Varkala.

KERALA/INDIA/8.7379° N, 76.7163° E
WHAT TO DO
Coastal Walks·Surfing·Holistic Health
WHAT TO SEE
Sacred Traditions·Forts & History
WHAT TO EAT
Local Seafood·Street Food·Spices & Produce
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Varkala sits 45 kilometres north of Trivandrum, reachable in forty minutes by train. It is defined by red laterite cliffs dropping into the Arabian Sea and the ancient Janardanaswamy Temple. Varkala is worth visiting if you want to eat grilled seer fish on cliff paths, watch ancestral rites on Papanasam Beach, and surf mellow breaks. Look elsewhere if you expect lively nightlife, luxury resorts, or manicured heritage streets.

Last updated 18 Sept 2026

Field notes

Photographs · Wikimedia Commons
Kerala / India8.74°N 76.72°E
Varkala — Varkala Beach, Varkala, Kerala
Varkala Beach, Varkala, Kerala
Varkala — A fairy tail castle? It is the Vettakkada Thaqya Moschee, Varkala
A fairy tail castle? It is the Vettakkada Thaqya Moschee, Varkala
Varkala — Purple Nymphaeaceae Varkala
Purple Nymphaeaceae Varkala
Varkala — Varkala Cliff Beach (Kerala, India)
Varkala Cliff Beach (Kerala, India)
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What to do in Varkala Kerala India

Life here stretches along the top of the North Cliff, where a pedestrian path looks down on the Arabian Sea. Days move according to tides and heat: early surf sessions and temple visits, midday shade over iced lime juice, and sunset fish stalls displaying red snapper on ice. It suits independent travellers, surfers, and anyone who prefers quiet coastal rhythms and fish curry over organised resort itineraries.

24 hours in Varkala Kerala India

Start early at Janardanaswamy Temple before the heat builds, then walk down to Papanasam Beach. Head up to the North Cliff for a lunch of meen pollichathu. Spend the afternoon swimming at Black Beach, then settle into a cliffside table for sunset and fresh grilled calamari as fishing boats light the water. Select 1 Day above to see it.

2 days in Varkala Kerala India

A second day lets you rent a scooter and ride five kilometres north to Edava and Kappil Beach, where the backwaters run parallel to the sea. Eat a traditional vegetarian sadya served on a banana leaf at a town mess hall, then spend late afternoon exploring the quiet fishing harbour at Odayam. Choose 2 Days to expand the plan.

3 days in Varkala Kerala India

With three days, take a thirty-minute drive south to Anjengo Fort and its 130-foot lighthouse, then arrange an unhurried wooden canoe ride through the backwater mangroves. Finish your stay with an unhurried Ayurvedic massage and a final pot of clay-cooked fish curry near Temple Junction.

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