Tourism in Ramanathapuram district in Tamil Nadu offer a great opportunity to visit some of the best temples and a number of other tourist attractions including the Kurusadai Island, Annai Indira Gandhi Bridge, Sea World Aquarium, etc. Some of the well-known temples in this district which attract a large number of pilgrims as well as general tourists due to their great architectural design are Veyulugantha Vinayagar Alayam, Patham Priya Koil, Satchi Hanuman Temple, etc. There is also a famous place of pilgrimage for the Christians known as Oriyur. Oriyur is one of the most-noted pilgrim centers for Christians all over the world as it is home to the martyrdom of St. John De Britto, a Portuguese Jesuit also known as `Arul Anandar`. There is a shrine with its Portuguese facade and it contains a captivating statue of Arul Anandar offering his neck in humble submission to the executioner.
Kurusadai Islands
One of the major tourist attractions in the district of Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu state is the Kurusadai Island. This Island is located to the west of the Pamban Bridge between the mainland and the island. It is a marine biosphere, and it is considered to be a paradise for the marine biologists and nature lovers. Marine wealth is abounding at this place which attracts a large number of researchers and scholars to this Island. The Kurusadai Island is almost four kilometers from Mandapam. Away from the Kurusadai Island, one could also see a lot of coral-reef, fish, dolphins, sea-cows, etc.
Ramanathapuram
Another attraction in this district is Ramanathapuram, which is an ancient town and it is also the headquarters of the Ramanathapuram district. From this place the Sethupathis or the Chieftains ruled this territory. The Ramalingavilasam Palace with beautiful painting and the Tomb of Thayumana Swamigal are the places worth visiting. There is also a museum in this town. The Sea World Aquarium is located just opposite to the Rameswaram bus stand where one can get to enjoy the beauty of underwater creatures in their near natural habitat. It is the only one of its kind in the state, and probably in the country too, and it is filled with such varied marine life forms including exotic species like snake fish, octopus, sea lizard, parrot fish, cow fish, lion fish, sea squid, rabbit fish, butter fish, fire fish, crabs, lobsters, clown fish, sea lotus, beach tamet, prawns, starfish, sharks and sea horse. This place attracts a large number of general tourists as well as marine life lovers throughout the year.
Annai Indira Gandhi Bridge
The Annai Indira Gandhi Bridge is located in the district of Ramanathapuram. The bridge is 2.2 kilometers long and it connects the Rameswaram Island and the mainland. This is also the longest Indian bridge constructed over a bay. This bridge is also known as the Pamban Bridge. There is also a railway bridge connecting the island and it is known for its unique opening to pass the ships through the sea. Thus, the Ramanathapuram district forms a major tourist attraction due to the presence of some of the most beautiful temples, bridges, church, tomb and a number of other natural beauties.
