PLACES TO VISIT IN JAMNAGAR | THINGS TO DO IN JAMNAGAR

If you are spending some time in Jamnagar, the following are some of the places worth considering as they are considered the best Jamnagar visiting places. 

Lakhota Lake, Lakhota Palace and Lakhota Museum

Unfortunately, when I visited, except for the lake, everything else was closed due to Covid -19 restrictions in early January 2021! Google said it was open and I was so disappointed to reach a closed gate! Nevertheless, I am sharing whatever I was able to see.

Upon giving an entry fee of Rs. 10 to enter the lake premises, the thing that came into my mind was Kankaria Lake, Ahmedabad. It looked so similar in structure, the pathways, the boards and activities. 

Lakhota Lake is a lovely lake to spend some leisure time in the evening or walk in the mornings.

Lakhota Lake was earlier known as Ranmal Lake, which has been given a splendid facelift.

In the middle of the lake lies the Lakhota Palace and Lakhota Museum. And the periphery of the lake is a manmade 1.8 km periphery with jharokha sit-outs overlooking the centrepiece!

The palace entry is separate and chargeable (which I couldn’t go to!). Nevertheless, the palace looked amazing from the periphery and I had a great time photographing the birds in the lakes and the surroundings. Lakhota palace was made in the mid-19th century and has an archaeology museum that has sculptures dating back to the 9th century and houses firearms and ancient pottery items in its exhibit areas.

I walked around the periphery and explored that there are small garden spaces, children’s play areas and food kiosks. There is also a small city museum, bird’s enclosure and aquarium (INR 10 separate entry fees). Boating is another option but it was also closed when I visited.

Note: The lake has 9 entry and exit gates. Some of the gates were closed for renovation. It is best to choose a gate closest to your accommodation or area of interest.

Bhujiyo Kotho

The five-storied monument located on the bank of the Lakhota Lake is believed to have been built to provide protection and act as a watchtower. Now the tower provides a panoramic view of the city overlooking Lakhota lake. It is one of the most famous tourist places in Jamnagar because it is said to have a secret pathway which leads to Bhuj. 

Bhujiyo Kotho is not in great condition due to which it is under restoration and hence closed for visitors.

Bala Hanuman Temple

Take a quick exit from gate no. 8 of Lakhota lake to pray at the Bala Hanuman temple. This temple has to be on your places to visit in Jamnagar list.

Talk about tourist attractions with religious faith and this is the place to be in Jamnagar. The humble-looking structure houses the idols of Lord Ram, Lord Lakshman, Goddess Sita and Lord Hanuman. The temple has set a record in the Guinness Book of Records for chanting ‘Shri Ram, Jai Ram, Jai Jai Ram’ uninterruptedly since August 1, 1964. 

Visitors can pay their respects by praying to the idols or even join in the chanting process anytime between 6am to 9pm any day of the week.

Darbargadh Palace

I was quite excited to visit a palace in Jamnagar.

But it quickly turned into disappointment when I came to know that most of this palace was destroyed in the 2001 earthquake. What remains now is the outer periphery which has been turned into a market. Shops selling Bandhani fabrics are lined here in the maroon-coloured structure. Honestly, there was nothing to see here.

Jain temples of Jamnagar

In the Chandi Bazaar area of Jamnagar, two Jain temples are of utmost importance and one of the best places to visit in Jamnagar.

Shantinath temple and Adinath temple have existed since the 16th century and hold religious as well as historical value. Adinath temple is said to be the first Jain Tirthanker and there are 52 small temples which are built around the primary structure.

Both the temples look humble from the outside but have bold and vibrant colours inside. There is intricate work on the pillars, ceilings and walls of the temple. The recently renovated Shantinath temple is a sight to behold with its vibrant arches and gates.

Explore Jamnagar old city on foot

I walked from Lakhota lake to Chandi Bazaar to explore the labyrinth alleys of Jamnagar. I always seem to find ample street photography opportunities in these places. All hail Google maps for taking me through the tiny lanes.

PLACES TO VISIT NEAR JAMNAGAR

Jamnagar is happily settled in such a place that it is blessed with amazing ecosystems around it. Visitors have to leave the city to experience the lovely nature retreat that it offers. You need more than one day in Jamnagar to cover these places. It is ideal to spend a weekend in Jamnagar to cover these places to visit near Jamnagar.

Pirotan Island

There are over 40 small and big islands around Jamnagar. One of the most important and popular ones is Pirotan Island as it comes under the Marine National Park.

The island occupies 3 square kilometres and is one of the two islands in the National Park that can be visited. Visitors who wish to visit here need prior permission from the Department of Forest Department, Customs Department, and the Ports Department.

