Jain Temple

            Daman, often mentioned in the same breath along with Diu, is a very picturesque town in the west coast of India. Surrounded by Arabian Sea and having served as the Portuguese colony, Daman now inherits the royal Portuguese charm accentuated a bit more by tropical flavor. In this tiny yet attractive town you will get to see and enjoy many things. Although it is held that Daman is mostly visited by the people in search of alcohol because Gujarat the neighboring state is completely dry but there are other factors as well that play massive role in its flourishing tourism industry. Today many travelers visit Daman for sightseeing purposes and relaxing on the pristine beach lines. Besides, there are yet many who take a trip to Daman to visit the exquisitely done up holy places in Daman. Of the various religious places in Daman the one which attracts tourists to the fullest extent is Jain temple in Daman. Daman Jain temple can be sighted in the northern region of Nani Daman. In this temple the magnificent sights of the refined mural paintings will completely enthrall you. Most of the paintings belong to 18th century. In these you will see the beyond compare depiction of the life of Mahavira who is a highly venerated Jain saint lived in 50 B.C.

         Jain temple in Daman is located to the northern region of the very impressive and famous Nani Daman fort. The specialty of this temple is exquisitely and intricately designed and decorated inner walls. The walls have very elegant glass cover. The glass covers have 18th century murals. These murals represent the life of Mahavir Swami. Mahavir Swami is considered to be the founder of Jainism. Apart from visiting the Daman Jain temple you can also take a hop to the Nani Daman fort or Fort of St. Jerome. You will also be delighted to catch the sight of the striking church of Our Lady of the Sea. This Catholic Church is one of the oldest seats of office. It boasts of a fine altar with splendid paneling. Besides, the sight of the fish market and small fishing fleet which anchors alongside is also very engrossing.

Church of our Lady of the Sea

       To experience the fun of true laid back life, Daman is the perfect destination to head for. This little town with tropical élan sidelining the dullness of the beaches play a major role in attracting tourists to the West coast of India. Sprawling over an area of 72 sq km, it is known as a popular weekend getaway from the adjoining states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. Undoubtedly, Daman is an amazing picturesque port town nestled quietly to the sides of Arabian Sea. It is held that since the neighboring state of Gujarat is completely ‘dry’ so majority of the people pay visit to this part of the nation to buy alcohol. But actually speaking this thing becomes insignificant on taking
tour to Daman. There are other things also that play a major role in decision making when one plans to travel to this tiny town. There are many tourist attractions in Daman of which holy places in Daman are highly recognized. You must come to Church of our Lady of the Sea in Daman. Daman Church of our Lady of the Sea situated within the stronghold of the Fort of Nani Daman forms one of the principal buildings in the vicinity. It is cuddled on the tranquil northern bank of Daman Ganga River.

          Church of our Lady of the Sea in Daman is counted among the most revered holy places of Daman. It is located in the enclosure of the very impressive and invincible Fort of Nani Daman which boasts of three bastions and 2 gateways. The Daman Church of our Lady of the Sea is an imposing principal building in the fort area that is extended over 12,250 sq. m. Along with relishing the excellent architectural pattern of the church you can also run your eyes through the unsurpassable beauty of the large statue of St. Jerome and two giant human figures.

Se Cathedral

         
          Daman is one of the best tourist spots in western India that can be reached quite easily. The rich history of Daman that is 200 years old offers several things for the discerning guests. Besides the grand forts, stately lighthouse, ancient monuments, and the Gothic styled churches, you can also visit the Holy Places in Daman. One such place that truly deserves the attention is the Se cathedral in Daman which boasts of a magnificent piece of architecture.

            The Se Cathedral in Daman takes us back into the 17th century. This cathedral is completely done in Iberian style and pattern.

       The Se Cathedral had been renovated in the recent past. Every tourist who visits this particular cathedral is sure to get spellbound by its grandeur and sublimity of art. This cathedral is also celebrated for its altar which is adorned magnificently and catches the attention of even the listless tourist. Apart from the regular tourists, a lot of local people also come to this cathedral to hear the sermons and offer their prayers. The architecture of Se Cathedral in Daman is aesthetic and a landmark in itself. The magnificent Gothic art of the 17th century visible at this cathedral would captivate you for sure. So, ensure to visit the Se Cathedral, Daman when you come to this place.

