A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Dholavira is one of the two largest Harappa-era (3300 BCE to 1300 BCE) sites in India, located on Khadir Island. The Bronze Age historic proto-settlement is spread across 120 acres, giving you glimpses of a well-planned city with an excellent water conservation system. There are reservoirs, wells and water filtration systems, besides the remnants of fortifications, citadel walls and an amphitheater. Look out for a unique inscription with large pictographic symbols (yet to be decoded), plus the remains of a bead-making workshop, servants' quarters and bhungas (traditional mud houses made by the nomadic tribes in the region). There is a museum on-site, detailing Gujarat's other Harappan sites and showcasing some fossils uncovered nearby.
It’s best to organize your own transport: the only bus to Dholavira leaves Bhuj at 2pm (six hours) and starts back at 5am.