Bhuj, the historic city in the Kutch region of Gujarat is a hidden gem filled with ancient architecture and brilliant landscapes.

From breath-taking white desert to beautiful royal palaces and centuries old architecture, Bhuj offers a perfect blend of heritage and natural beauty.

Read on to know what all we did in Bhuj.

Shri Swaminarayan temple
I would recommend starting your day with this temple visit. Upon entering, we were mind-blown by the white marble architecture of the temple. Temple has a peaceful vibe to it. This temple houses deities like Narnarayan and Radha Krishna.

Earthquake in 2001 has destroyed the original temple. Current temple is constructed after 2001. We were stunned at the intricate details of the temple.

Prag Mahal & Aina Mahal
Prag Mahal is a 19^th century palace located next to Aina Mahal. The moment you see the Prag mahal, you will feel transported to Europe as it is designed in Italian gothic style using sandstone. In addition to the Italian gothic style, tall clock tower proudly stands in the front reminding us of Europe. Prag Mahal also houses beautiful sculptures, mirror room and artefacts preserved.

As Aina Mahal is just adjacent to Prag mahal, we didn’t check the timings properly and reached Aina mahal around 12:15 PM. We came to know that Aina Mahal is closed from 12:00 PM to 03:00 PM. So we couldn’t explore Aina mahal. Both Aina Mahal and Prag Mahal was damaged during 2001 earthquake and the after effects are clearly visible.

Kutch Museum
Kutch Museum located opposite to Hamirsar lake is one of the oldest museums of Gujarat. Kutch Museum houses collection of Kutch textiles, historical weapons, antique coin, musical instruments and other artefacts.

Building was old and could have been maintained properly. But the exhibits has diverse collection of Kutchi things from tribal costumes to were good with information.

Chhattardi
Chattardi in Bhuj is basically cenotaphs built in the 18^th century to commemorate the dead. You can find cenotaphs carved out of sandstones with intricate carvings and beautiful sculptures. Even though the cenotaphs have tumbled down, this place was beautiful and reminded me of Hampi ruins.

We visited this place around noon. But I would suggest visiting this place during sunset. This is one of the offbeat places to visit in Bhuj. Though 2001 earthquake has damaged some of the structures, we could see restorations are under progress.

When we got dropped in Chattardi, we were sceptical as the entrance was very small with no proper signage. We wish it could have been maintained properly.

White Rann of Kutch
One of the biggest reasons for people to travel to Bhuj is to see White desert in Rann. To explore White desert and its surrounding areas, I would suggest keeping 3 to 4 days minimum. As we were running short of time, we could not explore Nirona village, Gandhi nu gam, Dholavira.

From White desert to black hill (Kalodungar) to “Road to heaven”, everything we explored was other worldly. This is one of the best experiences in India which shouldn’t be missed. Head on to the blog for more details about White Rann of Kutch.

Smruti van Earthquake Museum
Smrutivan Earthquake Museum is a memorial museum dedicated to the victims of 2001 earthquake. We heard from cousin that Earthquake simulator in the museum is so realistic with 3D visuals recreating the 2001 earthquake experience.

Monday is a holiday for Smrutivan Earthquake Museum. Unluckily we happen to be there in Bhuj only on monday. So we had to give it a miss. I would suggest including Vande mataram museum too. It’s better to keep in mind that most of the attractions will be closed on monday in Gujarat.

Even though people use Bhuj as a transit place for visiting White desert, I would recommend spending atleast two days for exploring the ancient vibes of city and another two to three days for exploring White desert and surrounding areas.

Tips :
1. Finding a hotel for eating breakfast in Bhuj is bit difficult. So it’s better to book a stay with basic kitchen facility.
2. You can explore local sightseeing using Auto Rickshaw itself.
3. Monday is a holiday for most of the big attractions. Plan accordingly.
4. Most of the hotels don’t serve non-veg (not even egg).