Diu is an island interspersed with palm and coconut trees. The most prominent place of architectural interest is the magnificent and imposing Fort at Diu, situated at one end of the island. The Fort was completed in 1541. It has a double moat and the ancient cannons still point out from the ramparts.

Diu is a showpiece of a colorful culture, complex and composite in character. As in Daman, there is a magnificent mix of Gujaratis and Portuguese in its patterns of life and art. The friendly fun-loving people of Diu keep alive their priceless heritage of folk arts by singing and dancing.

Diu is a city in Diu district in the state of Daman and Diu, India. It is famous for being the location of the pivotal Battle of Diu in 1509 between Portugal and a combined force of Turkey, Egypt, Venice, Dubrovnik and the then Sultan of Gujarat, Mahmud Begada.

It is an island lying off the south coast of Gujarat's Kathiawar peninsula, separated from the mainland by a tidal creek. It has an area of 40 km², and a population of 44,110 (2001 census). The town of Diu lies at the eastern end of the island, and is famous for its fortress and old Portuguese Cathedral. It is also a fishing town. The village of Ghoghla, which lies on the mainland opposite the eastern end of the island, is also part of the union territory. Note that in Google Maps you can find Diu with the name of Dangarvadi.

In 1535 Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of Gujarat, concluded a defensive alliance with the Portuguese against the Mughal emperor Humayun, and allowed the Portuguese to construct a fortress and maintain a garrison on the island. The alliance quickly unravelled, and attempts by the Sultans to oust the Portuguese from Diu between 1537 and 1546 failed. The fortress, reconstructed by Dom João de Castro after the siege of 1545, still stands. The island was occupied by the Indian military on 19 December 1961.