With a population of around 45,000 the central area of the city is stretched out along the southern bank of the Tapi River, the modern part consists of two long parallel streets containing most of the banks and larger shops whilst the older part, with the market and narrower streets is situated by the river.
On the outskirts of the city, Surat is growing up. There is a Tesco/Lotus plaza and several hotels under construction. Even though the concrete architecture is not atheistically pleasing, Surat's welcoming downtown and night market make up for it. Take advantage of Surat's splendid cuisine and special attractions.