Trip to Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu

We started from Bangalore at around 2 am and took the NH 7. Its a very good (6 lane) road to drive till Madurai. Krishangiri, Dharmapuri and Salam are on the way before you reach Madurai. If you plan to have breakfast then I would suggest Sarvana Bhavan near Dharmapuri. As we started early in the morning we decided to get fresh before we went to Madurai temple so we stopped near a lodge (I don't remember the name of the lodge) on NH7 near Dindigul (about 50km before madurai). He charged us Rs 300 for 3 people. It was a good and very tidy.

We then headed to Madurai temple (their is a parking place just near to way that leads temple east entrance) rush in the temple was very less so we have darshanam in 30 min(do not forget to visit Lord Shiva or SundharaMurthi temple after you visit Meenakshi temple in the same compund , their is a 1000 pillar temple in the same compund ). We started our Journery to Rameshwaram and route from Madurai to Rameshwaram is 2 way 170 Km with out a divider and its AH43 raod is ok with few pot holes but its manageable but be careful (lorrys, travel vans and few villlages the way) .

We reached Rameshwaram by 1 PM you will enter Rameshwaram via Pambam bridge , its very scenic near pambam bridge(you can stop you car on bridge side. started to look for a hotel to stay as we have started our journey early in the morning.Out for my experience in Rameshwaram its  you will find good hotels near main temple just go near main temple parking and you will find a barricade and police will ask you to park your car in the govt parking tell him that we are looking for a hotel and you find several agent their waiting for customers. Agent took us to Senthil Murugan Hotel and place was good and affordable, charged us RS1500 for AC room for 3. They will suggest for a guide rs 300 but is not needed(you will find clear sign boards in english and hindi for all the tourist spots).

We took rest and in the evening we started to Dhanushkodi beach but came to now that permit to Dhanushkodi  village will be  closed by 5pm  but you can enjoy the beach nearby.  next day early morning we headed to Main temple. Temple consists of 22 wells in same temple compound and its considered sacred to take bath in them and then visit the Lord Shiva. From their we visited Rama padha which is around 5 to 6 km from mail temple on a little high ground from thier to Laxmana Padha (its in the city ) and from their straight to Dhanushkodi 20 km from Rameshwaram city  . You need to park you car thier and need to take maxi van (150 per person) in order to reach the destroyed village of Dhanushkodi by cyclone in 1964 its one of the main tourist attractions .maxi van will take to through beach sand and water normal cars will not be able to make it as sand is deep may be you can try bike but not suggested. New road is being built when I visited so next time no maxi van ...you will find destroyed railway station school, raiway quaters etc  and point where bay of bengal and Indian ocean meat,Ramsethu.

You can plan to Kanyakumari from Rameshwaram but did not have time so took our way back to Bangalore.....I can conclude saying that visit to Madurai and Rameshwaram temple is a must...