Places to Visit in Kilakarai

The pearl-fishing coast town base for the Erwadi dargah and the old port at Periyapattinam.

Uthirakosamangai Mangalanathar Temple, Kilakarai
Practical guide

Plan Kilakarai

Who's going?Tailor Kilakarai to your trip
DistrictRamanathapuram
RoleCoast-town base
Places to visit5
What to expect

Highlights

  • Uthirakosamangai Mangalanathar Temple — An ancient Shiva temple near Ramanathapuram known for its unique musical stone pillars that produce distinct notes when tapped.
  • Adi Jagannatha Perumal Temple — A Vishnu temple at Thiruppullani, one of the 108 Divya Desams, marking the legendary spot where Rama rested and prayed before crossing to Lanka.
  • Erwadi Dargah — A revered Sufi dargah at Erwadi, the shrine of Hazrat Syed Ibrahim Shaheed Badhusha, drawing pilgrims of multiple faiths especially during its annual Kanduri festival.
  • Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary — A small wetland sanctuary near Mudukulathur that attracts painted storks, herons, and other waterbirds for nesting during the breeding season.
  • Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary — A tank-based bird sanctuary near Mudukulathur that hosts large seasonal colonies of painted storks, cormorants, and egrets.
Timing

Best time to visit Kilakarai

Weather in KilakaraiSeasonal guide

Live forecast loads in your browser.

Today at Kilakarai
Sunrise6:07 am
Sunset6:25 pm
Golden hour best light5:25 pm–6:25 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:25 pm–6:50 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 279°
Moon tonight🌖 Waning gibbous · 83%
South-west monsoon. June to September is the south-west monsoon in Tamil Nadu. Expect heavy showers, mostly in bursts rather than all day — carry rain cover, allow extra time for getting around, and note that ferries and open-air sites are the first things affected.

Sun and moon are calculated for this location and shown in IST. Photography windows are the hour around sunrise and sunset; the sunset bearing is degrees clockwise from true north. Moon phase is accurate to about half a day.

Nearby bases

Where to go from Kilakarai

Ramanathaswamy Temple, RameswaramFeatured: Ramanathaswamy Temple
Town / base

Rameswaram

The sacred island town base for the Ramanathaswamy temple, the Abdul Kalam memorial and the tip road out to Dhanushkodi.

Ramanathaswamy TempleDr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam National MemorialA. P. J. Abdul Kalam House (Memorial Museum)Gandhamadhana Parvatham
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Ramalinga Vilasam Palace, RamanathapuramFeatured: Ramalinga Vilasam Palace
Town / base

Ramanathapuram

The mainland district headquarters, base for the Ramalinga Vilasam palace, the Uthirakosamangai temple and the western bird sanctuaries.

Ramalinga Vilasam PalacePeriyapattinam
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Dhanushkodi, DhanushkodiLand's-end base
Town / base

Dhanushkodi

The wind-swept south-eastern tip, base for the 1964 ghost town, Arichal Munai and the Rama Setu shoals toward Sri Lanka.

DhanushkodiArichal MunaiAdam's Bridge (Rama Setu)Kothandaramar Temple
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Pamban Bridge, MandapamFeatured: Pamban Bridge
Town / base

Mandapam

The mainland gateway to Pamban island, base for the two Pamban sea bridges and the Gulf of Mannar marine park boats.

Pamban BridgeNew Pamban BridgeKrusadai Island
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Oriyur base
Town / base

Oriyur

Oriyur area of the district.

St. John de Britto Shrine, Oriyur
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Alagankulam base
Town / base

Alagankulam

Alagankulam area of the district.

Alagankulam Archaeological Site
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Adhi Ratneswarar Temple, Thiruvadanai, ThiruvadanaiFeatured: Adhi Ratneswarar Temple, Thiruvadanai
Town / base

Thiruvadanai

Thiruvadanai area of the district.

Adhi Ratneswarar Temple, Thiruvadanai
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Kadaladi base
Town / base

Kadaladi

Kadaladi area of the district.

Melaselvanur-Keelaselvanur Bird Sanctuary
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Pasumpon base
Town / base

Pasumpon

Pasumpon area of the district.

Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar Memorial
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Thondi base
Town / base

Thondi

Thondi area of the district.

Thondi
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Valinokkam Beach, ValinokkamFeatured: Valinokkam Beach
Town / base

Valinokkam

Valinokkam area of the district.

Valinokkam Beach
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Uppur base
Town / base

Uppur

Uppur area of the district.

Veyil Ugandha Vinayakar Temple, Uppur
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Thiruvetriyur base
Town / base

Thiruvetriyur

Thiruvetriyur area of the district.

Bagampriyal Temple, Thiruvetriyur
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Emaneswaram base
Town / base

Emaneswaram

Emaneswaram area of the district.

Emaneswarar Temple, Paramakudi
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Places in Kilakarai

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Kilakarai guides, stories & itineraries

We have not published a story about Kilakarai itself yet. These cover Ramanathapuram, the district it sits in, and travel in Tamil Nadu generally.

Nearby in Ramanathapuram

We have not published a story about a place in Kilakarai itself yet. These are the nearest things we have written.

Tamil Nadu-wide guides & itineraries

Route-level itineraries and practical guides for the rest of the state.

See all 10 Ramanathapuram guides & stories →

Map

Where things are in Kilakarai

FAQ

Kilakarai travel FAQs

What are the best places to visit in Kilakarai?

Top places to visit in Kilakarai include Uthirakosamangai Mangalanathar Temple, Adi Jagannatha Perumal Temple, Erwadi Dargah, Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary, Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary — each has a full guide with how to reach it and what to see nearby on this page.

What is the best time to visit Kilakarai?

November to February is the coolest, most comfortable season to visit Kilakarai and the rest of Tamil Nadu. April to June is very hot, and the October–December north-east monsoon brings the delta its main rains.

Image credits