[ampere]

Originally Posted by xingamazon

Planning to travel from Ahemedabad to Diu during month end.
I need help to know which is the best route and conditions of the route. If you are able to provide even the hotel stop for good food, it will be great.

I would think : Limbdi-Chavand-Amraeli. I dont know how is Diu-Bhavnagar. But Bhavnagar-Ahmedabad is quite good. (There is this nice Gallops Food Plaza on this way at Fedra. You have Dominos, Coffee Day, Local food and what not!)

But would wait for others to comment

[xingamazon]

Originally Posted by ampere

I would think : Limbdi-Chavand-Amraeli. I dont know how is Diu-Bhavnagar. But Bhavnagar-Ahmedabad is quite good. (There is this nice Gallops Food Plaza on this way at Fedra. You have Dominos, Coffee Day, Local food and what not!)

But would wait for others to comment

Thanks for the response.
I will check this route as well. I am confused as there are many option and still not sure which is the best option. Got any suggestion for good stopover restaurants

[SJM1214]

Originally Posted by xingamazon

I need help to know which is the best route and conditions of the route.

Ahmedabad-Bhavnagar-Talaja-Mahua-Rajula-Una-Diu
This is the shortest route for Ahmedabad-Diu. Ahmedabad to Bhavnagar is nice road after Bhavnagar the road is wide but single lane without dividers.

If you are able to provide even the hotel stop for good food, it will be great.

There are plenty of options for food on Ahmedabad to Bhavnagar. Even after Bhavanagar, there are plenty of small to medium dhabas and restaurants.

[earthian]

Originally Posted by xingamazon

One route suggested is via Vallabhipur - Dhanduka , where as other route suggestion is via Alang - Bhavnagar.

I would avoid the Alang route since it would have high truck traffic and the roads used to be quite bad. I would use the Dhanduka-Vallabhipur option. However, please note that it is monsoon season and roads do get bad. Rajkot and Bhavnagar roads are good and hence i would go till Dhanduka and ask the local trucks or private taxis there for best (good roads) option. Do not ask villagers or local folks on motorcycles or rickshaw drivers. They would mostly give you the shortest route option, which may not be the most comfortable.

Gujarat would have Dhabas at regular intervals and also branded outlets. Food would not be an issue, as long as you do not mind vegetarian food

[Ry_der]

Originally Posted by xingamazon

Planning to travel from Ahemedabad to Diu during month end.
I need help to know which is the best route and conditions of the route. If you are able to provide even the hotel stop for good food, it will be great.

I completed the whole circuit during the 3rd week of August 2018 . My route was Ahmedabad-Rajkot-Somnath-Diu-Mahawa-Alang-Bhavnagar-Ahmedabad .

The road till Somnath is 4 lane highway and is in a good shape. After Somnath, take the route along sea coast. I suggest you to take the same route in your return journey because the Diu -Alang route is in very bad shape and also has a dense traffic (Took me 14 hours from Diu to Ahmedabad). For reference, It took me 7.5 hours from Diu to Ahmedabad via the same route last year when the roads were good. The Diu-Somnath-Rajkot-Ahmedabad route is around 140 KM longer but the journey will be smooth and uneventful. I regretted my decision after a broken suspension bush on my return journey.

For food, you may find many food plazas on Ahmedabad Rajkot Highway. However, after Rajkot most of the good restaurants are near Somnath. There is a restaurant name 'Sugar and Spice' (or something like that) just before Somnath on Rajkot Somnath route. We had our lunch there which was very good.

If you still plan to travel via Diu-Bhavnagar-Ahmedabad route, there are very limited food joints. Between Diu and Alang, I didnt encounter any good restaurant. I can only suggest a decent restaurant named 'Nandini' which is on Alang-Bhavnagar route and another place is Gallops food plaza on Bavnagar-Bagodara stretch. Gallops has CCD, Dominoes and several other food and beverage chain joints.

Have a safe journey.

Cheers!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Ry_der

I completed the whole circuit during the 3rd week of August 2018 . My route was Ahmedabad-Rajkot-Somnath-Diu-Mahawa-Alang-Bhavnagar-Ahmedabad .

If one is visiting Gir/Somnath, this makes perfect sense. Wont it be a detour for Diu? Yes its 4-lane but still wont the detour be too high?

[Biraj]

Originally Posted by ampere

If one is visiting Gir/Somnath, this makes perfect sense. Wont it be a detour for Diu? Yes its 4-lane but still wont the detour be too high?

