gujarat off the beaten trail'

haddojetty · Dec 21st, 2006, 05:33

Palitana is a must if you are feeling fit-with the TONS of steps that you have to climb, very early in the morning. The Jain Temples at the top are beautiful and the views are spectacular. Amhedabad was pretty nondescript, but that was 8 years ago when I was there.

Shark · Dec 21st, 2006, 06:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by machadinha

I really don't know but it might still be cool out of the festival season or the weekends. Anyone? Shark, was it holidays or festival when you were there?

I was there for New Year's day this year and for the first week of January. It was busy, busy, busy but I really liked Diu. During the day Diu town is a very quiet place. I went to the markets one afternoon riding a motorbike with my two children and my wife aboard. A policeman approached me and said "only three people allowed on motorbike". He then commented that we had "lovely children". That was my opening. Out with the camera and took a picture of my children with the policeman. Bingo! The policeman then said "four people on motorbike, no problem".

machadinha · Dec 21st, 2006, 06:56

& Another one for the immortal anecdotes dept.

Actually it's a good reminder I think that people hitting just the beach and forgetting about town are doing themselves a big disfavour, it's a nice place in itself to hang out for a bit.

Pintz · Dec 24th, 2006, 13:50

I have spent the past 12 years in Gujarat and loved every moment of it - many places to enjoy - depending on your interests.

For Gr8 Architecture, starting from Baroda, Palitana, Ahmedabad, Saurashtra and then on to Kutch. Gujarat has a rich mosaic of jain and hindu temples dating from 6th to 16th centuries. Lothal, in Ahmedabad district, is the oldest town in Gujarat. Surkotda in Kachchh and Rozdi or Shrinathagadh in Rajkot district are earliest sites of this civilisation.

The wood houses of towns which are best in wood carving are Palanpur, Radhanpur, Patan, Sidhapur, Himatnagar, Ahmedabad, Kapadvanj, Vaso, Godhra, Dholka, Kaira, Cambay, Baroda, Dabhoi, Broach, Champaner, Surat, Mandvi, Navsari, Billimora, Gandevi, Bulsar, Morvi, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Gondal, Vinchhiya, Vallabhipur, Bhavnagar, Ghogha, Palitana, Somnath, Mandvi (Kachchh) and Bhuj.

Sun Temple at Modhera, stands in testimony of the bygone millennia that shaped and evolved temple architecture...

The Step-wells, called 'vavs' are famous too. The ones at Vadtal, a small village in the Kaira district of Gujarat, Mata Bhavani's vav at Ahmedabad, Dada Hari's vav at Ahmedabad, the Rani Vav (Queen's well) at Patan are excellent examples of Resourceful Planning in town development.

If you are a nature lover, include the famous dry deciduous forests like the Gir, majestic grasslands like those found at Velavadar, vast landscapes harbouring rare animals in habitats like the Little Rann of Kutch, wetland habitats such as the Nalsarovar, marine ecosystems such as those found near the Pirotan Islands and the rich moist deciduous forests like those found in the dense forests of the Dangs.

The Gir forest in West of Guj, that has a healthy population of the only species of the Asiatic Lions in the world. There are beautiful govt. cottages available here. contact Gujarat Tourism. For Beaches, nothing to beat Diu - my all-time fav! If you want to rough it out in a tent with campfire food, contact Mr. Bharat Kamalia at Rajkot (Kamalia's Health Club, Race Course, Next to Big Bite) and he'll be more than willing to help you out! He has a beautiful campsite at Jallandhar Beach, Diu, and will not cheat you. Of course, there are many good hotels of diff. budgets available too. The other out-of-this-world beach is the Byet Dwarka. Take a boat to get there and spend a few days of blissful solitude - with dolphins during the day and starfish at night....! Contact Mr. LavKumar Khacher or Mr. Nrupendrasinh Khacher : Hingolgadh Palace, Jasdan or 09879578978 - they conduct organised camping. Incidentally, Mr. Lavkumar is the first environmentalist of Gujarat and an initiator of camping and trekking in the Himalayas for schools! He is also a well known Orinthologist.

Many Birding sites in Gujarat and what's more... this is the season! Nalsarovar and Thol lake near Ahmedabad, 10 km. from Jamnagar is Khijadia Bird Sanctuary, the Porbandar Bird Sanctuary, Velavadar near Bhavnagar and the Little Rann of Kutch for the thousands of migratory birds!

If you need any more info on Gujarat, get in touch with me and I'll be able to put you in contact with people. Just specify your interest.