Dominican Monastery

           
         There are numerous tourist attractions in Daman. However what matters most is not their number but the diverse and distinct characteristics that they feature. The tourist spots in Daman are the ideal break from the monotony of similar type of sites and images. Varying in nature, the places of tourist interest in Daman always keep the interest level of the tourists very high as they eagerly wait what lies next for them. The inviting ambience, their exclusivity and some way or the other their closeness to nature create an indelible impression on the minds of the travelers. On tour to Daman you will also be enchanted seeing the variety in tourist spots. You can begin your sightseeing trip in Daman with gardens, monuments, beaches and many others. However best start would be the one propelled by visit to the holy places in Daman. You must first visit the very famous Dominican Monastery in Daman. Daman Dominican Monastery is a seminary of great honor and reputation. How this magnificent religious school saw a massive downfall is still a mystery. But its imposing structure fairly carries a testimony to its past glory. The must-see object of interest of this monastery is the elaborately and intricately carved out floral stone placed at the abode of the main altar.

          Dominican Monastery in Daman has previously served as the headquarters of theological studies. It was a world renowned seminary for the hieratic novitiates. Many catholic scholars from far and wide places were attracted to it. Its downfall and decline however remains a mystery that seems to be unsolvable.
Daman Dominican Monastery is a representation of historic ruins. This monastery saw a massive downfall which till date escapes any logical explanation and strong interpretation. Today this bundle of remains bears a testimony to its own glorious past. On arriving at this site, you will completely be mesmerized by the sight of the beautifully engraved floral stone that dots the abode of the main altar.
On visiting Dominican Monastery in Daman you will also come across the landside gate of the Fort with Our Lady of Purification set at the top where she is revered by every passerby. On 2nd February when Catholics assemble before the gate to sing a litany, the beauty of the entire scene of the region goes beyond all definitions and descriptions.


         You must come to Daman Dominican Monastery during the 3rd Sunday of December. During this time a public mass is held in the honor of St. Dominic.

Church of our Lady of the Rosary

            It is a quaint port town and an ideal base for the city dwellers to explore the unblemished beauty of nature. Here the sun bathers, beachcombers, swimmers, monument lovers, sightseers and shopaholics find ultimate pleasure. However for those with religious inclination the holy places in Daman are the prefect destinations. One of the religious places in Daman which not only allures the devotees but the art connoisseurs too is the Church of our Lady of the Rosary in Daman. Daman Church of our Lady of the Rosary dates back to 17th century. Its woodcarving, flower motifs and golden cherubs are the sight to behold for long hours even without blinking eyes for once. However the masterpiece remains to be the splendid figures on the lateral walls of the Apse.

          Church of our Lady of the Rosary in Daman was erected somewhere back in 17th century. The wood carving done by the Portuguese in this glorious chapel is counted among the most refined work done under Portuguese influence in the 16th Century.

Dating back to 17th century, Daman Church of our Lady of the Rosary is a real feast for eyes. On tour to Daman you must come to this chapel. Here you will get to relish the spectacular wood work. The ceiling in this chapel is adorned with beautiful rose petals colored in hundreds of colors. Its beauty and splendor is further enhanced and enriched with golden cherubs that bring benediction. Other magnificent feature of this chapel is the illustrations of the stories from the lives of the holy saints. This part is projected on the lateral walls of the Apse. It is held that this piece of work claims most reputed position among the works done under Portuguese influence in India in the 16th century.

