Gujarat - many dilemmas. Is it special? Should I go or not?

Hello Gujarat friends,

I'm in the process of preparing my next India trip. I'm lucky to finally have a low cost UAE airline flying from/to my town so I can choose several destinations in India where I haven't been before.

One of them is Gujarat - there's a convenient flight to/from Ahmedabad.

However I have so many doubts and dilemmas. The problem is that this is my (if I count correctly) my 6th trip to India. I just liked it. Not always - as with everyone - but than you remeber the nice things and all is fine so I want to go back again.

The problem is that my last three trips were so good that I'm getting increasingly worried if I can make it that good in Gujarat. One was Rajasthan, combination of forts, deserts, beautiful towns and Raj colonial nostalgia. Another was Varanasi, you don't need more words. And the last - maybe the best - was Tamil Nadu, an easy, non-touristic stroll through the temples of the south, combined with French colonial heritage of Pondy. And then Kerala. So we are used to shot of Indian magic into our veins.

So my question is: can I get such a thrill in Gujarat? Where to go? What to see & what to do?

We are relatively easy travelers. We like everything in India - people, food, monuments, towns, religion, heritage, colonial leftovers, nature, hills, jungles, beaches, deserts. There were very few things we didn't like and it has always more related with anything being pushy, touristic, fake.

We love to eat Indian food. As much as my wife prefers veg options, I incline towards non-veg. We both adore fish, especially the way it's prepared in South or Maharishtra. How's food in Gujarat?

If I'm not asking too much - can anyone jump in with a creative thinking regarding an itenerary for the following dates: Arrival to Ahmedabad on Feb 10 (in the morning hours so the activities should be from the mid-day on), departure from Ahmedabad on Feb 28 early morning.

We'd certainly love to see Kutch/Rann for a few days of nature safari and Diu for some slow days on seaside with good fish curry and beer, on behalf there's some nice old-era atmosphere there. We don't like Indian new approach to tourism (concrete buildings, developments). Would be also nice to stay at some authentic, not necessarily modern town and observe how people leave and what they do. Is there a Bundi in Gujarat? Than we love to watch the pilgrims and holy places, regardless of religion. Last but not least - festivals of all the kinds. Anything falls into our frame of time?

What looks like a good thing is less tourists in Gujarat. We don't like hords (who does?). This also means less touts (I hope) and less pressure on us. We loved some parts of Tamil Nadu for that, we could mix with locals and just enjoy slow days.

We mix staying reasonably cheap with a few places to remember. I'm afraid that House of MG is out of our reach, however pls feel free to recommend some good heritage place or other place to remember in the range of 1000-2500Rs or so.

The worst case scenario is that we spend some time in Gujarat and than leave either for Rajasthan, the places where we haven't been yet (Jodpur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner) - though it's certainly a bit more touristy, or to Mumbai for a few days or crazy urban fun.

All the input much appreciated!

What dates are you here?

As I said, we arrive on Friday 10 Feb and depart on 28 Feb early morning. So practically 18 days. Doesn't have to be all there if too long.

We visited Gujarat in early March 2007. We started in Vadodara and for the rest we did a trip with a hired car for about 10 days.
We went to Champaner, Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Bhuj, Dholavira, Patni and Meshana among others. It was a fine trip with few tourists.
Most places you can also visit by public transport.
The only bad thing about Gujarat is that you need a permit to buy beer.
More details of our trip you can find in the March part of our Mumbai-Delhi journal.

thanks. beer is not so important - if we reach diu, we'll have it.

anyway - how was it in comparison with other places in india, would you go there again?

<cross-posted with Anubis just now. Sure, I'd go again, no problem, and there remains much to explore there for me. I did in recent years just briefly touch on the coastal part, north of Mumbai, btw. Didn't find that super-special, but it was interesting as always, and it was also mostly me getting from A to B. I was coming from Daman, which I found nice like I did Diu back then -- in fact Daman I found very nice --, and branching off into Madhya Pradesh. Had I continued north from there, there's some more famous historical and religious sites and such. Look into Champaner, reachable from Ahmedabad, another ruined historical city and erstwhile capital of Gujarat, said to be pretty amazing, and a World Heritage Site. As you can see, I've not been there -- yet... >

In 1996 (I think), over the course of a month, my then partner and I went (pretty much evenly split in half between Rajasthan and Gujarat) Delhi - Kota - Bundi - Chittorgarh - Udaipur - Ahmedabad - Bhuj - Jamnagar - Junagadh - Diu - Ahmedabad - Delhi.

