Day 1
Night at Jamnagar
My first stop was the Marine National Park at Narara, quite close to the city of
Jamnagar. At low tide, this park unveils its true wonders from flora like the sea
anemone and live coral to fauna like the puffer fish, sea crabs as well as the octopus.
Wading through the water until sunset, keeping a look out for these jewels of the
sea was a unique experience.
Tips:
Make Jamnagar your base, then drive 45 minutes to the National Park. Make sure
you go there during low tides to be able to see the marine life. Wear shorts; you will
be wading through water. Hire a guide so that you do not miss out on any species.
And watch out for the octopi!
Marine National Park
Day 2
Night at
Bhuj
Early next morning, we drove to the
Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary on the outskirts
of Jamnagar. This unique habitat of sea
and fresh water ecosystems is home to
a host of migratory and resident birds.
Watching the cranes take off in uncanny
synchronisation as the sun rose was the
high point of my morning here. An
avid bird watcher, I also saw pelicans,
terns, purple moorhens, hoopoes, little
cormorants, painted storks and my
favorite- the white breasted kingfisher.
To top it off, we chanced upon a female
jungle cat scampering off into the
bushes to take care of her litter.
Tips:
The bird sanctuary is a 30 minute drive
from Jamnagar. You can take your own
vehicle inside and there are multiple
routes you can follow. Before you enter
the sanctuary, take permission from the
Forest Guard office. They are extremely
helpful in pointing out the ideal spots
to visit. The best time to be there is at
the crack of dawn, to catch the birds
as they wake up from their slumber,
and also make the best of the early
morning light before it gets too harsh
for photography.
48 Travel Secrets March-April 2015