Ariyaman Beach

Ariyaman Beach: On the side of Palk Bay in Ramanathapuram district, is the Ariyaman Beach.It is a much sought after tourist spot because the waters here are calm and the waves gentle. The beach is clean and fringed by casuarina trees that offer shade to those who like to picnic here. The watchtower and children's park are ever popular. Adding to the attraction are the waterside attractions with water scooters and wind surfing, and for the less adventurous the aquarium and museum. Pamban Road Bridge This engineering marvel took 14 years to complete and was inaugurated in 1988. It is designed like a bow over the sea to allow ships to pass beneath it. The bridge is 2.34 km. long, with a clearance of 24.4 mts. and it is supported by 79 pillars, 64 of which are built in the sea. Pamban Rail Scissors Bridge Connecting the island of Rameswaram to the mainland, this 2.06 km. long rail bridge was built in 1913. with stones brought from a distance of 320 km. and sand from 160 kms. The bridge was constructed on 145 stone pillars. A portion of the bridgeopens up likes a pair of scissors to let the ship pass under it. On December 22,1964, a devastating cyclone destroyed part of this bridge. The Indian engineers rebuilt it in exactly 45 days and made it operational once again.