Dhanushkodi Beach

Tamil Nadu, India

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Dhanushkodi Beach is a pristine, remote beach on the southern tip of Rameswaram Island in Tamil Nadu, India, where the Bay of Bengal meets the Gulf of Mannar at a point called Arichal Munai, creating a striking confluence of waters.

The name Dhanushkodi means “Tip of the bow,” and the site is deeply significant in Hindu mythology as the place where Lord Rama is believed to have pointed the end of his bow and where his army built the legendary Ram Setu (Adam’s Bridge) to reach Lanka. Before 1964, Dhanushkodi was a bustling town, but it was devastated by a catastrophic cyclone and largely abandoned, leaving behind haunting ruins of a church, railway station and other buildings that now add a ghost-town atmosphere to the landscape.

The beach stretches around 15 km with wide, white-sand shores and turquoise waters, making it a serene spot for walking, swimming, surfing, photography and watching spectacular sunrises and sunsets, though strong currents mean swimmers should be cautious. Migratory birds such as gulls and flamingos visit during winter, and the area offers easy access to nearby attractions like Ariyaman Beach, Dhanushkodi Temple, Ramar Patham Temple and the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, with the best visiting season from November to March when the weather is cool and pleasant.