Outrigger Canoe Tour

Enjoy an active excursion learning how to paddle & sail an outrigger canoe.  The year was around 200 AD when the first outrigger canoes came to Hawaii. It was then that hundreds of brave souls from Polynesia sailed thousands of miles through the Pacific Ocean in search of land. From far away places like the Marquesas and Bora Bora, they watched migrating birds come and go each season and knew that there had to be land somewhere out in the big ocean that surrounded their islands.

Over the years they set out in outrigger canoes that were large enough to carry 80 people. They were strapped together and filled with plants, animals and water and each year they managed to sail a little further as they followed the birds towards the Hawaiian Islands.

We sail & paddle along the coastline of Rameswaram creating opportunities to interact with wildlife & nature. We explore islets along the beautiful coconut tree alcove & get a chance to observe traditional fishing methods. There is an opportunity to snorkel since we navigate through  shallow bays on our trip. There are chances of spotting dolphins, sea turtles & marine biodiversity along the way. Refreshments will be served at our base after a rewarding trip.

2 hour excursion ₹ 3,000

Includes equipment rentals, safety gear, beach transfers & refreshments as per the itinerary & Instructor fee.

Located on the southeastern tip of the subcontinent, the Gulf of Mannar is known to harbour over 3,600 species of flora and fauna, making it one of the richest coastal regions in Asia. 117 hard coral species have been recorded in the Gulf of Mannar. Sea turtles are frequent visitors to the gulf as are sharks, dugongs, and dolphins. However, the combined effects of 47 villages, with a total population of around 50,000 has meant that over harvesting of marine species has become a problem. Fish catches have declined, as have pearl oyster, gorgonian coral, and acorn worm populations. Local fishermen rely on the reef to feed their families, but destructive fishing methods combined with the stress of pollution and coral mining have meant both nearshore and offshore catches have decreased. Endangered species include dolphins, dugongs, whales and sea cucumbers. In 1986, a group of 21 islets lying off the Tamil Nadu coast between Thoothukudi and Dhanushkodi were declared the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park. The park and its 10 km buffer zone were declared a Biosphere Reserve in 1989.