Jetty Garden

           Previously referred to as Damao, Daman is located on the west coast of India. It is encircled by Valsad district of Gujarat on the north, east and south and the Arabian Sea to the west. Sitting at the opening of the Daman Ganga River, this gorgeous city
 boasts of salubrious weather all round the year. In fact the season of summer is also very soothing and pleasing as the cool breeze passing through the Arabian Sea fills the ambience here. The topography of this city is absolutely enchanting and it is due to this reason that tourism in Daman is flourishing with the passage of time. Along with this natural factors other things that add an

         impetus to the growth of the tourism in Daman is the tourist attractions of which gardens in Daman are highly acknowledged for their beauty. The one that has truly mesmerized tourists with its untamed grace is Jetty Garden in Daman. Daman Jetty Garden is situated on the shores of the Daman Ganga River near Jetty, Moti Daman. It is around 2 kms from the taxi stand. To reach here you can also take auto rickshaws from Nani Daman Taxi Stand to Nani Daman Jetty. Or else you can also embark on a boat ride from Nani Daman Jetty which involves two minutes journey.


              The Jetty Garden in Daman is very elegantly and tastefully designed. Sitting at the stunning bank of Daman Ganga River, this attractive garden holds the attention of the onlookers with its exotic arrangements that essentially comprise of beautiful fountains, seats facing the sparkling river and well laid out lawns.
The Daman Jetty Garden is indeed the best of all the gardens to bask in leisure stroll and enjoy evening to the maximum. For children it has amazing fun rides that keep them busy all through the day. For you it has landscaped expanse that not only will soothe your eyes but soul too. It is a perfect gateway for all the age group to expect wonderful moments during vacations in Daman.

Kadaiya Lake Garden

            There are many superlatives that can be added before the name of the city Daman. It is no doubt beautiful, stunning, vibrant and sparkling paradise on the earth and reflects the glory of the 1st century AD. The best part of this city is that it can be visited any time in the year. However more specifically the months spreading between October and May are considered to be the perfect period to seek pleasure here. During this span of time, weather remains very cool and soothing and most encouraging to taste the local delicacies of the region. However on tour to Daman you are also suggested to take sightseeing trip to the exotic locations of the city of which gardens in Daman are must to visit. You must first hop to the Kadaiya Lake Garden in Daman. The Daman Kadaiya Lake Garden is also known as Mirasol Lake Garden. It is located near Kadaiya village in Nani Daman. The most fascinating fact about this garden is that it is an artificially created wonder. Near this garden a picturesque lake can also be sighted. This apart, dotted with sparkling fountains and boats, this garden is a perfect retreat to enjoy pleasurable vacations in Daman.
           Also referred to as Mirasol Lake Garden, the Kadaiya Lake Garden in Daman is a very beautiful place to shun tiredness and regenerate lost energies. A visit to this garden implies complete recharge of the energy and basking in eye candy vistas. This lake garden is not a natural garden. It is an artificial wonder. It is encircled by a magnificent lake that surrounds the two lovely islands linked by a bridge. To the delight of the tourists, the Daman Kadaiya Lake Garden is also graced with exotic fountains and boats. This apart, an addition of some contemporary sources of amusement like computer games and toy train has lent an extra flavor of fun to this garden. You will definitely like to spend time in its gorgeous Mirasol Water Park. Besides, the facilities for Go-Carting, Jumper-Boat and other rides will surely make your day a chock-a-block with fun moments.

         After spending a day full of fun and enjoyment, you would also like to satisfy your hungering palate with great dishes at Kadaiya Lake Garden in Daman. It has a very amazing restaurant that offers a wide variety in cuisines that excel both in taste and preparation. Famous as a favorite spot for film shooting, the Daman Kadaiya Lake Garden is very convenient to reach. From taxi stand at Nani Daman it is 7 km away. This apart, services of the auto rickshaws can also be availed to this place.

Daman Ganga Tourist Complex

              Are you looking for a perfect and unforgettable vacation? You will definitely be looking for the picturesque surroundings, peaceful ambience and recreational opportunities and so on. The wish list with this and more extends further. But if all of this along with other imagined facilities can be obtained without much effort then surely the trip is bound to be a most pleasurable experience of life. You will get all these and much more on tour to Daman which is a sum of golden beaches, thick palm groves and striking historical ruins. On vacations in Daman tourist make it a point to pay visits to the gardens in Daman which are not only beautiful but also absolutely engrossing too. You must come to Daman Ganga Tourist Complex in Daman. The Daman’s Ganga Tourist Complex is a well planned and beautifully laid out garden. It is a dream place for every tourist. Sitting in a complete solitude, this garden complex offers plethora of facilities and services that keep its region almost bustling with plenty of activities. It is a quintessential example of beauty and facilities. You will surely have a true tryst with fun being here.

