Gulf of Khambat Crossing

ebrenchley

Is there anywhere from Gujarat, where I can catch a boat into the mainland (Bombay). Is this possible?

note: I don't have to arrive directly into Bombay, I'm just working my way there.

steven_ber

I do wish you would give more detail as I'm probably wasting my time giving the following answer.

A Gujarati friend got his family (in Surat) to make extensive enquiries about the crossing (2 years age), they telephoned the Government and Tourist departments of Gujarat and Maharashtra, they were told that no boats regularly made the crossing between any points either side of the Gulf of Cambay.

BUT, where there’s a will there’s a way.

From looking at the 3 questions you have asked it seems you want to do this crossing in the next week, so the simple answer is no, the monsoon will have just arrived and it will be too dangerous to attempt the crossing.

If you are planning for the future then it depends on why you want to do the crossing, your finances, your bargaining skills, who you are travelling with, if you speak Gujarati/Hindi, your comfort requirements and how much time you will have to do the crossing.

There is always someone who will take you across for the right money, though it is too far from Diu, Your best chance would be to head towards Bhavnagar and try to negotiate a deal with a fisherman or anyone else who has a boat capable of making the crossing (probably to Dehej, then a bus to Bharuch), there will be someone who has done the crossing many times, you just got to find them, though nobody will do the crossing in the monsoon.

I have no idea of your itinerary, but will still advise further.

Diu is a great place, but if too much travelling is involved and flying between Diu and Mumbai is not an option there are alternatives.

There are many beaches between Surat and Mumbai (and a few just south of Mumbai), Dandi beach (Surat 50km) is where Ghandi’s famous march ended (you could even try to make salt), Daman (Vapi 15km) has beaches and a Portuguese influence, Marve and Manori have beaches and they are close enough to the airport to get a taxi, a good place to spend your last couple of days before going back to Canada.

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