Bhavnagar is located on the southeast corner of the Kathiawar peninsula in the Saurashtra plains. Once the capital of a princely state, Bhavnagar is home to several lakes and temples. It is in fact more of a convenient base to visit the Jain temples at Palitana and the Velavadar Sanctuary, the home of the famous Indian Black buck.

Founded in 1743, by Bhavsinhji Gohil, on the site of a small village of Vadva, near the creek, Bhavnagar was once a flourishing port. Today, however the only activities related to the sea near Bhavnagar take place at the port of Ghogha and Alang. The Bhavnagar lock gate keeps ships afloat in the port at low tide.