         Daman Ganga Tourist Complex in Daman is an expansive and beautiful garden. It can be said to be an integration of diverse worlds into one. Its rich project has enabled us to see host of different things at one place. You will have an access to cafeteria here which offers select range of drinks and snacks, cottages that offer cozy stay, conference hall serving the corporate needs and requirements, health club to stay hale and hearty and Amphi Theatre for some drama and fun. The Daman’s Ganga Tourist Complex is also graced with huge and impressive waterfalls, landscaped island gardens and spouting fountains. These settings lend an exotic look to the complex area. You will completely be mesmerized at the sight of all these. Apart from catering to your recreational needs and aesthetic sense, the Daman Ganga Tourist Complex in Daman has excellent provisions to cater to your hungering palate also. It features a stunning restaurant in its vicinity that prepares delicious dishfuls and offers enchanting panoramic vistas of the surroundings kissed with natural beauty.

Citadel-champaner

        The citadel built by Mahmud Begda has walls running north-south, with many bastions and gates. All of the gates were two-storeyed, with rooms for watchkeepers. Four of the gates are still in good condition. The east and south gates (known also as the Halol and Godhra gates) are very large rectangular gates, and are the most worthwhile to visit.

Rajpipla

      This town is 36 km from Sardar Sarovar dam, and 98 km from Bharuch. It was once the center of a princely state. The palace is used for film shoots throughout the year.

Makarpura Palace

             

           Makarpura Palace, the supposed royal summer palace, though the royal family mostly spent their summers in the Nilgiris of Tamil Nadu, is now used for Indian Air Force training and is not open to the public. Still, the striking 3-storey Italian Renaissance structure is worth peeping at from the outside.  

Nazarbaugh Palace

            

             Nazarbaug Palace" was Gaekwad Royal Palace in the city of Vadodara, Gujarat state, western India. Nazarbagh Palace was build in 1721. It has solid gold and silver guns, each barrel weighing over 100kg. It also has a Sheesh Mahal, a Glass Palace.

Lakshmi Vilas Palace

           
          Maharaja Sayajirao III commissioned Major Charles Mant (also known as 'Mad' Mant for his eccentric work) to build the Lakshmi Vilas Palace, which was later finished by R.F. Chisolm. It was built in the Indo-Saracenic tradition, with an eclectic mix of Indian, Islamic, and European elements, as if, as Philip Ward writes, “an architectural Paul Klee had taken solid lines for a walk”. The imposingly impressive interior is full of multi-colored marble, mosaic tile and various works of art and the courtyards of palms and fountains have arched entrance-ways big enough for “the tallest elephant with the largest howdah on his back” to pass through, as reported by Edward Weeden, one of the earliest Europeans to stay in the palace. The palace grounds include a golf course and Sayajirao's personal museum, containing, among other displays, original paintings by Raja Ravi Varma. While less impressive than the Vadodara Museum, this one is still worth a brief visit.
          The museum is open from 10:30am - 5:30pm and the entrance fee is Rs. 25/- for Indians and Rs. 100/- for Foreigners.
           The palace is open from 11am - 5pm and entrance fee is Rs.100/-. To view the palace you must ask for a permit from the Maharaja’s secretary in the palace office or call +91 265 242 6372. Both palace and museum are closed on Mondays.