Like we say in Gujarat, 'Aavo, Bhale Padharya...' meaning, 'Come, you are most welcome'

mineja · Feb 24th, 2007, 14:35

well,swimming in bikinis is possible,i did it! not in Nagoa of course ,but on the deserted Gomptimata beach. actually there was 6 of us, so no trouble at all. we had fun on the empty beach for few hours...then local audience discovered pink foreigners.but they kept the distance and didnt disturbe too much.

Dec 21st, 2006, 06:56	#33
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 10,917	& Another one for the immortal anecdotes dept. Actually it's a good reminder I think that people hitting just the beach and forgetting about town are doing themselves a big disfavour, it's a nice place in itself to hang out for a bit. __________________ Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

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Dec 21st, 2006, 05:33	#31
haddojetty Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: UK Posts: 48	Palitana is a must if you are feeling fit-with the TONS of steps that you have to climb, very early in the morning. The Jain Temples at the top are beautiful and the views are spectacular. Amhedabad was pretty nondescript, but that was 8 years ago when I was there.

Dec 24th, 2006, 13:50	#34
Pintz Midnight Gypsy Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Bombay Posts: 166	I have spent the past 12 years in Gujarat and loved every moment of it - many places to enjoy - depending on your interests. For Gr8 Architecture, starting from Baroda, Palitana, Ahmedabad, Saurashtra and then on to Kutch. Gujarat has a rich mosaic of jain and hindu temples dating from 6th to 16th centuries. Lothal, in Ahmedabad district, is the oldest town in Gujarat. Surkotda in Kachchh and Rozdi or Shrinathagadh in Rajkot district are earliest sites of this civilisation. The wood houses of towns which are best in wood carving are Palanpur, Radhanpur, Patan, Sidhapur, Himatnagar, Ahmedabad, Kapadvanj, Vaso, Godhra, Dholka, Kaira, Cambay, Baroda, Dabhoi, Broach, Champaner, Surat, Mandvi, Navsari, Billimora, Gandevi, Bulsar, Morvi, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Gondal, Vinchhiya, Vallabhipur, Bhavnagar, Ghogha, Palitana, Somnath, Mandvi (Kachchh) and Bhuj. Sun Temple at Modhera, stands in testimony of the bygone millennia that shaped and evolved temple architecture... The Step-wells, called 'vavs' are famous too. The ones at Vadtal, a small village in the Kaira district of Gujarat, Mata Bhavani's vav at Ahmedabad, Dada Hari's vav at Ahmedabad, the Rani Vav (Queen's well) at Patan are excellent examples of Resourceful Planning in town development. If you are a nature lover, include the famous dry deciduous forests like the Gir, majestic grasslands like those found at Velavadar, vast landscapes harbouring rare animals in habitats like the Little Rann of Kutch, wetland habitats such as the Nalsarovar, marine ecosystems such as those found near the Pirotan Islands and the rich moist deciduous forests like those found in the dense forests of the Dangs. The Gir forest in West of Guj, that has a healthy population of the only species of the Asiatic Lions in the world. There are beautiful govt. cottages available here. contact Gujarat Tourism. For Beaches, nothing to beat Diu - my all-time fav! If you want to rough it out in a tent with campfire food, contact Mr. Bharat Kamalia at Rajkot (Kamalia's Health Club, Race Course, Next to Big Bite) and he'll be more than willing to help you out! He has a beautiful campsite at Jallandhar Beach, Diu, and will not cheat you. Of course, there are many good hotels of diff. budgets available too. The other out-of-this-world beach is the Byet Dwarka. Take a boat to get there and spend a few days of blissful solitude - with dolphins during the day and starfish at night....! Contact Mr. LavKumar Khacher or Mr. Nrupendrasinh Khacher : Hingolgadh Palace, Jasdan or 09879578978 - they conduct organised camping. Incidentally, Mr. Lavkumar is the first environmentalist of Gujarat and an initiator of camping and trekking in the Himalayas for schools! He is also a well known Orinthologist. Many Birding sites in Gujarat and what's more... this is the season! Nalsarovar and Thol lake near Ahmedabad, 10 km. from Jamnagar is Khijadia Bird Sanctuary, the Porbandar Bird Sanctuary, Velavadar near Bhavnagar and the Little Rann of Kutch for the thousands of migratory birds! If you need any more info on Gujarat, get in touch with me and I'll be able to put you in contact with people. Just specify your interest. Like we say in Gujarat, 'Aavo, Bhale Padharya...' meaning, 'Come, you are most welcome'

Feb 24th, 2007, 14:35	#35
mineja Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: estonia Posts: 66	well,swimming in bikinis is possible,i did it! not in Nagoa of course ,but on the deserted Gomptimata beach. actually there was 6 of us, so no trouble at all. we had fun on the empty beach for few hours...then local audience discovered pink foreigners.but they kept the distance and didnt disturbe too much.

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