After the permission, one needs to hire a boat from the port and it takes around two hours to reach the island. There is no place to stay on the island. Also, there are no arrangements for food and water arrangements here so prepare accordingly.

The park offers amazing varieties of mangroves and coral reefs. There are many aquatic creators such as herring gull, seagull, jellyfish, starfish, octopus, sea snakes, hermit crabs, sea horse, green sea turtles and dolphins which can be spotted here.

Narara National Park

The easier option than Pirotan Island is Narara. Also known as Marine National Park, it is spread over an area of 458 square kilometres and is blessed with a great diversity of ecosystems. These ecosystems support species of birds, fishes and reptiles.

It also has coral reefs and mangroves, which have great conservational value. It is considered to be one of the most popular tourist attractions in Jamnagar and one of the must-visit places in Jamnagar.

Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary

Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary is spread over an area of 6 square kilometres and includes a rich diversity of species. Apart from having rich varieties of marine and freshwater habitats, the place also includes diverse ecosystems such as marshy lands, salt pans, mangroves, mudflats, creeks, sandy beaches, and forest scrub making it a must to visit place for nature lovers. 

The sanctuary includes around 220 different species of both native and migratory birds.

SHOPPING IN JAMNAGAR

Just like the crafts of Kutch are famous, Jamnagar is the hub for tie and dye fabrics in Gujarat.

Locally known as Bandhani or Bandhej, the fabric is painstakingly prepared wherein a plain cloth is tied with threads and dyed to bring out various patterns. various types of fabrics are used such as cotton, polyester, silk which are turned into bedsheets, sarees, stoles, kurta sets, curtains, etc. in order to make sarees even richer, they are sewn with embroidered borders or mirror embellishments making Jamnagar Bandhani sarees, a speciality in itself.

There are many shops in Chandi Bazaar which sell authentic and beautiful Bandhani fabrics. Out of the entire lot, Mahavir Bandhani Store is the most promising store as it is a pioneer in the business with 100+ years of experience. They have a huge collection and it is impossible to go empty-handed from here.

Apart from Bandhani, Jamnagar is famous for

• Brass Bangles
• Betel nutcrackers
• Agate Paperweight
• Brass Trunks and Chests
• Handicrafts

These items are available in many stores in Chandi Bazaar and Willingdon Crescent.

MUST TRY FOOD IN JAMNAGAR

Jamnagar has a different kind of food scene in spite of it being in Gujarat. 

Dry kachoris are something my colleague used to get for us and I have been a fan of it ever since. My favourite is the dry fruit kachori. There are 25 different fillings available. They can be packed and carried as souvenirs of Jamnagar as they can easily last for 2-3 weeks!

Spicy ghughras of Jamnagar are extremely famous and one cannot leave the city without trying this street food. It is served with raw onions and tangy chutney.

Chaas soda and ghorvu is also a street food worth trying. Apart from this visitors must try Kathiyawadi thali to get the best flavour of Kathiyawad.

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR PLACES TO VISIT IN JAMNAGAR

Best time to visit Jamnagar

Summers are harsh with high temperatures. Most of the national parks are closed during monsoons as the wetlands may get flooded. October to March is the perfect time to plan a trip to Jamnagar with December being a peak season. The weather is pleasant and you can stay out in the Sun all day long.

How to reach Jamnagar

By Road: State transport buses and private luxury coaches connect Jamnagar with various cities of Gujarat and Maharashtra. One can even self-drive the car as the roads are in excellent condition. 

By Railway: There are daily trains on the Western Railway with direct connections to Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

By Air: There is a domestic airport which is 10 km away from the city. Various domestic airlines connect Jamnagar to Mumbai.

Where to stay in Jamnagar

Being a town close to big refineries, Jamnagar has good hotel options catering to family rooms as well as business suites. 

Anaya Beacon Hotel and Hotel Aram are good options for accommodation in Jamnagar. I stayed in Anaya Beacon and found it to be covid safe, the rooms were clean and the food was amazing. 

Sustainable tips for places to visit in Jamnagar

• Respect the temples and their rules. Skirt and pants till knee level are good. Avoid spaghetti and tank tops. Cover your shoulders with a scarf if necessary.
• Do not harm the structures by carving or writing on it.
• Do not litter any of the tourist areas.
• Wear camouflage colours when visiting sanctuary areas which will easily blend with the surrounding – green and brown shades work the best around wetlands.

