Off
shore from the southern coast of the Gulf of Kutch,
an archipalego of 42 islands sit like little gems
in splendid isolation. The islands are home to some
of the fine stcoralreef formation son India's westcoast
and some of them are fringed by man grove forests.The
waters of the Gulf are peopled by dolphins, fin
less porpoise and dug on gseacow. Sea turtles nest
on the white beaches of the islands.
The coralreefs are home to variety of colour
and life forms, as can be seen in few other
places on land or in the sea. Octopus, seahare
and number of sea shelled creatures are among
the more than 200 species of molluscs easily
seen. Echi noderms include starfish,brittle
star,sand dollar,sea urchin and seacucumber.Morethan
40 species of sponges invivid shades of green,red,pink
and other colours abound.Soft corals include
the sea annemone, sea fans and sea pens which
resemble abed off lower sinthisbril liant under
waterworld.
Asiatic wild ass
Puffer Fish
Thousands
of shorebirds-crab plovers,tereks and pipers, oystercatchers,
sanderlings-de scendon them udbankst of eedon the
array of beached marine life when the tide turns.In
summer and the monsoons, morethan 30 species of
birds including herons, darters and terns nest on
the islands hores and the canopies of the mangrove
trees. Another interesting sanctuary on the Jamnagar
coast is Khijadiya birds anctuary. A small area
of marsh land, this sanctuary is an excellent place
to see both seas hore and fresh water birds. Flamingoes,
herons, ducks and waders are seen in large number
son the marshes, specially in Oct-Nov
GETTING THERE
Convenient trains from Ahmedabad to Jamnagar, from where
boats can be hired.
PLACES TO STAY
-
LUXURY
Express
- DELUXE
President, New Aram
-
MODERATE
Ashiana,
Kanku, Kirti, Puneet
- BUDGET/GUEST HOUSE
Kama, numerous guest
houses near ST bus stand. Also government guest
house at Okha, facing the sea.
PLACES
TO EAT
President(multi-cuisine,
veg and non veg), New Aram(Indian-western veg),
Rangoli, Kalpana, numerous good thali places.
