The twenty-one islands off the coast of Rameswaram lying within the Gulf of Mannar and which recently attracted a group of tourists on a deadly sea ride, are one of world's richest regions of marine biodiversity.The Gulf of Mannar located in the southeast coast of India extends from Rameswaram Island in the north of Kanyakumari in the south. It has a chain of 21 uninhabited islands, stretching from Mandapam to Tuticorin to a distance of 140 km along the coast. The islands occur at an average distance of 8-10 km from the mainland. The Gulf of Mannar is the first Marine Biosphere Reserve not only in India but also in South and South East Asia.
readmore
