Interesting Facts About Varkala Beach in Kerala
I had never seen a beach by the cliff until I visited Varkala first in 2016. The reddish-brown Varkala cliff, perfect for surfing Varkala beach, and the hippie vibes made me fall in love with Varkala almost instantly. Back then, there were not many Varkala blogs and tourism had just started in Varkala and it was almost like visiting a virgin island with just a countable number of shops and eateries on the North Cliff in Varkala.
1. STROLL AROUND VARKALA CLIFF
What makes Varkala different from other beaches in South India is the red and brown cliff. Varkala is the only place in Kerala where cliffs are found adjacent to the Arabian sea. The view from Varkala cliffs takes your eyes beyond the usual beach shore.
North Cliff in Varkala has many cafes, small shops set up by people from Kashmir, Rajasthan, selling all kinds of hippie stuff. South cliff in Varkala, on the other hand, is quiet and untouched by tourism. To get a ‘Varkala Feel’ you need to stroll around these cliffs and listen to worldly music being played in the cafes and people calling you out either for a message or some cheap shopping
2. EXPLORE THE VARKALA BEACH (PAPANASAM BEACH)
Varkala beach, surrounded by the rustic red cliffs is the main beach in Varkala and is also religiously important for Hindus as offerings for the lost ones are being made here. The swimmers and travelers mostly find their base at the north end while the ceremony is held at the other end.
During my Varkala trip, it had become a morning ritual to start the walk from the Northside of the Varkala beach, see the rituals being performed, and then keep walking beyond to the South Cliff. This one hours’ walk right after the sunrise made me forget about the office hustle, stress, city life. Sunset from the Varkala beach is also mesmerizing.
3. WALK AROUND THE BLACK BEACH IN VARKALA
I had never seen a black beach before and when someone told us that after a 15 minutes walk from the North cliff in Varkala, we could see a small stretch of black beach, I was so excited to explore this side of Varkala. Indeed, I saw the black sand and not many people on this side of Varkala. Black beach in Varkala is away from the hustle and crowd of the main Varkala beach and the cliff.
4 . WATCH THE SUNSET AT ODAYAM BEACH
If you go even further north from the Black beach, you will reach another beach called ‘Odayam beach’. Since it is further away from the cliff, it is a peaceful alternative to dip in the sunset colors. Odayam beach is around 1 km from the North Cliff in Varkala.
5. GO TO KAPIL BEACH AND KAPIL LAKE
There is a reason Kerala is called ‘God’s Own Country’. It connects you with nature in the most amusing ways you can imagine. If you drive north from Varkala, you will reach Kapil beach and Kapil Lake. There is a golden sand beach on one side and coconut trees surrounding a beautiful lake on the other. If you are looking for water activities around the scenic lake, there are a few options available for boating and kayaking, etc. You can check out Swim Adventure Water Sports, though I have not personally visited them.
