Diu is a small island just off the Saurashtra coast of Gujarat, connected to the mainland by a bridge and, like Daman, part of the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu rather than Gujarat itself. It shares Daman's Portuguese colonial history — held from the early 16th century until 1961 — and the same laid-back, dry-adjacent character that draws weekend visitors from a prohibition-enforcing Gujarat just across the water.
The old town is dominated by Diu Fort, a formidable 16th-century Portuguese fortress on the eastern tip of the island, its ramparts and lighthouse still largely intact. St. Paul's Church, with its ornate Baroque facade, and the narrow lanes of the old quarter carry the same colonial character found in Goa, on a much smaller and quieter scale.
The island's beaches are the main draw for most visitors. Nagoa Beach, a sheltered horseshoe of sand about 7 km from town, is the most popular and the easiest to reach.