Chorwad
Location
: 23-km from Veraval
Distance Junagadh (66 Kms)
Language
: Gujarati, Hindi & English
Climate / best Season/
Best Time To Visit
: October to March
Entertainment rocky shores, boat riding & fishing
Once the royal summer retreat of the pleasure-loving Nawabs of Junagarh, the imposing Chorwad Palace and the lovely expanse of beach before it combine to make Chorwad unique.
Today, Chorwad lays claim to being India's only beach palace resort-the piece de resistance of Gujarat's beaches.
Many decades ago, Mohabat Khan, the Nawab of Junagarh chanced upon the sleepy seaside hamlet of Chorwad and saw its potential as an ideal summer resort cooled by fresh sea breezes from the Arabian Sea-an escape from the clammy, energy-snapping heat of Junagarh (also Junagadh).
Built in the 1930s, the spacious Chorwad Palace with its impressive façade, elegant interiors, projecting porticos and balconies and large arched windows reflects an interesting blend of Italian, Muslim and colonial influences.
The ambience and ethos of a royal bygone era have been recreated in the Palace. Luxurious rooms with exquisite décor, marble bathtubs, exclusive lounges, swimming pools, game and card rooms, video, and exotic seafood await guests at the Chorwad Palace.
Overall, Chorwad has rooms to suit every budget and taste-a choice of palace, cottage, deluxe, and economy rooms.
Outside, thoughtfully landscaped gardens and casuarinas which move gently in perfect rhythm with the wind complement the palace façade to provide a dream-like backdrop to horse-riding along the beach (the Kathiawadi thoroughbreds of the Junagarh Nawabs were once housed in the Palace), simply soaking in the sun or lazing on the shimmering sands or in the cool of some romantic nigh, walking along sands washed by the tide and silvered by the moon.
Visitors who are interested in swimming usually cross the fishermen's jetty and walk across to another beach where the sea is not as rough as on the seafront spread before the palace.
But the majority of visitors to Chorwad are content to let the water lap gently against their toes and surrender themselves to the magical royal quality of the sands of Chorwad.
NEAR BY ATTRACTION
Porbandar
the historic princely state on the shores of the Arabian Sea is famous as the birthplace of the Father of The Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. His old residence Kirti Mandir is now a memorial museum having a series of memorabilia and library. The Daria Mahal Palace facing the sea is a delightful work of architecture.
GETTING THERE
Rail: There are trains from Ahmedabad to Chorwad road station.
Road: An excellent road connects it to Junagadh, Girnar, the Gir Forest Sanctuary and the famous temple of Somnath.
City bus transport is available as well as various city sightseeing buses are available from Somnath and from Junagadh.