Vadodara Museum

           One of the two museums in the Sayaji Baug is the famous Vadodara Museum and Picture Gallery, built in 1894, one of the various buildings peppering the city that was commissioned by Sayajirao and designed by Mant and Chisholm (see following section on palaces). Sayajirao traveled widely and commissioned various dealers and scholars to find objects to build a wide-ranging collection with everything from Mughal miniatures, to sculptures, textiles and objects from Japan, Tibet, Nepal, and Egypt and coins from all over the world to exhibits of the Indian musical instruments. There are also exhibits on Earth Sciences, Natural History and Zoology. One of the highlights is the 22m long blue-whale skeleton found in 1972 at the mouth of the River Mahi, most likely washed up in a storm. The Ethnography section has exhibits about tribes from Gujarat: the Rabaris, Gamits, Bhils, Chaudhuris and Wagharis. The museum library has nearly 23,000 books and periodicals on a range of subjects, some of them extremely rare.
The Picture Gallery displays paintings by European masters, mostly from Sayajirao's private collection. There are also two wings on modern paintings.
             This is a great place to learn from before traveling to other destinations, with displays such as sculptures removed from sites at Roda and Shamlaji in Eastern Gujarat, architectural fragments and pottery from Champaner, pieces from the carved ceiling in Sheikh Farid's tomb in Patan, glazed ceramics from Ahmedabad, and the unique patola saris from Patan, and a collection of bronze images of Jain tirthankars found at nearby Akota
            The museum is open from 10:30am-5pm. Entry for Indians: Rs. 10/-, for Foreigners: Rs. 200/-.

Sayaji Baug

               
         This large park on the banks of the river in the center of the city, across from the busy railway station and bus stand, was built by Maharaja Sayajirao III in 1879 and named after him, but also commonly known as Kamati Baug. Take at least half a day to fully explore the 45 hectares of garden grounds, with 2 museums, a zoo, a planetarium, a flower clock, and an operational toy train, among other attractions, and then come back to the park whenever you need a respite from activities in the rest of the city.
          The planetarium shows you the universe in half an hour, at 4pm in Gujarati, 5pm in English, and 6pm in Hindi. Entry for Adults, Rs. 7, Children Rs. 5. After the show take a look at the astronomy park next door to see the astronomical instruments of ancient India.

Dediapada Range

            In these beautiful forest range you find the Ninai waterfalls and Shoolpaneshwar wildlife sanctuary. There are excellent trekking and camping options, especially after the monsoon season, when the area is most lush. As a visitor to an area being developed as an "ecotourism" site, treat this as an opportunity to find out how your visit can have the least adverse impact on the area (as some impact is unavoidable), and how what you learn can potentially even be enriching for it, or for other areas of biodiversity around the world.

Sayaji Bagh

            One of the major tourist attractions in Vadodara is the Sayaji Bagh in Vadodara, the large green park whose main entrance is on the Tilak Road. The Sayaji Bagh contains a planetarium that offers a 35 minutes show daily, except on Thursday.
              This garden also known as the garden of Sayaji, is an extensive park sprawling over more than a hundred acres with a mini rail track around the periphery. Cheerful kids can be seen enjoying a joy ride on the toy train. Elders may also join the fun after a little coaxing of the guard.
Baroda Sayaji Bagh is situated on river Vishwamitri and was built by Sayajirao III in 1879. Inside the Sayaji Bagh, Vadodara is the Baroda Museum and Art Gallery. It was set up by the Gaekwads in the 1890’s and situated within the Sayaji Bagh. The displayed works are on innumerable number of subjects; geology, natural history, and archeology. The Art Gallery would give you a glimpse of the Mughal miniatures and manuscripts on palm leaves by the Buddhist and Jain preachers. Sayaji Bagh in Vadodara also has a planetarium named after the Indian freedom fighter Sardar Patel.
                Trich and diverse history, the indulgence of Maharajas and the largesse of the British has bequeathed a distinguishing aura to the city of Vadodara. The city has exquisitely landscaped gardens, museums with ancient artifacts, old palaces and temples representing the fine flavors in building design and the artistic blends of the modern day concrete wonders. The city has something to offer to every guest.
Sayaji Bagh in Vadodara will fascinate you with blossoming flowers in the huge landscaped gardens full of heavenly fragrance and cool breeze. These gardens are the victory of human will over the severity of the nature and it's a joy to stroll through them with all their gorgeous pavilions and fountains that adorn them.
Garden represents greenery, serenity, aesthetic approach, nature and blessing of the Almighty. The city has some beautiful landscaped gardens and lakes that are truly a treat for the eyes of the visitors. The gardens in Vadodara provide a break to the tangled nerves of the city dwellers. These gardens are certainly green and pristine retreats in the busy city life of Vadodara.