Surat is a large city beside the Tapi River in the west Indian state of Gujarat. Once known for silk weaving, Surat remains a commercial center for textiles, and the New Textile Market area is lined with fabric shops. Overlooking the river, Surat Castle was built in the 1500s to defend the city against Portuguese colonists. Nearby, the Dutch, Armenian and English cemeteries contain elaborate colonial-era tombs.
The most suitable time to visit Surat is during the months of October to March. The weather conditions of Surat are like that of any other city in the western region of India. The summer season here is warm, can get extremely hot and the temperature can shoot up to 40-45 degrees centigrade. The days can be unpleasant and uncomfortable. The nights are usually pleasant. The mild winters here, are a sigh of relief for the town with the temperatures dropping down to 15-20 degrees centigrade. Winters, that begin around October all the way up till March, are the perfect time to plan a trip to Surat. Also during October-November, Navaratri is celebrated here with a lot of enthusiasm and dances like Garba and Dandiya can be enjoyed all over the town.
Surat, having its name associated with Saurashtra (the good land), is a port city in Gujarat. The second most populated city in the state, Surat is a global diamond cutting centre and a commercial hub of textiles. Known as 'the city of flyovers', it attracts tourists who are interested in the colonial history of the region and the exotic wildlife.
Packed on the south bank of a sharp bend in the Tapi River (Tapti), Surat is located 306 km south of the state capital, Gandhinagar. Once known for silk-weaving, it emerged as a major textile and diamond hub of India, with the shops in the New Textile Market area often crowded with buyers and shoppers. Prominent tourist attractions in Surat are the Surat Castle, Science Centre Complex and the Diamond Gallery among others.
Having the reputation of being light-hearted, easy-going, and fun-loving, with a passion for food, Surat is an absolutely great place for a family vacation.