Silvassa is the capital city of the Indian union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. It is famous for its wildlife sanctuaries, beaches and old buildings radiating its Portuguese heritage.
The city of Silvassa used to be a Portuguese colony and enjoys the strategic location between Gujarat and Maharashtra. You can enjoy a lot here owing to the diverse range of places to visit in Silvassa.
Long back, Silvassa basically consisted of 72 villages and Marathas used to rule here. This is around the late 1700s while later, Portuguese acquired it in the form of an offer of friendship treaty. Even today, you can visit several Roman Catholic churches that swarm this city. Moreover the Portuguese influence can be visibly seen in the architecture of these buildings such as the stone walls of the buildings. Going back to its history, Silvassa is considered to have been named after the Portuguese word “Silva” which means wood. The primary language of the city is Warli and so is the main culture of the city. Warli is basically a combination of Gujarati and Marathi language. As already mentioned, Silvassa has a lot of fun places to visit for tourists and if you are an adventure lover, you are going to love it in here. It offers lots of water sports activities such as boating, kayaking, jet skis, and water scooters. You can also head for some exciting trekking trails popular in the region. Similarly, if you are looking for a more laid back kind of experience, head out for a nature walk in the lap of Silvassa.
If you love to explore the culture of a new place, then try visiting Tribal Culture Museum, which is home to various old artifacts such as hunting tools, fishing gears, masks, handmade musical instruments and a lot more. This museum attracts a large number of visitors every day and is open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Vanganga Lake of Silvassa is another noteworthy place to visit here. It is a gorgeous lake and it also has a central island that is connected by a Japanese style bridge to the main garden. As a result, it is also famous by the name “ISland Garden”. It is surrounded by small cottages where visitors can rest and enjoy with their loved ones. While the entry fee is extremely less during daytime, it is free for morning joggers and walkers. It might further interest you to know that this garden has been used as the shooting location for over 40 Bollywood songs. Leisure boating rides are also provided here.
Hirva Van Garden is also a great place to visit and as a matter of fact, its name translates to Green Forest as well. However the most amazing fact about the garden is that it is a man-made wonder and is one of the top picnics sites in and around Silvassa. It offers sights of immense beauty and splendor and is home to misty cascades surrounding by roaring waterfalls. You will be thrilled to see the twin arches here coupled with rustic stone walls that give the place’s spellbinding charm. It has various flowers and plants that maintain the sweet If you check around, you will find a large number of hotels in Silvassa near these attractions as well.