Best Places to Visit in Silvassa: A Weekend Guide

After returning from Udaipur, there was going to be no big trip for a while. But my feet were itching to travel. So I decided to do a short road trip to Silvassa – the capital of Union Territory – Dadra and Nagar Haveli, sandwiched between Maharashtra and Gujarat. Silvassa has recently gained popularity as a weekend getaway, often attracting tourists with its cheap alcohol and laidback resorts. Despite its recent industrial growth, Silvassa boasts a rich cultural past with Portuguese influences, tribal heritage, and commendable wildlife preservation efforts, making it an excellent weekend escape from Mumbai. Here’s my account of the best places to visit in Silvassa and tips for planning your trip.

Best Places to visit in Silvassa

Tribal Cultural Museum

The Tribal Cultural Museum is an excellent way to start your trip and learn about the tribal community, which once formed a significant part of Silvassa’s population. Due to rapid industrialization, many of these tribes have now secured jobs and enjoy a better standard of living. This government-run museum aims to preserve the tribal culture.

Located in the heart of the city near the Tourist Information Center, it’s a low-key museum that you can visit in about 45 minutes, although we took longer. I was fascinated by the collection of photographs, each accompanied by interesting information. On display are huge wax models depicting popular scenarios in the tribal community, along with paintings, vessels, weapons, and numerous arts and artifacts symbolic of the tribes.

Swaminarayan Temple

A relatively new structure, Swaminarayan Temple is a welcome addition to the list of places to visit in Silvassa. We caught a glimpse of it on our way out of the Tribal Cultural Museum. Spanning a couple of acres, the temple boasts intricate wall carvings of Hindu gods and a sprawling garden-like lawn. I wandered around the temple for about half an hour until I came across a signboard in Hindi that translated to “Women should not pass beyond this point.” When I checked with the caretaker, he explained that it was because saints live in that section, and women must not make contact with them. Absurd!

The Swaminarayan Temple is closed between 12 pm and 4 pm every day. Photography is allowed inside the temple.

Vasona Lion Safari

In Silvassa, I confirmed that the Vasona Lion Safari is indeed real. They show you lions in their natural habitat, and it’s not a zoo, though the condition of the lions is quite apathetic. We spotted three lions that looked frail and weak. Visitors are taken in a van covered with metal mesh. The driver knows exactly where the lions are and will stop the van for a couple of minutes so you can click some pictures. This is when you want to get up and scold some of the tourists for screaming and shouting to grab the lions’ attention. Sometimes we behave like morons!

There is an entry charge for the safari. The van can take up to 20 people in one go, and the safari lasts about 20 minutes, leaving one with an underwhelming feeling.

Satmalia Deer Sanctuary

A short distance from Vasona Lion Safari is the Satmalia Deer Sanctuary. The Satmalia Deer Park offers a much more immersive experience, with over 500 deer roaming the forests. Visitors are driven along the tourist circuit in a minibus or an open jeep. We caught a glimpse of the white-spotted deer, which made for a spectacular sight. The Satmalia Deer Park has an entry charge of Rs. 25 per person.

Dudhni

Our final stop was Dudhni, 40 km from Silvassa. With some time on our hands, we decided to check this place out. The roads are great, and the drive was scenic as we approached the lake. Dudhni is a tourist complex with boating facilities. For Rs. 250, a family of four can take a ride in a shikara for half an hour and enjoy some time amidst nature. A word of caution for those who do not like crowded places: you might want to skip Dudhni.

Best hotels in Silvassa

Silvassa has a lot of resorts that cater to weekenders. While choosing your hotel in Silvassa, book in advance as there are only a handful of good hotels. Ras Resort, Treat Resort and Damanganga Valley Resort are great picks, although expensive. Stick to hotels that cater to families – I realised this when I went out for dinner one evening. Many hotels looked shady with a bar like set up during evenings as alcohol is very cheap here. Do your research!