St. John de Britto Shrine, Oriyur

A coastal town on the Palk Bay about 44 km north of Ramanathapuram, referenced in Sangam literature as an important early-historic port renowned for pearl fishing and overseas trade, including with the Roman Empire. Its heritage temples include the Chidambareswarar (Nagareeswarar) Shiva temple, the Undhi Pootha Perumal temple and the Thondi Amman temple. Excavations near the Amman temple have yielded pottery and bricks said to be over 2,500 years old, and a medieval Indo-Arabian stone anchor has been recovered offshore.

A Shiva temple counted among the 276 Paadal Petra Sthalams glorified in the 7th-century Thevaram hymns of Tirugnanasambandar, ranked as the 253rd such shrine. It has an east-facing nine-tiered rajagopuram about 130 feet tall over a roughly 10-acre complex, with a swayambhu (self-manifested) lingam. The goddess Snehavalli is linked to the planet Venus (Sukra), so devotees visit to remedy Sukra-related afflictions.

An old temple at Thiruvetriyur listed among the district's heritage religious sites on the official Ramanathapuram district portal. It is noted locally as an ancient and architecturally striking shrine in the Tiruvadanai area. It remains a modest pilgrimage stop in the northern part of the district.

A Ganesha temple at Uppur whose name means the Vinayaka who 'desired the sun', as the deity is traditionally worshipped in the open under sunlight. By local legend Rama worshipped here on his way toward the crossing to Lanka. It is a well-known Vinayaka shrine on the district's temple circuit.

An ancient port settlement at the confluence of the Vaigai river and the Bay of Bengal, excavated by the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology. Finds point to maritime trade with Rome from about the 1st century BCE to the 5th century CE, including Mediterranean Rouletted ware, amphorae sherds, Roman coins, ivory bangles, glass beads and Tamil-Brahmi inscribed potsherds. It is regarded as one of Tamil Nadu's key early-historic trade ports, sometimes compared with Keeladi.

The 17th-century palace of the Setupati rulers of Ramnad, notable for its Indo-Saracenic architecture and the Darbar Hall with its ornate stucco work.

A Shiva temple at Emaneswaram near Paramakudi, the largest town in the district. It is one of the principal old temples serving the Paramakudi area, which also has a nearby Varadaraja Perumal (Vishnu) shrine. The temple is a local Shaivite worship centre on the western side of the district.

Opened in April 2025, this is India's first vertical-lift sea railway bridge, built alongside the century-old original Pamban Bridge to carry rail traffic to Rameswaram.

Opened in 1914, this was India's first sea bridge, linking Rameswaram island to the mainland across the Palk Strait with a distinctive double-leaf bascule section.

A historic coastal town near Kilakarai with old trading links across the Indian Ocean, home to a small Jewish inscription site and traditional boat-building activity.

A Vishnu temple at Thiruppullani, one of the 108 Divya Desams, marking the legendary spot where Rama rested and prayed before crossing to Lanka.

A temple in Rameswaram dedicated to Rama, one of several Rama-linked shrines on Pamban island connected to the Ramayana pilgrimage. It is a lesser-known devotional stop that complements the main Ramanathaswamy temple.