The last time I visited Kerala was back in 2016. We only visited the most of touristy places – Periyar Park, Munnar, Kumarakkom, Alleypey, Kochi etc.
It was only thanks to Instagram reels and its influenzers that I got to know about Varkala. There’s no doubt I wouldn’t have visited Varkala had I still been in Mumbai. Being in Bangalore makes it easier to travel to places in South India.
Varkala might seem like a small place but it has tons to offer. I was there for 4 days and I still ended up missing a few items I wanted to tick off.
Here’s what I did and ate in Varkala:
Activites
Standup Paddle: I first came to know about Standup Paddle thanks to Youtube video of some canadian Youtubers. This seems like a popular activity in Canada! And I wanted to do it since 2020. We did it from Shiva Kayaking This place is closer to Lighthouse and Fort. If you could visiting you should club these three activities in a single day.
Kayaking in Mangrooves: Since we visited during a long weekend, we couldn’t get booking for Kayak in Mangroves in Monroe Island. Instead we Kayaked in Paravur Lake from Syzygy Ecosports which also has Mangroves. They only allow a 6.30AM cohort for the Kayak in mangroves since it gets more difficult to Kayak as the day gets hotter. We were offered 2 options – 1.5hrs and 4hrs of Kayak. The 4hrs of Kayak is 10KM total. We chose the 10KM option and were mostly dead while returning.
I have to say though Varkala is possibly the best destination in India to Kayak. Went 5hrs straight with undisturbed access to still water and mangroves. I have Kayaked (Is that even a word) at many places in India and almost all touristy places rush you through it. Instead, we were left on our own at Varkala. I absolutely loved it.
We paid: INR 990 each.
Surfing: I didn’t do this since I don’t know swimming and getting downed in the sea seemed like a daunting task. But you have options at Kappil Beach. It costs around INR 1.2K to 1.5K for each session of 1 hour.
Paragliding: Didn’t try this.
Lighthouse and Fort: I missed both of these since they are open only from 3-5PM. However, a lot of people were raving about how the lighthouse and Fort offer Ocean view on one side and backwater view on the other. I’d definitely visit again for these.
Jatayu Earth Centre: You know the story of Jatayu. There’s a beautilful sculpture to visit. We visited this on the last day when we were extremely tired and hence took the cable car to the top. You have an option to climb the 826 stairs too if feel adventurous. There’s an option to view the Jatayu rock from Helicopter which was closed when we visited. Would have loved to experience the top view of the rock. Please carry cash as they do not accept Credit cards or even UPI.
Beaches: Varkala Main beach from the North Cliff is kind of Crowded. This is the beach I saw in the photos on Instagram. It’s clean but crowded. You can take a walk or swim.
I’d also recommend visiting the beach from the South Cliff. It’s pretty empty and mostly “dominated” by firangs. If you’re visiting, I’d recommend two cafes below to chill and eat.
Food
InDa Cafe: Go mostly for the vibes. Food is decent and mid range in terms of pricing.
God’s Own Country Kitchen: Cannot recommend this restaurant enough. Again for the vibes. And the food. Do try out the sea food here. They also have live music and I’d recommend to reach here post 8PM.
Cafe Sarwaa & Cafe Trip is life: Both of these cafes have access to the south beach. You’ll mostly see firangs here but it’s quiet and offers beautiful views of the sea.
Darjeeling Cafe has a nice view and tasteless food. Still worth a visit with friends and get the sea side table.
Most Restaurants and Cafe on the North cliff has bad Alcohol. You’re better off skipping alcohol in this trip. We could only find Kingfisher Premium piss at most restaurants. The cocktails served are possibly with the cheapest Vodka or Gin. Veg food was 0.5/5 at most places.
I’ve added most of these places on Google Maps so you can plan nearby activities and food options – https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1_wLDiHnqvfhbb-_v_14VZYw7k6aGHbw&usp=sharing