The Brahmaputra is never out of sight or mind on Majuli — the island exists at the river's pleasure, and each monsoon reshapes the banks, claiming farmland and occasionally houses. The southern shore gives the most dramatic sense of scale: the main channel here is several kilometres wide, with the forested Assam hills visible on the far bank and ferries tracking slowly across in the current.
Sunset from the southern riverbank is one of Majuli's reliable pleasures. The light on the water in the dry season — clear and golden — and the silhouettes of fishing boats make for the kind of view that explains why people come here. Small fishing villages along the bank operate dug-out canoes; watching the fishermen lay nets in the early morning and retrieve them at dusk gives you a version of Brahmaputra life that hasn't changed much. The shoreline is also productive for birdwatchers — river terns, sandpipers, and occasional brahminy kites work the shallow margins.