I also prefer taking the route via Somnath. The other route can be a hit or miss especially after the monsoon. At least the route till Somnath is maintained more regularly.

I will avoid the route via Bhavnagar and Alang when travelling with family. In case of an emergency, it will be easier to get help or supplies on the Rajkot route.

[Ry_der]

Originally Posted by ampere

If one is visiting Gir/Somnath, this makes perfect sense. Wont it be a detour for Diu? Yes its 4-lane but still wont the detour be too high?

When travelling with family, it is always preferable to take the safest route. I had travelled via vallabhipur route back in 2016 with a group of 11 friends and it was a memorable trip. We even encountered 3 Adult Asiatic Lions somewhere around Una at midnight. After that, I visited Diu twice but with family and I could not gather the courage to take that route.

[xingamazon]

Originally Posted by Ry_der

I suggest you to take the same route in your return journey because the Diu -Alang route is in very bad shape and also has a dense traffic (Took me 14 hours from Diu to Ahmedabad). For reference, It took me 7.5 hours from Diu to Ahmedabad via the same route last year when the roads were good. The Diu-Somnath-Rajkot-Ahmedabad route is around 140 KM longer but the journey will be smooth and uneventful.

Thanks for the suggestion, looks like I might end up doing this. One of my colleague who recently visited also was making this suggestion.

Thanks for the suggestion on the restaurant. Looks like we have to have food before Rajkot then.

Originally Posted by Ry_der

When travelling with family, it is always preferable to take the safest route. I had travelled via vallabhipur route back in 2016 with a group of 11 friends and it was a memorable trip. We even encountered 3 Adult Asiatic Lions somewhere around Una at midnight. After that, I visited Diu twice but with family and I could not gather the courage to take that route.

Yes this makes total sense. Thanks once again.

[shipnil]

For shopping purpose, for clothes like dresses / sarees, which city or market should be preferred? Ahmedabad, Vadodara or Surat?

[SJM1214]

Originally Posted by shipnil

For shopping purpose, for clothes like dresses / sarees, which city or market should be preferred? Ahmedabad, Vadodara or Surat?

Surat is textile hub of India. There is a big market of dress material and Sarees at Surat. In Ahmedabad, Dhalgarwad Market and Ratan Pole are Well known. Avoid taking cars to these markets, use auto riksrickshaws to reach at these places.

[am1m]

Has anyone visited the Rann in March?

Want to avoid the Utsav crowd, the Utsav will probably go on till Feb end, so planning to go after that.

Anyone have any idea how hot it will be in early March? Tolerable? Or absolute no-no?

The last time I visited the Rann was in November 2008. Was on a bike and it was pretty hot, but tolerable. This time will be in a car. The plan is to visit Lothal, Dholavira, the Little and Great Rann.

[Vishal.R]

If you are planning to visit white / Greater rann It's advisable to visit during rann utsav as getting permissions etc. would be easier.

Last season, we visited white rann during Mahashivaratri holidays on 2nd week of February 2018, at that time it was not very crowded and weather was also good.

[am1m]

One more question, why does everyone visit the Great Rann only at Dhordo?

Admittedly, it's been 10 years since I went to the Rann, but I clearly remember my friend and I just riding along a road (can't recall which road that was) and seeing the Great Rann stretching out along the side. No permits required, no other vehicles or people around, nothing. We could stop anytime and just walk into the Rann and that's exactly what we did a couple of times along the way.

Since the Rann is so big, it should be possible to view it from several places right? So why Dhordo? Just curious, hope it's not a silly question.

[220kmph]

Hello, brothers, I am planning a motorcycle road trip to Gujarat in Dec 2018. The places I plan to visit are Daman (enroute), Surat, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Bhuj, Koteshwar, Dhordo (or any other place on the route to see the Great Rann, Gandhinagar, Porbandar and Lothal (time permitting).

What I need is advice on places to stay (preferably home stays) and things to do in these places. Need an inexpensive place with parking. Also if any camping areas are available at any of these places, as I intend to carry my tent along.

If there is any other place which you could recommend as a must-see, then I could make some changes in my plan.

I would eventually be documenting my entire journey and posting it here.

Thanks in advance. I know it is a tall order, as I intend to start from Mumbai, and finish at Mumbai as well.

Also, any restrictions regarding any yellow tape on headlight etc that i need to have on my motorcycle.