Surat is a City That Has It All. Here are the 10 Best Places That You Must Visit in Surat, What to Buy and Where to Eat (2019)

Along with rich culture and heritage, Surat has a prominent place as a textile market. You will be able to find various fabrics with different patterns and prints in the market. Also, they have a lot of shops selling different textiles.

If you are a fashion lover, then Surat textile market is a must visit place for you. You will find fabrics like rayon, silk, cotton, georgette and even crepe. If you go to the wholesale markets, then you will get a good rate too. It is the best place for people running a boutique.

It is a good idea to make a list of different textile markets to visit. It can get overwhelming if you do not have a place in mind. Ambika market is the best place to visit if you want to buy different saris. Also, Silk Plaza is a good market for buying textile fabrics.

Surat is filled with beautiful beaches and different attractions. Apart from that, there are a lot of gorgeous beaches around Surat too. You can visit the beach with food and beverages. It is a good idea to laze by the beach and have a picnic.

The beaches that are in between Mumbai and Surat are always buzzing with some activity. Certain beaches also have water sports and adventure activities. Most beaches in Surat also allow swimming.

Dumas beach is the famous beach of Surat. It is an urban beach with black sand. Also, visit the Suvali beach which is away from the heart of the city. You will surely find solitude there. Walk on the shore or just sit near the beach while enjoying the beauty of the waves.

Surat is not only a prominent capital of India but, is also the popular centre for diamonds in the whole World. Mostly all the rough ones get polished and cut in Surat. However, trading happens in Mumbai.

There is a diamond market in Surat where the merchant shops are lined one after the other. It is a good idea to buy diamond jewellery from here because the diamonds are pure and of great quality. You will also be able to find a lot of different designs of jewellery here.

The amazing part is that, if you have a design in mind, then you can take it along to Surat. The shops there can replicate and give it to you. Also, if you do not want to buy any jewellery, it is a good idea to explore the diamond scene in the city.

Surat has some amazing and lip smacking specialities to savour. It offers a mix of both fine dine restaurants and street food markets. The most famous snack of Surat is the Locho. It is like khaman but with irregular consistency.

Every street hawker has Locho on their menu. Apart from that, even sev khamani is a must try. It is made from lentils which has a spicy and tangy taste. Ghari is another sweet dish that you must try in Surat. It is available at almost any sweet shop in Surat.

Also, ice dish is something that is very famous in Surat. It is usually available in the night. Janni Locha house and Gangour are two places where you will find all these items. Even SMC night bazaar food court serves food till late in the night and is a must visit place.

Besides that, Surat has a lot of restaurants serving authentic Gujarati food. Some restaurant also serve continental, south indian and north indian food. The best places are Kansar and Sasumaa. Also, Blue Coriander is a good place for eating Asian and American food.

It is a pretty place and is one of the most significant tourist attractions of Surat. It basically has cemeteries of different officers who settled in Gujarat for business purposes. It has a mix of Dutch and English cemeteries which is very interesting to witness.

The huge tombs in the garden have beautiful architecture. You can click some amazing pictures there.

The garden contains the impressive graves of Christopher Oxenden and George Oxenden. They were two traders who had taken charge of the English factory in Surat. There is another famous tomb in the Dutch Garden. It is of Adrian Van Reede. He was the director of the Dutch company in India. His tomb stands out in the Dutch cemetery. The garden is filled with information on history and heritage and is a must visit for all the history buffs.

It is a very old museum in Surat and contains a lot of artifacts and information. It was established in 1890 and was known as the Winchester museum back then. The name of the museum was changed after the independence of India.

The museum is popularly known as the Sardar Sangrahalaya by the locals. It consists of a planetarium, science gallery, amphitheatre, auditorium, art gallery, paintings, ancient relics and even a restaurant. The museum is home to more than eight thousand antiques and relics.

It is just located 2.8km from the Surat railway station. It is accessible by a local bus or cab. The museum is closed on Monday and is open from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm. It also hosts a 3D show in the evening from 7:00 pm to 7:45 pm. It is recommended by a lot of tourists.

The Surat Castle is also known as the Surat Fort. It was built in the 16th century by Ahmedabad king Sultan Mahmud III. It was used as a defence for the city as a lot of attacks used to happen on Surat during that time.

It is built on the banks of river Tapi. The palace is irregular in its plan as it has the short wing which faces the west while the oblique wing faces the northwest. It is a beautiful palace to witness as it has a large round tower in every corner. The walls and curtains rise as high as the towers.

