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Some of the important tourist sites in Surat are:
Established in 1898, the Sardar Patel Museum was originally named as Winchester Museum after a local Assistant Collector who took keen interest in the development of the area. It displays over 10,000 exhibits of arts and crafts.
In 1546, the Sultan of Gujarat built a castle in Surat on the banks of the Tapti River as a barrier against the Bhil attacks. Nowadays, this place houses several government offices.
There are English, Dutch, and Armenian cemeteries around the Kataragama Gate. There is a massive mausoleum of Baron Adrian Van Reede, who died here in 1691.
Rang Upavan, a modern open-air theatre, is one of the largest in the country. It is 18 m long and 10.5 m wide. It has a seating capacity for 4000 spectators.
During after hours you can carry on with the tradition of the English by going to the riverside for a walk. You can also spend your evenings at Rang Upavan where stage shows are hosted from time to time. A number of restaurants serve local delicacies and the sagle bagla is worth trying.
A trip to the busy Textile Market is a must to experience the country’s burgeoning textile trade with its many sellers and buyers. Surat is also an important centre for zari (gold and silver thread) embroidery and diamond cutting and polishing. Another specialty from Surat is the tanchoi or silk brocade.
In the month of January/February, a week preceding Holi, the local tribes have a major festival in the forested region. The festival is known as Dang Durbar.
There are several excursion options from Surat. There is Dumas a popular health resort on the Arabian Sea 16 km from Surat. Hajira is another seaside resort 28 km away from Surat. It is famous for its well whose water is rich in iron and sulphur. Unai is 64 km away from Surat and is known for its hot water springs. An interesting myth related to the spring states that Lord Rama created these springs after shooting an arrow into the ground. Navsari is around 29 km south of Surat and is known as the headquarters of Parsis since their settlement in Surat. Udvada, at a distance of 128 km from Surat, has the distinction of having the oldest sacred fire of Parsis in India. It is said that the fire was brought from Persia.
So all set for the trip to Surat? As an experienced travel agent for Surat we can take care of your entire trip from tour planning, air booking, railway reservation to car rentals and hotel bookings.
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