Top 8 attractions of Varkala | Varkala : a magical bubble

 

Top 8 attractions of Varkala (a blog)

Previous blog~ Camping at Munroe Island

After an early check-out from my campsite at Munroe island, and stopping by Tangasseri lighthouse, I finally reached Kollam Jn at half past noon (12.30 pm). The next train to Varkala (my next destination) is at 15.00 hrs leaving me with a choice of taking the hour long govt bus.

There’s a great deal to do in Varkala, but all that can wait, I was in no hurry. What I felt more important was to seek suitable lodgings for a month-long stay. So after 2 days of trial and error, I was lucky to finally get a single room with a private bath for 7500 rs at a small cottage-style guest house along the cliff.

I would recommend a 3-4 days stay here if you want just a short vacay.

Here are Top 8 Things to do in and around Varkala that you will never regret!

#1 making new friends

Varkala is a tourist hotspot, popular with long-stay foreign tourists and many independent solo travelers who seek a quiet time meditating, doing yoga or just relaxing. It’s quite possible to bump into some people more often and thus a great opportunity to get to know people from different places around the world. On my 4th day here I made friends with a Lithuanian lady and we buddied up for an occasional meal, walks and some outings.

#2 do yoga

There’s a big yoga scene here with most hotels offering yoga classes both morning and evening, and you can easily spot small groups practicing yoga. So find a course that suits you and yoga.

#3 Kerala ayurvedic massage

This is what I found interesting. Due to my thyroid condition, I was suffering from severe hair loss when a friend recommended Kerala ayurvedic treatment. I was skeptical at first, but thought of giving it a try.

Ayurveda is a holistic healing system having its roots in Hinduism, and ayurvedic massage is a therapy that uses herbal medicinal oils to treat physical, mental and emotional imbalances. It is practiced predominantly in Kerala and Varkala is one such place where you can find plenty of ayurvedic treatment centers that cater to people who seek a cure.

#4 cliff promenade at Varkala

Varkala cliff promenade, Kerala

The cliff alongside Varkala beach is lined with hotels, restaurants, stalls selling curios and a dozen ayurvedic massage centers. Here’s where the action is...

📌 a leisurely walk along the cliff promenade (north wards)

The cliff promenade itself is about 2 km long, but you can continue walking even farther. With a good pair of walking shoes, we started the hike soon after breakfast.

Tip : keep a change of clothes and towel for this hike as there are beaches along the way.

It’s a typical touristy scene here at Varkala cliff top, so after gliding by people and an easy pace, we first stopped by Black sand beach- which is a tiny cove with compact black sand. 

Varkala aquarium- unlike other aquariums I have been to, this one is truly fascinating. It’s big, well-maintained, and has a wide range of underwater species- seahorse, angel fish… but what caught my attention is the big jellyfish with detailed explanation. I totally recommend a visit to this aquarium.

After a great deal of legwork at the aquarium, we took a break at Vellakulam beach.

The trail is super easy, if you follow google maps to stop by the places mentioned. There were fewer hikers than I expected, and as it got lonelier we debated as to whether we should continue walking further, but we did anyway for almost 2 km till we reached Edava beach.

The best part of this trail are the views and the amazing sea breeze which we could enjoy throughout.

Towards Kappil beach, we reached an interesting part, like a bridge over an estuary. The view of the sea from above the bridge was so incredible. There were some fancy resorts in that part.

📌 having a meal at a cliff top restaurant

a restaurant at Varkala, Kerala

Afternoons are usually happy hours at some cliff top restaurants. On our return, we stopped by one such place and rewarded ourselves with chilled beer and sizzlers. Sitting at the cliff top restaurants and after a few gulps of beer, made me feel like a pirate watching out into the sea. I had no complaints about life for the moment.

#5 sunsets at Varkala beach

The main Varkala beach at sunset is often moderately crowded with pilgrims and tourists, but the rough sea, rocks and big waves are intimidating- it’s advisable not to go deeper into the sea.

sunsets at Varkala beach

Sunsets are so stunning, that I wanted time to stop for a moment longer.

#6 sundown vibes

The good vibes and eclectic crowd at sundown took me by surprise. It reminded me of North Goa in a way. Almost all cliff top restaurants lay out a wide array of seafood- jumbo prawns, pomfrets and other varieties of fish. You can select and they will prepare it for you (a bit pricey I must warn you)

#7 spiritual vibes

There are two important temples at Varkala. The Panayara Triporittakkavu Bhagavathi temple, located near the bus stand and Janardhana Swamy temple which is a place of pilgrimage. It is thus common to see a fair number of pilgrims in Varkala.

#8 Anjengo fort and lighthouse

view of Anjengo fort remains, from Anjengo lighthouse- Varkala, Kerala

Anjengo fort and lighthouse is located 12 kms south of Varkala enroute Kovalam by road and is a must visit. Anjengo has a long history of foreign invasion- the Portuguese, Dutch and the British who spent considerable time fighting each other here.

the backwaters and miles of coconut groves on one side & the sea on the other- view from Anjengo lighthouse, Varkala Kerala

Next blog~ Kovalam and Poovar backwaters