People always have a soft spot for animals, especially those that live in the sea.

The reason behind this may not be obvious.  It could be because these animals are hardly seen be people, or because people have a natural curiosity for aquatic animals since they are so different from us.  No matter what the reason is, the Marine National Park in Gujarat is able to satisfy the desire to see life under the water.

History of Marine National Park in Gujarat

The area was declared a National Park in 1982.  This was done to preserve the extremely diverse wildlife that was noticed in the area.  Other than the marine life, the reserve also hoped to preserve the coral reefs and mangroves in the area, both known to have a valuable role in keeping the ecosystem balanced.  The original area encompassed 42 islands and the surrounding waters, but after two years a core area of 110 km² was identified.

Tourism in the Marine National Park

Not all the islands of this particular park may be visited.  This is understandable since the ecosystem is fragile, and even up until now is threatened by the actions of certain companies that desire to pull out the sand and corals from the area.  Several entities are fighting to keep the area protected, and are expanding their efforts to make sure that the precious life will be maintained.

In order to keep the money flowing and to help in the campaign of saving the planet, tours of the area are offered by the park and some authorized entities.  Though it is a marine park, the tours vary in the number of days as well as the places that may be visited.  Certain islands are still accessible to outsiders and tourists.  Safaris that span six nights and seven days get to visit a lot of islands and witness the wildlife there, including rare birds and migratory birds that stop over in India, attracted by the cool temperatures that more or less stay the same throughout the year.

Of course, any tour or Safari of the Gujarat Marine National Park would not be worth it if time were not devoted to watching the life underneath the waters.  The mangroves may not be much to look at, but the diversity of life in the area, especially the small life, would be so great that it would amaze anyone. Of course, corals will always be the stars of the show.  Hiding behind the corals you can spot octopus and observe its amazing ability to change its colors and mend into the surrounding area. Puff-fishes are always interesting to see, together with dugong, a rare mammal. Enjoy the view of dolphins hunting together. Scuba divers would have a heavenly time seeing the coral structures underneath the water, complete with tenants and neon lights.  For those who do not want to get into a wetsuit, glass boats would provide the same views, but without the close up experience.

There are other sites that are outside of the park.  A close city, Jamnagar, has a number of historic sites that are worth visiting.  Lakhota Lake, in old Jamnagar, has two magnificent structures in the middle of it, both magnificent and imposing.  One can visit the structures as one has been converted into a museum.  With the number of animals to see in the Marine National Park though, at times tourists don't even bother going anywhere else.