India, Aug. 27 -- For most of the day, there is no island to be seen. But for a fleeting window during low tide, a sandy patch emerges from the Arabian Sea off Maharashtra's Konkan coast, drawing visitors eager to catch a glimpse before the sea covers it again.

Known as Seagull Island, the unusual attraction is located near Devbag in Sindhudurg district, close to Malvan. Travel reports have popularised it as an island that appears for only about 30 minutes a day, although the precise duration depends on tidal conditions and can vary.

There is no mystery behind the island's disappearing act. It is essentially a low-lying sandbar whose visibility is governed by the tides.

When the sea recedes during low tide, the sandy stretch becomes ex...