9 Spectacular Places To Visit Near Surat, India

Surat, the capital city of Gujarat, is a haven for spectacular hill stations, ancient caves, and wildlife sanctuaries. Every year thousands of tourists from India and abroad visit Surat to spend their weekends or vacations. But today I would like to embark on a virtual tour of the prominent places to visit near Surat. Embellished by the spectacular flora and fauna, the places are worth visiting. Besides, there are various historical sites and ancient architectural structures in the places for history lovers to admire and appreciate.

Umbergaon

Umbergaon is a pristine hamlet; a dwelling for the fishermen of Gujarat. It is one of the fascinating places to visit near Surat. Pristine sandy beaches, fishing harbors, and captivating lighthouses crown the beautiful town. It is significant in hosting about 20 production houses of Bollywood, the Indian film industry. You must not miss watching the magnificent sunset with the gorgeous sun rays casting a golden hue on the sparkling sea waters.

Bhavnagar

Bhavnagar is another popular town in Gujarat. It is famous for its temples and palaces. More prominently it was a major port city in the yesteryears where trading and merchandising activities flourished vehemently. It is one of the best places to visit near Surat. And once you are in the place, do not forget to visit the Nilambagh palace, Bhav Vilas Palace, Ganga Devi temple, and Takhteshwar temple. Bhavnagar is also significant in being the residence of eminent literary masters of India – Kavi Kant, Narsinh Mehta, Goverdhan Tripathi, and Ganga Sati.

Vadodara

Vadodara or Baroda is located at the banks of the river Vishwamitra. The great Maratha leader, Sayaji Rao Gaekwad III, was instrumental in establishing the industrial and cultural city of Gujarat. You can witness some of the royal and exemplary monuments and palaces in Vadodara; especially the famous Lakshmi Vilas Palace. Besides the place has flourished with multiple industrial sectors like Manufacturing, Pharmaceuticals, and IT.

Hazira

Hazira is a port city of Gujarat and is one of the renowned places to visit near Surat. Several petrochemical projects are conducted in the city. The reason being it is well connected to the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Khambat. You must not miss visiting the dockyard and shipyard ad watch its gigantic facilities. Hazira is located at the banks of the river Tapti. Various petroleum and shipping industrial companies like NTPC, ONGC, GAIL, Larson, and Toubro, etc. are present in the city.

Pavagadh

Pavagadh means fire-hill. It is a religious Hindu site, a historical city, and an astounding hill station in Gujarat. Hindu mythology states a huge crater was created in the place when the Hindu Goddess Sati placed her foot here. Lord Shiva filled up the crater with Pavaghad Hill at the request of the great saint Vishwamitra. Tourists visit the place mainly because it is a hill station. The other key attractions are Champaner-Pavagadh archaeological park, the Mahakali Temple, and many beautiful rivers, lakes, and waterfalls.

Kevadiya

Most of us Indians are now familiar with the “Statue of Unity”, the majestic statue of the legendary Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the iconic leader of India. Kevadiya is a town in Gujarat, that is located close to the huge statue of the monarch. The place is famous among wildlife photographers and admirers due to the presence of the Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. The other key attractions of the city are the very popular Valley of Flowers, Tent city, and Sardar Sarovar dam.

Udvada

Do you love delicious authentic Parsi Foods? The tempting Macaroons, Rava Sheera, Fish curry, and Nan Khatai. Is your mouth- watering? Then you must visit the town of Udvada. It is located in the coastal regions of Gujarat. The Parsi community considers it as their holy religious site, worshipping the holy fire in the fire temple, popularly known as Iranshah Atash Behram. The other key attractions are the Udvada beach and small huts and cottages circumference the beach. Sitting and watching the sunrise and sunset at the beach is a surreal bliss.  

Valsad

Valsad or Bulsar is a small town in Gujarat. It is one of the impressive places to visit near Surat. The place is a major trading zone and industrial hub. The textile industry, pottery industry, and castor oil industry are the prominent ones in the city. There is a small port in the city at the shores of the Arabian Sea where silk fabrics, mangoes, tiles, cotton garments, etc. are exported. The key attractions of the place are Tithal beach, Shanti Dham Jain temple, Swaminarayan temple, Sai Baba temple, and Takdeshwar temple. You must not miss visiting the Parnera Fort. It belonged to the brave and valiant Maratha king of India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Valsad is especially famous for mangoes and chikoo or Sapodilla.

Bharuch

Bharuch is another of the popular places to visit near Surat. You must have all heard about the famous Golden Bridge in San Francisco, US. Well, you can witness a similar Golden Bridge here in Bharuch. The bridge was built by the British in 1881. It spans over the river Narmada, connecting the city with Ankleshwar. The key attractions of the place are Swaminarayan temple, Bhrigu Rishi Temple, Narmada Park, Dashahswamedh Ghat, Nav Nathas, and  Lallubhai Haveli. The buildings are all constructed with a mix of Roman and Greek architecture. Besides due to its location near the banks of the river Narmada, the city serves as a commercial hub too.

I hope you liked the virtual tour of the towns and cities. Please like and comment and do share your experiences of visiting Gujarat.