Pirotan Island, Jamnagar - Timings, Safari Cost, Best Time to Visit

At a distance of 10 km from Jamnagar Railway Station, Pirotan Island is an island situated in the Gulf of Kutch near Jamnagar. It is one of the beautiful islands in Gujarat and among the top places to visit in Jamnagar.

Spreads over an area of 3 Sq. km, Pirotan Island is one of the 42 islands which compose the first Marine National Park in India. It is one of the two islands in the Marine National Park opened for tourists, other one being Narara Island. Pirotan Island is a gem for the people who love nature and adventure as it gives an opportunity to witness the colourful coral reefs, mangroves, and incredible aquatic creatures like jelly fish, octopus, star fish, sea snakes, hermit crabs, sea horse, sea slugs, green sea turtles and dolphins. One can also spot some beautiful birds such as pelicans, herring gull, sea gull, and black-headed gull in the unruffled setting of nature.

Pirotan was originally known as 'Pir jo thaan' signifying the sacred place of Saint Khwaja Khizer Rahmatullahialaih. The holy shrine of the saint is also located on the island. The island also houses a lighthouse. The island is uninhabited except for the workers at Pirotan Island's lighthouse, the forest guard, and the Mujhavar (Server) at the Holy Saint Khwaja Khizer shrine. Most visitors come in the morning with the high tide and leave by evening. So, one can spend hours walking around the tidal flats at low tide, observing the fascinating marine life in solitude.

Pirotan Island lies about 7 nautical miles from Rozi Port and 12 nautical miles from Bedi Port. There is no regular ferry service to the island. One has to hire boats from the Bedi port or Rozi Port and it takes about 1.5 to 2 hours to reach the island. Since the beach is very shallow, the boats can only reach the island during high tide and leave the island during high tide. The tide timings need to be enquired with the locals as they tend to change with the change in the position of moon. There is no place to stay, no food and no water at the island. The tourists should bring their own food and water as they will have to stay at Pirotan for about 10-12 hours as the High tide usually has a cycle of 12 hours.

Before coming to Pirotan one needs to follow a strict official procedure as per which the permission of Forest Department, Customs Department and the Ports needs to be taken. In case of a foreign national, an additional permission from the Police Department is also required. 'Nawanagar Nature Club' organizes 1-day tour to Pirotan Island.

Timings: Depends on the tides.

Entry Fee (round trip): Rs. 2100 - Rs. 2500 per person (includes permits, boat rent and packed meals & water)