Read more from Gujarat

• Ahmedabad
• Vadodara
• Bhuj
• Jamnagar
• Mandvi
• Vadnagar
• Polo Forest
• Statue of Unity

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Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary Jamnagar

Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary Jamnagar or Khijadiya Wildlife Sanctuary is located on the western coast of Gujarat near Jamnagar district.

It is near Narara Island, which is full of coral reefs. The sanctuary is unique as it has a combined ecosystem of freshwater and saltwater which has formed over the years.

There are large creeks on one side of the bund which support mangroves while on the other side there is inland vegetation. With ecosystems such as marine water, freshwater, marshy lands, mangroves, salt pans, mudflats, sandy beaches and farmlands, over 300 species of resident as well as migratory birds have been recorded here. It was in 1984 when Dr Salim Ali recorded over 100 species in a day here.

Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary is located 12 km before Jamnagar on the Rajkot-Jamnagar highway and it covers an area of about 6 square kilometres. It was declared a sanctuary in May 1981.

However, it became a natural habitat for local and migratory birds much before the 1920s when the then rulers constructed a small check dam to store waters of the River Ruparel for supply to Jamnagar.

This dam created a unique ecosphere with the freshwater lakes on one side and the salty water of the seas forming marshes on the other to support not only a variety of fauna but also flora.

My visit to Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary

After a quick breakfast at the hotel, I started driving toward Khijadiya around 7 am. In my experience wetland birds are easily spotted until early afternoon, especially in winters due to cold weather. In fact, they come out to bask only once the sun comes out. So starting at 7 am was a good idea.

I turned left towards the milestone pointing to Khijadiya from the highway. 2 km inside the dirt road and I reached the main gate on my left. Thankfully there were very few vehicles which meant fewer people were visiting. Fewer people meant less disturbance to the birds which meant better photography for me. 

After parking the car in the dedicated area, I walked towards the ticket office and came to know the following:

There are 2 zones in Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary Jamnagar

Zone 1: No vehicles allowed. Can explore by walking. Entry fee = Rs 40 per person.

Zone 2: Vehicles (2-wheelers and cars are allowed). Entry fee = Rs 400 per vehicle for up to 6 persons.

A ticket for zone 2 allows you to enter zone 1 also.

The cost of the camera is extra. Rs 200 per camera. Mobile cameras are not chargeable.

Since I have done walking safaris in bird-watching destinations around Ahmedabad, I decided to go for the car safari.

As soon as I entered zone 2, we were welcomed by a Rosy Pelican and a couple of coots doing their business. I rolled down my car window and braved the chilling winter winds to start photographing them. 

Once I was satisfied with clicking the pictures, I went forward and noticed a lot of larks hopping around the car. On my left was a stone chat and on my right was a cormorant, both basking happily in the sun.

I reached the watchtower while trying to take in the expanse of the wetland and I was in awe. I could actually see the wetland on one side and the salt pans on the others. It was surreal.

I spent a good 4 hours in Khijadiya till the sun became unbearable. While I wanted to quickly visit zone 1, it was not possible to do so. I guess I will come back for it.

How to Reach Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary Jamnagar

By Road: State transport buses and private luxury coaches connect Jamnagar with various cities of Gujarat and Maharashtra. One can even self-drive the car as the roads are in excellent condition. 

By Railway: There are daily trains on the Western Railway with direct connections to Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

By Air: There is a domestic airport which is 10 km away from the city. Various domestic airlines connect Jamnagar to Mumbai.

Best Time to Visit Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary

Summers are harsh with high temperatures and the park is closed during monsoons as the wetlands may get flooded. October to March is the perfect time to plan a trip to the Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary with December being a peak season. The weather is pleasant and you can stay out in the Sun all day long.

Stay for Khijadiya

There is no accommodation inside the Sanctuary and camping is not permitted. The best thing to do is seek accommodation in Jamnagar where there are hotels ranging from budget to luxury as well as dormitories and guesthouses.

Anaya Beacon Hotel and Hotel Aram are good options for accommodation in Jamnagar and for Khijadiya. I stayed in Anaya Beacon and found it to be covid safe, the rooms were clean and the food was amazing. Read my detailed review on Tripadvisor. 

Sustainable tips for visiting Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat

• Wear camouflage colours which will easily blend with the surrounding – green and brown shades work the best around wetlands.
• Do not make noises when you spot a bird, it may get distracted and fly.
• Do not wear perfumes or body spray during the visit.
• You may carry water and food but do not picnic in these areas as you are in a sanctuary area.

Also Read: India’s version of Birds of Paradise

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. It means it adds no extra cost to you if you book through the link but I get a referral bonus which helps me earn a little to keep this website up and running.

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