Ten Reasons to Visit Valsad

If you ever go to Gujarat, do not miss Valsad. Though the town is not as famous as Ahmedabad or Surat, there can be a number of reasons why you should want to visit this town. Let us look into some of them.

Business Opportunities in Valsad

As we all know, Valsad is located close to an industrial belt in the Valsad district of Gujarat. This district has seen major investment in textile, chemicals, paper and pulp. While Vapi, located at a distance of 31 km from Valsad, is a major industrial town there are many more industrial estates and conglomerate nearer home. Atul, located in the neighborhood of Valsad is a prime example of that. People, doing business with these industries, generally put up at Valsad and then travel by road transport system to reach their destination. You may also come to Valsad if you intend to have a firsthand knowledge of these industries or want to do business with them.

Mango Trading in Valsad

Valsad was once famous for its banyan trees; today, the area around the town is covered with mango orchards, which produce both alphonso and kesar varieties of mangoes. The alphonso mangoes produced here are locally known as Haafus. Because of their excellent taste and flavor, they are sold across the world at a very high rate.

Indeed, even if you are not in this trade, you must visit the Mango Market in Valsad. It is located near Kapadia Chawl and houses more than three hundred shops. During mango season, which is from April to June, these shops remain open 24 hours a day. It is indeed, mesmerizing to see crowd of buyers descending at this market even at the middle of the night. To be sure, this mango market is one more reason why you should visit Valsad.

Valsadi Teak Wood

If you are a timber merchant and are looking for strong and durable teak wood, you must come to Valsad. As we have said, the area around the town was once covered with banyan trees; today these trees have been replaced by good quality teak known as Valsadi teak.  Incidentally, there are two different grades of teak wood found in Valsad; A grade and B grade.  It is for the traders to choose the right grade.

Sightseeing in and around Valsad

If you have gone through our page on tourism in Valsad, you would know that the town has many well known temples such as Sai Baba Temple, Swami Narayan Temple, Shantidham Temple, Tadkeshwar Temple etc. If you are spiritually inclined and love to meditate, these places offer the just atmosphere.


The Tithal beach is also a big attraction in Valsad. Many people from far and near come here just for that. Watching the sun set from this beach is an awesome experience and so is bathing in the sea, roaming on the sand, eating the Gujarati delicacies sold by vendors on the beach.

Historic Importance of Valsad

In addition, there are quite a few places of historical importance near the city. If you are a big fan of Mahatma Gandhi you must visit Dandi, located at a distance of 16 km from Valsad. It is where Gandhiji started his famous Salt March that shook the foundation of mighty British Empire.
 
Parnera Hill, located close to Valsad is also historically important. It houses one of the many forts built by Chhatrapati Shivaji. Unfortunately, the edifices there have not been preserved properly; yet, what is left is enough to enthrall a sensitive soul.

Parsi Culture in Valsad

You may also visit Udvada, located at a distance of about 23 Km from Valsad. The town was established in 18th century around the Fire Temple, built in 1742. It houses Atash Behran, the ritual fire held in high esteem by Parsis. 

Sanjan is another historically important town located around 30 km south of Udvada.  It believed that the Parsis, who left their homeland in order to save their culture and religion from Islamic invaders, landed at this very spot in the beginning of the 10th century AD. By 936, they had establishment a settlement here.  The Tower of Silence, found during an excavation, provides concrete proof of Parsi settlement in Sanjan.

However, the excavation done in Sanjan over a period of three years from 2002 to 2004 reveals that the area housed a large settlement from 8th to 13th century AD. The people there were involved in direct trade with West Asian countries. A large number West Asian and Chinese ceramics has been found there. Some Hindu sculptures have also been found there pointing to the presence of Hindu culture at some point of time.

Portuguese Heritage of Valsad

Daman, located at a distance of 35.7 km from Valsad, is another interesting place to visit. If you travel along Coastal Highway, it will take you around quarter of an hour to reach your destination.  The city was conquered by the Portuguese on 2nd February 1559 and was liberated by Indian Army on 19th December, 1961. This long Portuguese regime had left a distinct stamp on the art and culture of the city. Therefore, if you are interested in Portuguese architecture you must visit Daman. For more information you may also click here.

Best Accommodations in Valsad

Availability of good accommodation is another reason why you should visit Valsad. In spite of its small size, the town houses good many hotels and resorts. They are of varied categories and offer the best solution at a very reasonable rate. In fact, many people put up at Valsad and then have a tour of the surrounding area.  Therefore, if you plan to visit south Gujarat, you should come to Valsad and then visit the various places from here.

Desi Food in Valsad

Desi Dhaba, located on NH 8, is one of the most famous eateries in this region. People travelling down this national highway always make a stop to enjoy their hospitality. Some also come to Valsad just to have a bite at this dhaba. It will not be an exaggeration to say that having a bite at Desi Dhaba is one of the main reasons why many people come to Valsad. For more information you may also visit our page on food in Valsad.

Pleasant Weather of Valsad

Because Valsad is located on sea coast, the town enjoys temperate climate throughout the year. It is never too hot or too cold. The period after the monsoon is especially enjoyable. You may also come to Valsad just enjoy this pleasant weather.

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