Manapad Lighthouse

Manapad Lighthouse is a coastal lighthouse located in the fishing village of Manapad in Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu, overlooking the Gulf of Mannar. It serves as an active navigational aid for vessels along the southeastern coast. The white tower stands near Manapad Beach and the historic Holy Cross Church area. Known for panoramic sea views and sunset vistas, it is a modest visitor attraction within a historically significant coastal settlement linked to 16th-century Portuguese presence.

Visitors can expect a white masonry lighthouse tower situated on a low coastal elevation near Manapad Beach. The site offers open sea views over the Gulf of Mannar, views of the fishing village, coastline and the nearby Holy Cross Church complex. Access is typically to the lighthouse premises and, when open, to the balcony/lantern area via stairs. The surroundings are quiet and coastal, with sandy shoreline, rocky outcrops and fishing boats. It is primarily a sightseeing and photography stop.

Manapad is a historic coastal settlement noted for Portuguese presence in the 16th century and association with St. Francis Xavier in 1542. The lighthouse serves the busy coastal route along the Gulf of Mannar and continues the navigational history of this stretch of the Coromandel Coast. The present lighthouse tower is maintained by the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships as an active aid to navigation.

The lighthouse stands within the cultural landscape of Manapad, known for the Holy Cross Church (Holy Cross Shrine) and long-standing fishing community traditions. The village is a Christian pilgrimage centre and coastal cultural site, and the lighthouse is part of the contemporary maritime identity of the area.