Ramanathapuram, also called Ramnad, is the headquarters of the district that includes Rameswaram, yet most travellers drive straight through it. That is a pity. The town was the seat of the Sethupathis, chieftains who guarded the pilgrim route to Rameswaram and the shoals of Adam's Bridge, and it still has their palace, with painted rooms and a small state museum.
Around the town lie older and quieter attractions. Thiruppullani has a Divya Desam Vishnu temple tied to Rama's rest on sacred grass. Uthirakosamangai has a Shiva temple known for an emerald Nataraja. On the coast at Devipattinam, nine Navagraha stones stand in shallow sea water.
The district's other surprise is its birds. Five tank sanctuaries, Chitrangudi, Kanjirankulam, Melaselvanur-Kilaselvanur, Sakkarakottai and Therthangal, protect village irrigation tanks where herons, storks, ibises and pelicans nest in babul trees. They are simple sites with no published visitor facilities, and they depend on the northeast monsoon, so winter is the season.
Ramanathapuram suits unhurried travellers with a car. It works as a base for Rameswaram, a stop between Madurai and the island, or a short trip of its own for temples and birdwatching. Distances are moderate, roads are generally decent and crowds are far smaller than at the big pilgrimage towns.
Before you plan
Ramanathapuram at a glance
- Best months
- November to February for comfort and…November to February for comfort and for tank birds; March to September is hot and the sanctuaries are mostly dry. October to December brings the northeast monsoon rain.
- Ideal trip length
- 1 to 2 days on its own1 to 2 days on its own; 1 day if combined with Rameswaram
- Airport
- Madurai International AirportMadurai International Airport (IXM), about 125 km away, is the nearest international airport; Tuticorin is the nearest domestic airport at about 140 km
- Railway station
- RamanathapuramRamanathapuram (RMD), linked to Madurai Junction and Karaikudi Junction
- Getting around
- A hired car and driver is the…A hired car and driver is the practical choice; local buses and autos serve the town, but the sanctuaries and coast temples need your own vehicle
- Daily budget
- Roughly ₹1,500 to ₹4,000 per person…Roughly ₹1,500 to ₹4,000 per person per day including a car share, food and a modest hotel; varies widely
- Senior comfort
- Temples and the palace are level but…Temples and the palace are level but stone floors are hot at midday. The sanctuaries have no published seating or shade, so older travellers should watch from the car.
- Language
- TamilTamil; English is limited outside hotels and Hindi is little used
Prices, opening hours and weather change. Recheck live details before booking.
Best time to visit Ramanathapuram: January, February, December. Month-by-month weather →
How many days do you have?
Ramanathapuram itinerary
One good day
1 day in Ramanathapuram
Start at the Ramalinga Vilasam palace in town when it opens, and spend about an hour among the painted rooms. Drive about 10 km to the Adi Jagannatha Perumal temple at Thiruppullani. After lunch, go to Devipattinam for the Navapashanam stones, timing your arrival for low tide in the morning if you can. End with a short stop at Sakkarakottai if it is the bird season.
Day-by-day plan →Two days
2 days in Ramanathapuram
Palace, Thiruppullani and Devipattinam as above, with a long lunch break in town.
Day-by-day plan →Three unhurried days
3 days in Ramanathapuram
Palace, Thiruppullani and Devipattinam.
Day-by-day plan →