That's just one suggestion, you could go about it any which way, of course.

Of these, I'd say Jamnagar isn't a must, though it has some nice sights if you pass by there. Ahmedabad I've often had to connect, and I've always found that transport hub in town awfully hectic, I don't like it there. So it's just in there as indeed a connection point, which it will often be for the much wider region. Others do spend longer and like the place, though; always subjective, isn't it. Still others I know feel the same about it as I do. On one such stop on this trip we had several hours and so I was determined to find something to like there, and still we didn't.

(Kota in Rajasthan I feel can also safely be skipped btw, though again it has some sights, it's quite spread-out though and somehow I didn't like the vibe of the place, may always be again purely subjective and coincidental of course; in any case it's the usual connecting point for Bundi, about an hour away I reckon.)

I enjoyed the trip yes, sure, why not. It's just another interesting bit of India, with its own flavor. Not so touristed by at least foreigners, indeed.

Food-wise, I can't be sure but think the state and notably the Saurashtra, or Kathiawar, peninsula region of it is pretty staunchly Hindu still (and Jain, and whatnot), this could well mean you'll find more vegetarian fare there. Maybe fish sooner than meat, if at all. (Certainly in Diu you'll get your seafood, btw; and one would imagine in other coastal parts or wherever there's a river nearby, as usual.) Hopefully others can comment; besides fish, I don't eat meat myself, so won't have payed it much attention. Gujarati thalis btw (typically veg., of course) are something else again, and seemingly renowned throughout the country. They include some delicious sweet side-dishes.

(In many areas btw, you'll get these delicious little buns topped with interesting mashed stuff and crispy things and fresh sprinklings, quite like pav-bhaji, or pao-bhaji, elsewhere, though I'm not sure if they're called so here. Minus the buns, you likewise get a lot of similar stuff, now resembling Mumbai bhel-puri. Makes for great breakfast/lunch or a snack.)

There are Muslim centers btw, including Ahmedabad, and they will be present in many places, so I reckon you should get your meat dishes there.

Me liking a drink, it being a "dry" state can become annoying yes; I don't know, carry in a few bottles of booze from outside the state if so desired, I guess. Then notably in its larger centers, ask around if there's a "permit room" = bar, often in one of the fancier hotels, may sell to take away, as well. I've never used one yet,* I think you may be sold a permit for the occasion, so for the day. I'd expect it all to naturally be on the costlier side.

* The one time I ask for one, in Bharuch, I'm told that yes sir, it exists, no problem, however today is the one dry day of the week, so even it is closed. Just my luck

Of course Diu being a Union Territory, it has its own laws meaning alcohol is available here, and cheap to boot. The result is people flock here from far and wide to get absolutely smashed on weekends and holidays and festivals. It's not really fun, and certainly no time to be hanging out on the beach. So, given the choice, opt to avoid such days, it can be very peaceful at any other time. (If you do find yourself there at such times, it's a good moment to retreat to your hotel room with a book, or get on a bicycle and explore the tiny island some. As said, peace will return after the party-goers have left.)

The same is said about its sister territory of Daman, btw (and quite possibly Dadra & Nagar Haveli? Not been there); I don't know, I spent a short week there but precisely over the week, and probably in the off-season, found it just absolutely peaceful. But it does have a similar rowdy reputation over weekends and so on, also said to make accommodation tight, btw.

Wonderful state for monuments, scenery, religion, history, monuments and for a trip to the seaside.

I spent 21 days visiting, Ahmedabad (Gandhi Ashram, step wells, jain temples Jama Mashid Mosque) Modhera (Sun Temple) Patan (Ran Ki Vav) Taranga hills (jain Temple) Jamnagar(Khijadiya Bird sanctuary, Shantinath Mandir, Lakhota Palace & Ranmal lake) Dwarka (Jagad Mandir temple) Porbander (Gandhis birthplace and interesting architecture)'Junagadh (Girner hill Jain temple complex, Ashok's edict, Makabara mausoleum, upkot Fort) Sasan (Ssiatic Lion Par Dui (Forts, Portuguese Churches, Fishing village at Vanakbara, bird spotting at fudam, seafood beer and cream sodas Mmmm) Bhavnagar ( Black buck sanctury) Champaner (Unesco Mosques and hill top temples)

We had a really great time in Gujarat and we are very well travelled in India. Nice people, good service, good food, accessible.

