Are you planning a memorable trip covering the holy cities of Dwarka, Somnath, and scenic Diu? Then you’ve landed on the right page!

This blog will guide you through everything you need to know — how to plan, must-visit places, local travel options, budget tips, and our personal experience from 15 June to 21 June 2025. Whether you’re traveling solo, with family, or senior citizens — this detailed itinerary and story will help you prepare better.

Before I take you through the detailed journey of our unforgettable trip across Dwarka, Somnath, and Diu, I want to begin with a heartfelt call:

“Jai Dwarkadish Ki!”

May Lord Krishna bless everyone reading this with a peaceful, fulfilling, and joyful journey.

✈️ Day 0: Delhi to Rajkot – The Journey Begins!

Our journey began on Sunday, 15th June 2025, from Delhi Airport at 3:30 PM. We took a flight to Rajkot Hirasar Airport in Gujarat, landed comfortably by 5:30 PM.

If you’re flying for the first time, you’ll find it amusing that airplane seats may remind you of a bus, but the thrill of takeoff is unforgettable!

After landing at Rajkot Airport Hirasar, we begun our road trip by cab (already booked a full trip cab (Ertiga, AC) at a discounted price of ₹27,500 for 7 days, thanks to some local contacts. Regular market price may go higher.), we finally reached Dwarka around 12:30 AM. Despite the late hour, the journey was smooth, and we were glad to have pre-booked our stay at Maheshwari Sewa Kunj. Although its is old hotel works on trust fund but still rooms are decents. The actual room cost was ₹900 per night, but we asked for extra bed which comes with additional cost of ₹250. So we ended up paying ₹1150 per night.

✅ Travel Tip: While there are many hotels available, I highly recommend staying Maheshwari Sewa Kunj or nearby guesthouses as It is just 3-4 KM away from main temple.

How to book room in Maheshwari Sewa Kunj

If you’re planning to stay at Maheshwari Sewa Kunj in Dwarka, I highly recommend that after registering on their website, don’t just wait for their confirmation call. Instead, take the initiative to directly contact their team over the phone and confirm your booking by making the payment. In my case, I had registered online but the response came quite late. And when they finally called, they simply said, “Sorry, no rooms available.” Thankfully, my father had already spoken to them and booked a room directly through a phone call. So when I got their call, I just smiled and said, “No worries, my stay is already confirmed.”

So learn from my experience—in places like this, a direct call works better than just online registration.

🛕 Day 1: Early Darshan at Dwarkadhish Temple

After a good night’s rest, we woke up early the next day to visit the Dwarkadhish Temple — one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites and an important Krishna temple in India.

🕘 Best Time to Visit the Temple:

• Early morning (between 6:00 AM – 8:00 AM) is ideal.
• Avoid visiting in the afternoon as the crowds (bhid) increase significantly.

👥 Queue System Insight:
The temple has separate lines for men and women.

• The women’s queue is generally quicker, especially during early hours.
• Men might face slightly longer wait times.

📷 Photography Alert: Mobile phones and cameras are not allowed inside the temple, so leave your gadgets in the locker facilities outside.

After completing our darshan at Dwarkadhish Temple, we took some time to relax and click photos near the Gomti River. The view was serene, especially in the morning light, and perfect for family pictures with the temple in the background.

Once done, our driver suggested a visit to Chokdi, a nearby place. However, as rain had already started, we decided to skip it and head for lunch instead.

🕒 Although you might think darshan took us half a day — the truth is, we began quite late (around 10 AM). And let’s not forget — our group included senior citizens 😄, so rest was non-negotiable. After lunch, we returned to our hotel to relax and recharge for the evening adventure.

🌊 Evening Bliss at Shivrajpur Beach – Must Visit!

By the time evening rolled in, the skies had cleared, and we decided to visit Shivrajpur Beach, located about 12 km from Dwarka city.

🌴 And trust me — this was the highlight of the day.

The moment we stepped onto the soft sand and heard the rhythmic sound of waves crashing, it felt like we were in a different world. The cool breeze, golden hour vibes, and endless sea view made it a perfect spot to unwind.

🏖️ You Shouldn’t Miss Shivrajpur Beach

One thing I highly recommend —
👉 Carry an extra pair of clothes if you’re planning to visit Shivrajpur Beach. We didn’t plan to get wet, but once you’re near the water, it’s hard to resist. We ended up getting soaked in the salty sea water, and because of that, we had to go back to the hotel to take a bath and change, instead of going directly to Rukmini Temple.

🛕 Rukmini Devi Temple – A Must-Visit with a Unique Story

This small yet highly significant temple is located just a few kilometers from the main Dwarka city and is dedicated to Goddess Rukmini, the wife of Lord Krishna.

You might wonder — why is Rukmini Temple located away from Dwarkadhish Temple?
That’s what we also thought — and here’s the interesting part:

📖 The Story Behind the Separation
Our pandit ji (priest) narrated the story during the evening aarti (which is the best time to visit). It’s said that once, when Krishna and Rukmini went to meet the rishi Durvasa, they forgot to offer him water, which angered him. As a result, he cursed Rukmini to stay separate from Krishna, and that’s why the temple stands at a distance from the main temple.

🪣 Water Donation (Daan)
At Rukmini Temple, it is customary to donate water. You can do this by offering money towards water donation as per your wish.
It’s a symbolic and respectful gesture, and you also receive water as part of the prasad.

🙏 Travel Tip: Many people skip this temple, but let me tell you — your Dwarka yatra is considered incomplete without visiting Rukmini Devi Temple.

🌙 End of Day 1 – A Perfect Blend of Bhakti & Beach

That wrapped up our first day in Dwarka — filled with spiritual energy, storytelling, local traditions, beach fun, rain adventures, and so much more.

From Dwarkadhish Temple darshan to a peaceful sunset at Shivrajpur Beach, and finally the soulful visit to Rukmini Temple, the day was fulfilling in every way.

📍 What’s Next?

That’s all for Day 1 of our Dwarka-Somnath-Diu yatra. In the next part of the blog, I’ll take you through our experiences at:

• Nageshwar Jyotirlinga
• Gopi Talav
• Bet Dwarka adventures
• …and the start of our journey toward Porbandar and Somnath.

➡️ Stay tuned for Part 2!
And until then — Jai Dwarkadhish Ki! 🙏