Silvassa

Silvassa is located in and is the capital of the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli  and is about 295 km. from Pune. It is a paradise for trekkers and backpackers. It has a lot to offer to tourists who are interested in wild adventures. Silvassa has a Portuguese heritage and a distinct Indo-Portuguese culture can be seen. Hence there are many Roman-Catholic churches around the city. During the Portuguese rule, Silvassa was called Vila de Paco d’ Arcos.

The city is famous for its natural beauty and its numerous gardens. The deer sanctuary and the lion safari are attractions in the city.

Silvassa is very economical and travelers on a budget can find food, accommodation and alcohol are relatively cheap prices. There are hotels which provide best facilties and hospitality. One can find a wide range of hotels- budget hotels, premium resorts, luxury hotels etc.

Silvassa is home to many lakes, rivers and gardens.

Vanganga- this is a beautiful lake garden located in Dadara, 6 km. from Silvassa, at the entrance of the U.T. of Dadra & Nagar Haveli. It is a beautiful garden is spread over an area of 7.58 hects.  The garden created with central island is connected with bridges in Japanese style.  The major attraction is its water spread framed with tree line, boats, fountains, restaurants and jogging track. Around 4 lakhs tourists visit the garden annually. It is also very popular with filmmakers and more than 40 Hindi film songs have been picturised here.

Hirwavan- is another beautiful garden at the entry point at Silvassa named after a tribal deity ‘Hirwa’ the green goddess.  The theme here is water play which can be seen in the form of roaring waterfall, cascading rivulet, gurgling springs streams. There are fascinating colourful shrubs, criss-crossing footpaths and kiosks for the sit-out.

Tribal museum-The U.T., of Dadra and Nagar Haveli is predominantly inhabited by the tribals. The tribal culture museum is a fascinating place. The museum was set up to preserve culture and traditions of tribals. The heritage of Silvassa and the native Wari people is preserved in the museum offering an insight into their culture. On display, there are ornaments, musical instruments, fishing and hunting gadgets, agricultural and house hold articles, and several other artefacts.  There are life size models and photographs of eventful ceremonies.

Church of Our Lady of Piety – It was built by the Portuguese in the late 18th century. It is one of the oldest buildings in Silvassa. The well-bedecked interior and outer arches is a stunning piece of architecture. The Church is located just opposite the Tribal Museum.

The Lion Safari Wildlife Park- it occupies around 25 hectares of the Dadra & Nagar Haveli Wildlife Sanctuary. It is an effort to provide a home for the Asiatic lion. The forests near Dadra and Nagar Haveli Wildlife Sanctuary were declared Reserved Forest in 2000.

Water sports at Madhuban dam- The commissioning of Madhuban Dam on the downstream side of river Damanganga, has formed a large water front near Dudhani (40 Kms from Silvassa). There are facilities available for water scooters, aquabikes, bumper boats, speed boats, kayaks, canoes and passenger boats at the Water Sports Centre, Dudhani.