Then of course there are the salt flats at Kutch, tribals out of Bhuj, the wild Ass Sanctuary, the ancient city of Bhuj itself, Mandvi to watch boat building, Hill Stations ship breaking on mud flats by hand (difficult to see but not impossible) more wet land bird parks.

Will we be returning? Absolutely YES and very soon in March 2012

Here's my pictorial efforts from the trip

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9858331...7622691140229/

anubisgrau,

Is a great idea to travel to Gujarat. Normally the problems when traveling to India are the expectation you have. Gujarat is a nice state but never the first option and unfortunately a dry and veg state. I don't care if drinks or non veg food are not easy to find but I don't like prohibitions...

The first time I went to Gujarat was in Feb 2006 and stayed almost for a month there visiting Bhuj and the villages around as well as the coastal cities of Mundra and Mandv. Loved all this places. I've also been to the Rann of Kutch and the experience was not bad but not to be specially remembered. Afterwords I stayed in Dwarka, Junagadh with a hard ascent to Girnar Hill, then to Diu. I loved Diu but not much of dreamed fish curries with beer, nevertheless I enjoyed mi time in Diu.

After Diu I went to Ahmedabad one of the worst experiences I've got in India, where I've been around twenty times. From Ahmedabad I went to Patan the former capital of the kingdom. Loved Patan as well as the Sun Temple in Modhera. I was so tired about veg gujarati thalis and mineral water that I took a bus to Udaipur where I've spent four wonderful days wandering around the lake and the old city. On my way back to Mumbai I went to Baroda, the city has no interest but I was mostly interested in Champaner
(deceiving World Heritage Site)and Dabhoi a nice small town that worth the visit.

From Baroda went to Mumbai and back home. Loved the experience but not my first and better option in India.


Jorge
http://jreverter.smugmug.com

Thanks everyone for a wonderful contribution. Things are getting clearer....

It seems to be quite common that travelers dislike Ahmedabad. Any comments why? If it's only traffic/polution, what's the difference to many other places? Have to confess I'm a bit attracted with a Muslim non-veg cuisine I adore.

I never tired of the veggie food Jorge, helps that our driver was a foodie, a veggie restaurant (Kalpana) in Jamnagar is one of the best I've been to anywhere.
Junagadh was equally superb only in thali format.

I don't miss beer in India because I don't like it very much anyway, with the exception of kings in Goa.

Ahmedabad is a mad city no doubt but I kinda enjoyed the madness for a short tim,it certainly has a lot to see and the keema Potato samosas were delicious. As was the chicken tikka.

Ahmedabad is busy busy busy, quite the maddest city I've visited in India for traffic, yet get out before 8am and it fairly quiet still.
But yes I can understand people not liking it it's intense and just getting across the road in one piece is a trail of courage and agility.

I seldom drink beer at home due to my health constraints so I don't mind if there's one or not. However I notice everyone's mentioning Gujarat food is sweet. Sweet in terms of sugar added? This won't be too good for me, I'm a diabetic!

I like veg food but in Gujarat looked and tasted always the same. My experience in Gujarat was: "no chicken at all" loved the thalis in Junagadh.

Don't enjoyed my time in Ahmedabad mainly because the people was not friendly at all and the city has few things to show. I like beer but everywhere in the world with the exception of India where I prefer to drink mineral water because indiar beer after the first swallow is horrible because it taste like glicerine (the first gulp is because I'm normally really thirsty...).

Jorge

Not my experience, I had some sweet food along the way but it's easily avoidable.

Jorge I found chicken quite easily along the way too, certainly in Jamnagar, Junagadh and Porbander.

If you are in Jamnagar again try the Kalapana it's a small place but the menu is huge and they cooked everything we ordered well.

Hah funny how one can just experience things differently. Jorge I have huge respect for, so when he voices an opinion I listen.
Do it's simply human nature our opinions diverge on these few points. We agree on a lot of things too incidently!

I don't think they add some sugar on the food. Thalis are always tasty and spicy something like in the picture, although the picture was taken in Lamptaput in Orissa