Varkala Travel Guide: Cliffs, Papanasam Beach and the Backwaters

Varkala lies in Thiruvananthapuram district, 51 km north of the city and 37 km south of Kollam, the district administration says. Kerala Tourism describes a beach town unlike Kovalam: it still has a calm ambience and lacks the bustle usually associated with Kovalam, and it is also a major pilgrim destination. Most sights are within a short drive of the cliff.

Papanasam Beach and the Janardhana Swamy Temple

Papanasam Beach, also called Varkala Beach, takes its name from the belief that prayer at the temple and a dip in the sea absolve sins. Kerala Tourism adds that the temple is an auspicious place for pitrkarma, the ritual offering to departed souls. The Janardhana Swamy temple, dedicated to Vishnu, has a history of some 2,000 years, Kerala Tourism says, and stands on a steep hill at the entrance of the beach road, facing the beach. Rituals take place on the sand, so keep some distance from them, and dress modestly at the temple.

The red cliffs and the Varkala Formation

Kerala's coast is generally flat, Kerala Tourism notes, and Varkala is the only beach in southern Kerala with cliffs beside the sea. The Geological Survey of India has declared the "Varkala Formation" a geological monument. The plateau on top holds many hotels and restaurants, and natural springs in the cliffs are believed to have medicinal qualities. A cliff-top path lined with cafes, guesthouses and shops runs along the edge, with steps and ramps down to the sand. Edges are unfenced in places, so take care after dark or in wet weather. Our Varkala cliff beach day is built around this stretch and usually ends with sunset from the cliff-top.

Thiruvambady Beach, the black sand beach

Kerala Tourism describes Thiruvambady Beach, also called the Black Sand Beach, as a secluded stretch next to the North Cliff, cherished by residents of Thiruvananthapuram as well as visitors, and a quieter place than Papanasam for a weekend away. You can either climb down the cliff or drive about one kilometre. The black sand is its distinguishing feature. As on all of Varkala's beaches, look for lifeguards before you swim.

Kappil Beach and Kappil Lake

About 6 km north of Varkala town, Kappil Lake is an estuary bordered by coconut groves that merges into the Arabian Sea. Kerala Tourism says the Department of Tourism runs a boat club where you can hire pedal boats, and that Kappil Beach, where lake and sea meet, is a secluded rocky stretch. A train or bus between Edava and Kappil gives a view of the estuary.

Sivagiri Mutt

About 3 km from Varkala town, Sivagiri Mutt is the headquarters of the Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham. Sree Narayana Guru built a hermitage on Sivagiri hill in 1904, and his samadhi draws thousands of pilgrims. The octagonal Sarada temple, which the Guru designed and dedicated to Saraswati, stands in the campus. Kerala Tourism notes the Sivagiri pilgrimage from 30 December to 1 January and the Guru's birthday and samadhi day in August or September, so expect crowds on those days. Dress modestly here too.

Anjengo Fort at Anchuthengu

About 12 km from Varkala, Anchuthengu, formerly Anjengo, was the East India Company's first trade settlement: the Queen of Attingal allowed a factory in 1684 and the fort was built in 1695, Kerala Tourism records. The fort is an enclosed bastion with high laterite walls, lookout points and entrances to the east and west, and the Attingal rebellion of 1721 laid siege to it.

Ponnumthuruthu, the Golden Island

About 12 km south of Varkala, Ponnumthuruthu is reached by country boat from Nedunganda, a trip of about 30 minutes through the backwaters, Kerala Tourism says. Legend says the queens of the Travancore royal family hid gold and ornaments there, which gave the Golden Island its name. A Shiva Parvathi temple stands among the coconut groves, and the whole island is temple property, so visit as you would a shrine.

Akathumuri, Chilakoor and the Varkala tunnel

Kerala Tourism lists Akathumuri, a calm lake where cormorants and cranes come in season, with country boat rides and a small coir-making unit. Chilakoor Beach, about 15 km from Varkala and bordered by casuarina groves, is known for its sunsets. The two Varkala tunnels, built under the British between 1867 and 1880, once linked the backwater canals; they carry little traffic now.

Varkala shares Kerala's two monsoons, so October and November are wet. Varkala's own brochure points to Thiruvananthapuram as the nearest IMD station, where rainfall is lowest from December to March: 63.0 mm in December, 22.9 mm in January, 23.5 mm in February and 41.2 mm in March. Rain returns with 117.9 mm in April and 195.4 mm in May, and the south-west monsoon, which normally reaches Kerala on 1 June, brings 302.9 mm in June, 209.1 mm in July, 140.9 mm in August and 188.1 mm in September. The north-east monsoon follows with 281.5 mm in October and 198.0 mm in November, close to June's total.

Kerala Tourism says Varkala is less visited in the monsoons because of sea erosion and heavy downpour, and our cliff beach day notes that currents can be stronger than they look. IMD's seasonal averages put daytime highs between 30.4 and 33.1 °C all year. Our best time to visit Kerala guide has the whole state month by month.

Kerala Tourism says hotels line the town and the plateau of the cliffs overlooking the sea; the cliff-top strip is the most convenient, because cafes, shops and the path to the beach are on your doorstep. A quieter stay in the town or near Kappil trades that for calm. Temples and Sivagiri are a short drive from the cliff.

• Not all of Papanasam Beach is lifeguard-patrolled, and currents can be stronger than they look; ask a local guide or your hotel for the safer stretches before you swim.
• Cover up on the cliff-top path through the cafe and shop area, and at the temple and Sivagiri.
• Keep some distance from the rituals on the sand, and expect crowds around 30 December to 1 January.
• Take care after dark; the cliff edge is unfenced in places.
• In the monsoon, expect heavy rain and rough conditions, and do not swim.