Surat sits on the Tapi River, a little inland from the Arabian Sea, about 265 km south of Ahmedabad and 289 km north of Mumbai. It is best known today for diamonds and textiles: roughly nine in ten of the world's diamonds are said to be cut and polished here, and the city accounts for a large share of India's polyester cloth. That economy is the reason Surat feels busy, prosperous and unfussy, more a working city than a conventional tourist town.
It is also much older than its modern reputation. A castle completed in 1546 still stands on the river bank, the English opened their first Indian trading factory here in 1612, and the Dutch, Armenian and English merchants who followed left large tombs on the edge of the old city. Rander, across the river, is older still. Together these give a short, interesting history-led visit.
The practical way to see Surat is to treat it as a one- or two-day stop rather than a long holiday. Spend a morning on the castle and old city, an evening at Gopi Talav, and set aside time to eat: Surti ghari, locho, khaman and old-town street food are the real attraction. Most of the city is flat, which helps older travellers, but the old lanes are crowded and traffic is heavy.
Plan around the weather. The monsoon from June to September is heavy and the city has flooded repeatedly, so November to February is the sensible window. Surat also makes a convenient base or stop on the Mumbai to Ahmedabad route, and for day trips to Dandi, Daman or Saputara.
Before you plan
Surat at a glance
- Best months
- November to February is the most…November to February is the most comfortable; March and October are workable. April and May are hot and humid, and June to September is monsoon with heavy rain and flood risk.
- Ideal trip length
- 1 to 2 days for the castle1 to 2 days for the castle, old city, food and an evening by the lake
- Airport
- Surat International AirportSurat International Airport (STV) at Magdalla, about 11 km south-west of the city
- Railway station
- SuratSurat (ST), on the Western Railway main line between Mumbai and Ahmedabad; the station dates from 1860
- Getting around
- App cabs and autos work wellApp cabs and autos work well; a car with a driver is easiest for the old city, Dumas Beach and Rander
- Daily budget
- Roughly ₹1,500 to ₹4,000 per person…Roughly ₹1,500 to ₹4,000 per person per day excluding hotel, for food, local transport and entry fees; varies with choices
- Senior comfort
- Good with planning: the city is flatGood with planning: the city is flat, but the old lanes are crowded and monsoon months are best avoided
- Language
- Gujarati and HindiGujarati and Hindi; English is understood in hotels and at major sights
Prices, opening hours and weather change. Recheck live details before booking.
Best time to visit Surat: January, February, November, December. Month-by-month weather →
How many days do you have?
Surat itinerary
One good day
1 day in Surat
Start at Surat Castle in the morning while it is cool, then drive to the Dutch and English cemeteries to see the merchant tombs. Break for lunch and a rest. In the late afternoon, visit Gopi Talav and walk the lake circuit, then eat in the old town around Khaudra Gali or try a sweet shop for ghari if it is in season.
Day-by-day plan →Two days
2 days in Surat
Begin with Surat Castle, then the Dutch and English cemeteries before the day heats up. After a long lunch, drive over the river to Rander for a short look at the old quarter and its mosques, with modest dress and a local contact if possible. Finish at Gopi Talav in the evening.
Day-by-day plan →Three unhurried days
3 days in Surat
Start at Surat Castle and spend the morning in Chowk Bazaar. Visit the Dutch and English cemeteries, then rest after lunch. In the evening, go to Gopi Talav and the food lanes of old Surat.
Day-by-day plan →
