The beaches around Rameshwaram are shaped by the island’s geography: shallow, warm water on both the north (Bay of Bengal) and south (Gulf of Mannar) sides.
Agnitheertham, directly in front of Ramanathaswamy Temple, is where the ritual dawn bathing happens. It’s a wide sandy beach, but very much a place of pilgrimage rather than leisure. Arriving before sunrise you’ll find thousands of pilgrims already in the water.
The beach at Dhanushkodi, 20 km east at the island’s tip, is the one worth visiting in its own right — long, clean, almost deserted, with a surreal quality from the ruined ghost town directly behind it. The water is shallow and calm on the bay side.
The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park covers the surrounding waters, protecting coral reefs and seagrass beds with marine life including dugongs, sea turtles, and dolphins. Glass-bottom boat tours operate from the main beach area. January to March is the best period when the sea is calmest and clearest.