Varkala
Varkala is a town and municipality in Thiruvananthapuram district of the Indian state of Kerala.
The Varkala cliff formations found along a 7.5 km (4.7 mi) stretch of the Arabian Sea coast, formed by erosion during the Miocene–Pliocene, has been declared as a National Geological Monument by the Geological Survey of India. The Janardana Swami Temple, dedicated to Hindu god Vishnu, is located at Varkala.
Getting to Varkala
Varkala is linked by state and national highways to all the major cities in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The nearest airport is Trivandrum International Airport (50 km, 1 hr 15 min drive). State Transport Buses are available from Trivandrum. Bus service available from Varkala to many parts of South Kerala and Kanyakumari Varkala is also connected by the rail network.
Worth seeing
Coir Processing Centres. In the Backwaters of Akathumuri, Kadakkavur. East West University of Brahmavidya. Established by Guru Nitya Chaitanya Yati, Disciple of Nataraja Guru. Edava Beach. Beautiful and serene beaches where you can bask in the sun and salubrious climate. In fact Edava beaches are yet to be explored by the tourists.
Things to do
Kayaking and parasailing at Kappil: Beautiful lagoons running parallel to the sea are dotted with boating, kayaking and para sailing facilities. One can hire a scooter from Varkala and ride here. Kappil lies at a distance of 6 kilometers from Varkala north cliff and the ride is pleasant except for some peak hour traffic through Varkala town.
Where to eat
The only fancy restaurant available at Papanasam/Varkala is in the Taj Garden Retreat. Almost all hotels and resorts have room service. There are lots of restaurants at the cliff. Most of them and places-to-eat in the cliff are seasonal and spring up during the tourist season (beginning in late November). Try the fresh fish or seafood from any number of the cliff-top restaurants.
Getting around Varkala the local way
- Get inFrom Varkala Railway Station, taxis and auto rickshaws can be hired.
- Get inPapanasam Beach is around 5 km from Varkala Railway Station ₹40/₹50 by Auto Rickshaw).
- Get aroundThe town of Varkala is about 5 km inland, centered around the train station, and can be reached via autorickshaw for ₹80 The resort area lies along two cliffs, north and south, overlooking the beach areas.
- Go nextKollam - about an hour north by taxi, an easy half-day trip to take a boat ride on the backwaters.
From Wikivoyage: Varkala, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-08.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Alexey Komarov (CC BY 3.0), Wikimedia Commons.
