Gujarat · India
Surat travel guide
Surat is a city in Gujarat, India, home to about 5,935,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- STV14 km · Surat International Airport
- Currency
- INRIndian rupee
- Time zone
- Asia/Kolkata
- Language
- English, Hindi
About
About Surat
Surat is a city in the western Indian state of Gujarat. The word Surat directly translates to face in Gujarati, Hindi and Urdu.
The origin of the name "Surat" (SU-ruht) is uncertain. According to a popular legend, Surat was built by a wealthy Hindu merchant named Gopi around the year 1500. As the story goes, the city initially had no name and was simply called "the new place". Gopi consulted with astrologers, who suggested the name "Suryapur", literally the "city of the Sun". Gopi sent a request to a sultan of Gujarat for this to be the name of the new city. The sultan altered it to "Surat". The climate is tropical and the city receives the full impact of the monsoon.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Surat
See
- Chintanamani Jain Temple
- City Science Centre
- Diamond market
- Dutch, English and Armenian Cemeteries
- Dutch Garden
- Lake Garden
- Mugal Sarai
- Nature Park
- Rang-upavan
- Sardar Patel Museum
- Surat castle
- Gopi Talav
Do
- Causeway
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Surat
Surat has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 38 °C; July is the wettest, with about 455 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Surat: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Surat International Airport (STV), about 14 km from the city centre in a straight line; Bhavnagar Airport (BHU, 91 km) and Vadodara International Airport (BDQ, 132 km) are also within reach.
Getting around
While the city has a local city bus system, the public transport needs of the city are met by privately operated auto rickshaws. A lot of road engineering projects have been completed, particularly the elevated roads, or flyovers in the diamond and textile districts of the city. This has significantly cut down on the commuting time for many commuters travelling to the diamond and textile districts. The Surat BRTS network has expanded rapidly. It has air conditioning. Check apps for schedule. The Surat Metro is under construction as of April 2026.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
STV · Surat International Airport
BHU · Bhavnagar Airport
BDQ · Vadodara International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Surat
Eat
Some special and unique dishes of Surat include Locho, Surti Undhiyu, Rasawala Khaman, Cold coco and Surti Ghari. Many of the popular types of food of the state of Gujarat originated in this region. Surti cuisine is not as sweet as the stereotypical Gujarati food, but rather on the spicier side. Come winter and Suratis will emerge at River Tapi's banks to eat Ponk. Ponk is a unique roasted millet. Surat is also known for its celebrations of Chandi Padvo usually which usually comes around October. This is the biggest full moon day of the Hindu calendar year.
Drink
Alcohol is banned in Gujarat. Only foreign tourists and people with drinking licences can purchase liquor. However, the people of Surat are fun-loving and tend to find alcohol in the city. There are some places in Surat such as Golvad, Dumas and Olpad where people can find alcohol more easily under the table from the bootlegger. It's easy for foreign tourists to obtain a liquor permit, but it is not advisable to look for liquor under table as the risk of getting adulterated liquor and suffering from severe health problems is high.
Stay safe
Surat is one of the safest city in India, and even travelling at night is not a matter for concern, as the city night life is such that people don't interfere much with other. Everybody is busy with their own friends and family; leave them alone, and you'll be fine.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Surat: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Surat?
Surat has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 38 °C; July is the wettest, with about 455 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Surat?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Surat International Airport (STV), about 14 km from the city centre in a straight line; Bhavnagar Airport (BHU, 91 km) and Vadodara International Airport (BDQ, 132 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Surat?
Indian rupee (INR).
Nearby
Destinations near Surat
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.