Rameshwaram, India: travel guide
Southernmost pilgrimage island linked by the Pamban Bridge, site of the Ramanathaswamy Temple with its legendary 1,212-metre corridor.
- Country
- India
- Currency
- INR
- Time zone
- Asia/Kolkata
Top places to visit in Rameshwaram
Ramanathaswamy Temple
Temple · 4.7 rating · about 2 h
One of the Char Dham and a Jyotirlinga, this island temple is famed for the longest pillared corridor in India and 22 sacred theertham wells for ritual bathing.
Dhanushkodi (Arichal Munai)
Beach · 4.6 rating · about 2 h
A hauntingly beautiful ghost town at the island's tip, washed away by the 1964 cyclone, where the Bay of Bengal meets the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka.
Pamban Bridge
Viewpoint · 4.6 rating · about 0.8 h
India's iconic sea bridge linking the island to the mainland — the historic cantilever rail bridge and the new road bridge offer dramatic ocean views.
Agni Theertham
Beach · 4.4 rating · about 0.8 h
The sacred beach right behind the temple where pilgrims take a holy dip in the sea before darshan, especially moving at sunrise.
APJ Abdul Kalam Memorial
Museum · 4.5 rating · about 1 h
A striking national memorial to the "Missile Man" and former President born in Rameswaram, with galleries, models and his resting place.
Five-faced Hanuman Temple
Temple · 4.3 rating · about 0.5 h
A temple displaying floating stones said to be from Rama's bridge (Setu) and a striking five-faced Hanuman idol, a popular pilgrim stop.
Gandhamadhana Parvatham
Viewpoint · 4.3 rating · about 0.8 h
The highest point on the island, a hillock shrine housing Rama's footprints with a panoramic two-storey view over Rameswaram and the sea.
Kothandaramaswamy Temple
Temple · 4.3 rating · about 0.5 h
The only structure to survive the 1964 cyclone on the Dhanushkodi spit, a Rama temple marking where Vibhishana is said to have surrendered.
Ariyaman (Kushi) Beach
Beach · 4.2 rating · about 1.5 h
A clean, shallow beach near Pamban with calm waters and water sports, good for a family swim away from the temple crowds.
Lakshmana Theertham
Heritage · 4.1 rating · about 0.3 h
A sacred temple tank near the main temple linked to Lakshmana, one of the ritual bathing stops on the Rameswaram pilgrim circuit.
Things to do
- Ramanathaswamy Temple Darshan & Theertham Bath Cultural · 2.5 h · from INR 25 per person
- Dhanushkodi Land's End Jeep Tour Nature · 3 h · from INR 1,500 per person
- Pamban Bridge Viewpoint Visit Activity · 0.8 h · from INR 300 per person
- Rameswaram Pilgrim Circuit Tour Cultural · 4 h · from INR 1,000 per person
Day trips and tours
- Rameswaram Island Full-Day Tour 9 h · from INR 1,800
- Dhanushkodi & Pamban Half-Day Trip 5 h · from INR 1,500
- Rameswaram & Madurai Day Trip 13 h · from INR 3,000
Where to stay in Rameshwaram
- Temple Town about INR 2,000 per night
Sacred pilgrimage area near temples with accommodation
Hotels
- Hyatt Place Rameswaram 4-star · INR 5,500 to INR 9,500 per night
- Daiwik Hotels Rameswaram 4-star · INR 4,000 to INR 7,000 per night
- Hotel Sri Saravana 3-star · INR 2,500 to INR 4,500 per night
- Hotel Pearl Residency 3-star · INR 2,800 to INR 5,000 per night
- Hotel Royal Park 3-star · INR 2,200 to INR 4,000 per night
- Backwaters Hostel Rameswaram 2-star · INR 500 to INR 1,500 per night
Where to eat
- Devasthanam Annadanam South Indian, Tamil · about INR 200 per person
- Hotel Vasantha Bhavan South Indian, Tamil · about INR 180 per person
- Ashok Bhavan South Indian, North Indian, Chinese · about INR 200 per person
- Hotel Sri Saravana Bhavan South Indian · about INR 180 per person
- Sri Murugan Mess Tamil, Seafood, Chettinad · about INR 250 per person
- Arya Bhavan South Indian, North Indian · about INR 200 per person
- Sea View Restaurant South Indian, Cafe, Snacks · about INR 180 per person
- Hotel Tamil Nadu Restaurant (TTDC) South Indian, North Indian · about INR 250 per person
Getting around
- Auto Rickshaw main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Taxi main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking
Every city has walking. 2.5 km ceiling is a placeholder default, not a researched per-city figure -- Singapore is sheltered and air-conditioned, Bangkok often has no pavement.