Two and a half kilometers of beach
all to me was my idea of enjoying the camping holidays with my family. The waves gambol in the few feet away. I’m at the
beach at Mandvi
Palace. It is in the middle
of 450 acres of mildly domesticated jungle that make up the backyard of Vijay
Vilas, the summer retreat of the former rulers of Mandvi, situated in Kutch,
Gujarat. It is the only private owned beach in India,
with the property extending to the waterline. I have heard that the Mandvi
family has refused offers from various chains to take over and the run the
palace as a hotel. Mr. Pragmulji
III is the current head of the family. I didn’t get to meet him either because
he was off campaigning for the elections way over on the other side of the
Gujarat, but when we spoke his enthusiasm for
the place was evident.  He liked the idea of tents instead of making sculptures
so he and his wife designed tents in their own way and got them made locally. It
is an accommodation of 10
pairs of guests at the moment, so it works out to a comfortable 200 meters of
beach per couple at peak occupancy. Well, I exaggerate and came to know that the
place was also for the day trippers however charging them a fee for access to
the beach, so it may not be so deserted.

The camp consisted of 10 tents in a
clearing, each sleeping two, a sand dune and a line of scrub and trees
separating them from the beach and protecting them from the worst of the
weather. Each one is set on its own concrete plinth, a little sit out in the
front with a couple of dinky camel leather deck chairs. The styling is
reminiscent of royal expedition tents like scalloped edges, carved finials atop
the tent poles, awning over the entrance. The tents are set rather too close to
each other, with the support ropes of neighboring tents overlapping. The tents
are triple layered, a candy striped inner tent, over that a thicker outer, and
over it all, a waterproof roof and the lack of natural ventilation is more than
compensated for with  a high power air conditioner.

Inside, a carpeted floor, twin beds,
bedside tables with small storage space, carved wood chairs and a writing table.
The chair are nice looking but not to comfortable. Lighting is a couple of lamps
beside the beds. At the back, behind the flap, is a largish tiled, walled
bathroom, its roof an extension of your tent.  Meals are delivered to your tent
or you can amble over to the thatched roof restaurant that looks out on to the
beach. It served continental, Chinese and Indian.

Overall, the place does itself a
disservice with its branding as it calls itself aluxury beach camp which raises expectations way too much. It is no doubt very
comfortable and gives fair value for money.