Daman or Damao, a Union Territory was a Portuguese enclave for four centuries and a half till the close of the colonial rule in 1961. The first Portuguese Captain Diogo de Mello, while on his way to Ormuz, met with a violent cyclone and when all hopes were lost, suddenly found himself at the Daman coast. Daman was the battleground to oust the Portuguese and had witnessed many a wars waged against the alien powers. It had been a melting pot where races and cultures met and mixed to bring forth a multicoloured identity. This paradise of peace, solitude and contentment with its coastline about 12.5 km along the Arabian sea (the Gulf of Khambhat) was once known as Kalana Pavri or Lotus of Marshlands. A laid back little town, Daman is divided by the Damanganga river. Nani Daman (or Little Daman) in the north and Moti Daman (or Big Daman) in the south which retains something of the Portuguese atmosphere in its Government buildings and churches of colonial origins enclosed within an imposing wall.

Daman, near Surat in the south of Gujarat is a small port in the Gulf of Khambhat (Cambay). With its easy accessibility, just 12 km from Vapi, the nearest railway station on the Delhi-Mumbai and Ahmedabad-Mumbai rail route and very close to the national highway (NH 8) and with adequate infrastructure, Daman besides attracting weekend tourists from neighboring Gujarat and Maharashtra is poised to become a favoured destination for travelers from all over the country as well as the business visitors.

Daman gratifies the whims of sun bathers and swimmers at its beaches, the historic churches with finely carved statues, majestic forts that rise in their imposing splendour, coconut groves, abundant greenery and round the year temperate climate all provide a lovely escape for those in search of bliss, happiness and fun far away from the bustles of city life. Being a port town, it offers an exquisite variety of sea food, fare to satisfy the demanding palates of fish lovers, while the quaint bars and sea side modern restaurants satisfy the pleasure of life. The friendly and hospitable people, Hindus, Christians, Parses and Muslims all living in harmony here on this exquisite pearl on the west coast compel visitors to come again and again. Of late, the town has fast emerged as the right place for corporate meets, conferences, seminars, orientation programmes and training sessions. Today Daman offers everything, be it heritage, culture, leisure, fun, adventure and business tourism.