Varkala, a quiet little coastal town, backdropped by the Arabian sea, lies at a distance of 40 km, on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram district. This hamlet is home to one of the best seasonal beaches in the world called Varkala beach, which is about 10 km from Varkala town. Varkala beach is also known as Papanasam beach as it is believed that taking a dip in the water here washes away all the sins.
Laidback Varkala beach is known for its lofty and lengthy red cliffs, dramatic sunsets, picture-perfect landscapes, deep green waters, prolonged beach stretches, coastal cuisines, coconut grooves, shacks, and tiny shops. And, if you are an adventure freak then you gotta try out parasailing, snorkeling, windsurfing, and surfing
Apart from this, Varkala has several other tourist spots like Janardhan Swamy which is 2000 years old, temple, Shivagiri Mutt, Sivagiri Tunnel, Archengo fort, beaches, and lighthouse.
There are two parts to the beach namely northern cliff and southern cliff. Northern cliff has a lot of stays, hotels, restaurants, resorts, and shops that are purely dedicated to the tourist crowds. Whereas the southern cliff is a contrast to the north with less crowd, quieter surroundings, and more of local people. Moreover, the south cliff side is considered more sacred and there is a road here that leads to Janardhana Swamy temple. But, today we will see how to spend a day in Varkala beach through some beautiful photos.
Now that, you have seen the introduction, let us get into the story right away. This is my first trip to one of the best offbeat beaches in Kerala.
Table of Contents
Varkala Beach Tour Through A Photo Story
Staying In Hostels
Town welcomed me with open arms. I stayed in one of the Portuguese style villas that are converted to backpacker hostels in the North cliff. They charged me around Rs. 500 for a day along with a delicious complimentary breakfast attached to it. This place sure seemed beautiful with lots of greenery and tall palm trees around. If you are traveling alone, hostels are the best place to make new friends, laze around the town, and save huge bucks. There is a wide range of hostels, homestays, and resorts, which is similar to the one I stayed in. You can choose the one that best suits your budget.
Streets leading to the beach are narrow and stuffed with trees on both sides. Not just beach walks, even strolling the streets of Varkala will leave a soothing effect on you.
Get up early and try heading to the beach in the wee hours to get a me-time. You will hardly find anyone except for some Fishermans who are making arrangements to sell freshly captured fishes. You can take a walk peacefully as the waves keep crashing at your feet and Sunrises above the horizon.
As the sun rises, beaches here tend to become a little busy. You can spot fishermen setting up the fish stalls right in the middle of the beaches. On the other hand, locals and restaurant owners lining up to cash in on fresh catches of seafood from fishermen
Breakfasts In Varkala Beach
When in Kerala never miss out on Puttu, one of the popular breakfasts across the whole of Kerala. Usually, they serve two kinds of Puttu, one made of wheat and another one made of rice. You can choose to have it either with banana and honey or with Kadala curry( Chana masala). I have a sweet tooth, hence I chose to have it with banana and honey.
Ghee dosas that are huge, crispy, and tasty are the specialty of this region. And, it is usually served with coconut chutney and sambar that is absolutely delicious. I had my breakfast in a restaurant called Ottupura that is budget-friendly as well as serves tasty food.
Papanasam Beach- The Sin Healer
This temple on the banks of the Arabian sea is where you can spot people performing spiritual or religious rituals. If you want to wash away all your sins then take a dip in Papanasam beach. Additionally, the water washes the plants that are nearby, which have medicinal value, hence giving rise to the healing power of water.
Time To Go For Shopping On The Cliff
Shop till you drop at the endless rows of shacks that are lined up on the North cliff. There is jewelry, handicrafts, clothes, food products, spices, ayurvedic products, etc lined up just for shoppers. Be prepared to bargain as they might charge a hefty amount knowing that you are a traveler.
Towards the Fisherman Village in North Cliff
As you enter the village, you can spot plenty of fishers working on their daily chores. Few of them catching fish, few repairing the nets, few getting their boats ready to march into sea, and few packing fishes that need to be sent to market.
On the other hand, I was clicking as many pictures as I could. This is when I heard some fishers calling me to help them pull a huge fishing rope, as one of their colleagues had fallen sick. I was a bit surprised at the beginning but my “never say never attitude” made me say “Yes” to their request. I can call this one of the most unique experiences of my life. When I looked from far away everything looked easy but once I laid my hands on the rope, I got to know, I was in for a hard day’s work. I nearly worked for 2 hours on a sunny day and at the end of it, I had no regrets. I was happy and fulfilled to have tried something new in life.
Fish Fry At Fishermen’s House
The story isn’t over yet. Fishers were humble and very nice to me. After the work was done, they invited me to their home and offered me a delicious fish fry for helping them out. The fish fry was out of the world and I had never tasted such an amazing thing before. Now, this is what you call a perfect day. I thanked them for the food and started marching north towards Kappil beach, which had black sand.
Now It Is Time For Lunch
Varkala beach Cliff has a variety of cuisines from all around the world. Be it Indian, Italian, Mediterranian, Thai food, Continental, or even local cuisines, you name it, it has got it.
These are some of my favorite choice of restaurants In Varkala Beach
- Trattorias Restaurant
- Clafouti
- God’s own country Kitchen
- Cafe del Mar
- The Bait & Hook: Seaside Restaurant
- Darjeeling Cafe
Most of the restaurants here are a little bit on a costlier side, as it mainly serves the tourist. If you are a backpacker and want to save a few bucks then try heading towards the Varkala main town. There are plenty of buses or auto-rickshaws to reach the main town. However, restaurants in town serve only local food but the taste is exceptional.
Sunsets in Varkala Beach
Restaurants on the north cliff are the best place to watch the sunset with some snacks to munch on and chilled beer in hand.
Laid Back Nightlife In Varkala
Just outside the restaurants, you can see the local fishermen showcasing their freshly caught seafood. You can choose your own food from whatever is being displayed and have it prepared in tandoori style by the restaurant people.
As the evening approaches, all the streets on the top of the cliff turn colorful with all kinds of lights being lit.
As Varkala is a holy town, none of the restaurants or beach shacks here are allowed or licensed to serve alcohol. However, most of the restaurants here do serve alcohol by charging a hefty amount, knowing that it is illegal.
I chose to have Karimeen Pollichathu or fish fried with spicy masala by wrapping a banana leaf around, one of the famous local delicacies.
Don’t expect parties to be as crazy as the parties that happen in Goa. However. Some beach shacks like “ Rock & roll” & few other lounges do play music till late night.
Furthermore, you can go watch kathakali performances as an alternative to night parties.
Conclusion
This is the best place if you want to relax, detox, or rejuvenate yourself peacefully. And, if you are allergic to the crowded beaches of Goa, then Varkala beach needs to be on your list.
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