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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