Mandvi Beach
Mandvi is a small port city which comes under the administrative jurisdiction of Kutch or Kachchh District, in the state of Gujarat. This city was once a summer retreat for King Maharao of Kachchh. Tourists can see the remains of the ancient fort built during his reign, in the old city of Mandvi. It also features a more than hundred years old ship building industry, which is known for small ship manufacturing. The chronicles of Kutch Gurjar Kshatriyas state that during the 15th and 16th centuries, several clans like Bhati, Solanki, Gohil, Jethwa, Visavaria Brahmins and Rathods shifted to the city of Mandvi. This city was formed during the late 16th century by the first Jadeja ruler, Rao Khengarji I. The ancient city also acted as a key junction of the trade routes of spices and desert camel caravan. Mandvi Beach is the key attraction of the region which is located along side the 1,666 km long coastline of the state of Gujarat. This beach is a perfect holiday destination which has sunny beaches and warm tropical waters. Mandvi Palace is also situated near this beach, which features a museum of princely heirlooms. The palace is also known as Vijay Vilas Palace and has featured in Hindi movies, such as 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam'. The famous song of this movie 'Chand Chupa Badal Mein' was shot at the Vijay Vilas Palace in Mandvi. Mandvi Creek in the region is inhabited by flamingos and other bird species, making it popular among birdwatchers. This port city is popular for the Swaminarayan Temple which lies on the main road leading to Naliya. The old bridge of Rukmavati, constructed on the Rumavati River in 1883, is also situated in Mandvi. Topansar Lake and Bandini Bazaar are other important tourist attractions in the region. In 1960, Keshavji Gabha Chudasama of Mandvi was the first to prepare the famous snack of Gujarat, Dabeli. Penda sweet is also easily available in the shops present throughout the city of Mandvi. This city is situated at a distance of around 446 km from the main city of Ahmedabad, while it lies approximately 56 km from Bhuj. The main railway station from Mandvi is located at Bhuj, from where taxis and buses are also available to travel to the port city. Ahmedabad Airport is the major international airbase from Mandvi which is connected with important cities and towns near the destination. The ideal season for travelling to Mandvi is the winter season, between October and March.