sure to try Ghari, a very popular local sweet. Additionally, you can savour dishes like Undhiyu, Rasaawala Khaman, Surati Khaman, khakhra, and thepla. The temperature in Surat ranges from 15°C in the winter to 45°C in the summer.

Surat is well connected to major cities via air, train, and roads. If you want to reach Surat by air, you can land at Surat airport. Surat is about 270 km from Mumbai and Ahmedabad; it will take around 5 hours to reach Surat by road. Surat is well connected by train to major cities of India, including New Delhi, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad.

Places to visit in Surat

Dumas Beach: Dumas Beach is situated at a distance of 21 km from Surat. This is a black sand beach due to high iron concentration. There are some haunted stories popular among locals about Dumas Beach. You can also visit a Ganesh temple when you are here.

Hajira Village: Hajira village is famous for Hajira beach and transhipment port. Many hot water springs are present at this place. You can collect seashells at this golden sand beach. The beach is surrounded by the casuarina trees which makes it a beautiful beach for tourists.

Sardar Patel Museum: The Sardar Patel Museum or Sardar Sangrahalaya was established in 1891. It was earlier known as the Winchester Museum. It got its present name after Independence. It has a Planetarium, arts, paintings, a science gallery, 8000 relics and antiques, an amphitheatre and a restaurant.

Ambika Niketan Temple: Ambika Niketan Temple is situated on the banks of River Tapti. It was built in the year 1969 by Smt Bharati Maiya. The temple is dedicated to the goddess Ambika who has 8 arms. 

Dandi: Dandi is a beautiful beach destination and has historical significance. It is the place Where Mahatma Gandhi started Salt Satyagraha. Kirti Pillar is built here in remembrance of Gandhi Ji. You can also visit the Gandhi Ashram, Museum and Library here.

Sarthana Nature Park: The Sarthana Nature Park is situated on the bank of the Tapti River. You can find big cats, leopards and deer at this park.

Jagdish Chandra Bose Aquarium: Jagdish Chandra Bose Aquarium is part of Dr.Shyamprasad Mukerjee Zoological Garden. It was inaugurated in 2014. It is an Underwater Aquarium with 100 species of fish including American Lobster, Jellyfish, Moray Eel, Snowflake Eel, Shark and Turtles. 

Tithal Beach: This is a black sand beach and is a divyang-friendly beach. You can enjoy water sports, camel and horse rides at the beach. You can also visit Swaminarayan Temple, Saibaba Temple and a Vishnu Temple at this beach.

Science Centre: It has thematic and Fun Science Galleries. A planetarium is also available here. The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Museum is part of the Science Centre.

Vansda National Park: It is situated in the Sahyadri mountain ranges. River Ambika flows through the park. You can interact with local tribes, and visit the Gira Falls and the Conservation Centre.

About Surat Airport

Surat Airport is situated approximately 20 km from the city in the Magdala area. You can take a bus from the Surat bus stand to reach the airport. Alternatively, you can hire a taxi. The IATA code for Surat Airport is STV. Airlines such as Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara, and Alliance Air operate from here, connecting to major cities in India including Mumbai and New Delhi. Currently, the airport has only one terminal with a handling capacity of 240 passengers at a time and an apron capacity of 7 aircraft at a time. Various facilities at Surat Airport include free trolleys, wheelchair access, parking, currency exchange, a lost and found counter, and an information desk. The complete address of Surat Airport is Surat – Dumas Rd, Gaviyer, Surat, Gujarat.