The castle has a bit of Portuguese style architecture too. The top portions of the castle with its bastions are built in that style. The castle is open from 10 am to 3 pm. It takes 40 to 50 minutes to view the whole place.

Dandi is a historic village which is located in the Jalalpore district. It has a beautiful beach located there. One of the most important and historic events in India occurred here. It has a lot of historical significance and value.

Mahatma Gandhi had initiated a movement in the year 1930 for the independence of India. It was known as the Salt Satyagraha movement. The movement protested against the British law of salt. He started his march from Ahmedabad with his followers.

After reaching Dandi, he made salt with saline mud and seawater. This was a protest against the British monopoly of salt reduction. This act had full national support which created the movement of Independence. Thus, the place is worth checking out as it has complete information on the movement.

It is considered as one of the most popular destinations in South Gujarat. It is the perfect place to visit if you want to unwind all your stress. The beach is buzzing with people during the weekends.

You can gaze at the sunsets or walk on the shore of the beach. You will find a lot of vendors selling coconut water and roasted corn. Thus, you can sit on the beach and relish both. It is a great place for spending some quality time with friends and family.

This beach is also going to become India's first differently abled friendly beach. Check out the rare black sand on the beach. You can also enjoy water sports, water rides, camel rides and horse rides. Make sure to visit this place while in Surat.

It is a complete urban beach which is located along the Arabian sea. Many travellers recommend this beach because it offers picturesque scenery and calming vibes. The beach is also popular for its black sand. Apart from that, the interesting part is that the locals around the beach might tell you stories of paranormal activities happening on the beach.

It is 21 km away from the city of Surat. The sand has high iron concentration and thus, it has an eerie black colour. This thing sets it apart from most beaches in India. The Duma beach is a quiet beach and hence, you can surely find solitude here.

You can find vendors selling hot snacks near the beach. You can also find camel and horses for rides on the beach during peak hours. Make sure to visit this beach one evening in Surat.

It is again a calm and serene beach. It is located at a distance of 20 km from the city. Thus, you can take a break from the hustling and bustling city life for a day and visit this beach. Many locals, as well as, travellers prefer to visit this beach.

It is located in a quiet environment where you can witness the sound of the waves and chirping of the birds. It also has black sand and it goes on miles along. The texture of the sand is also soft and thus, you can immerse your foot in the sand while staring at the waves.

Remember that there are so many restaurants or stall vendors near the beach. Thus, it is a good idea to carry some food and water. Try visiting the beach in the daytime. Avoid going there on odd timings like early morning and late night as it is totally deserted.

It is an underwater aquarium which is home to different species of sea creatures. A lot of species of fishes can be seen here. 50 different tasks are constructed in the aquarium which is of a particular size.

You will enjoy this place if you are interested in marine creatures. They have fishes which are dedicated to different water zones like freshwater, brackish and marines. It also consists of a jellyfish pool and sharks.

It is open every day from 10 am to 6:30 pm. The entry charge for adults is Rs. 50 and that for a child is Rs. 20. Consider going with friends and family to the aquarium. It is a different and wonderful experience to witness all the different marine creatures.

The science center glorifies the explosive growth of the city. It is a must visit a place because it displays housing thematic galleries which include world space, cosmos, textile, diamond, polar and a lot of other industries. If you are interested in the science section, then this place is a must visit.

The centre also has a fun gallery which includes 50 different exhibits. It gives a fun twist to the principles of science. Many exhibit spaces allow guest participation. They allow theories to be displayed with live experimentation.

It has a 3D amphitheatre and a planetarium. The science centre of Surat has got it all. The planetarium will teleport you to a different world of stars, moon and planets. Take enough time while going to the science centre so that you can check all the attractions properly.

It is situated in the city's periphery, at a distance of around 81 km. It has some exquisite wild creatures. The river Tapi is located near the park which adds to the beauty of the park. It is located at a distance of 6km from the city centre.

You can witness wild cats, tigers, leopards, and even deers at the park. The land of the park is covered with vegetation like Eucalyptus trees, mango trees and Casuarina. The park was established for the people and students of Surat. The key idea was to educate them about wildlife.

It also increases awareness of the conservation of endangered species. There are different charges on the entry ticket. Check it with the booking office. It is a great place to visit if you are a fan of natural habitats and wildlife.

Surat offers a lot of different accommodation options. It is filled with normal hotels, resorts and even 3-star hotels. Some places offer homestays as well. You can check airbnb.com for the same.