1 experience in Varkala
Varkala cliff beach day 
Varkala (Papanasam Beach), Kerala
Varkala cliff beach day
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Varkala travel guides
Varkala Travel Guide: Cliffs, Papanasam Beach and the Backwaters Travel guide · Destinations
Varkala Travel Guide: Cliffs, Papanasam Beach and the Backwaters
Varkala is the town on Kerala's south coast where red laterite cliffs rise directly above the Arabian Sea, the only such cliffs on the coast of southern Kerala. The main places to visit in Varkala are Papanasam Beach and the Janardhana Swamy temple, the cliff-top path, Thiruvambady's black sand beach, Sivagiri Mutt, Kappil Lake and Anjengo Fort. December to March is the dry season; allow two nights.
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Frequently asked questions
What is there to do in Varkala besides the beach?
Visit the hilltop Janardhana Swamy temple or Sree Narayana Guru's Sivagiri Mutt, find the springs in the cliff face, where people bathe for their believed healing powers, or head to Kappil beach, a few kilometres off.
What can you do in Varkala in the evening?
Watch the sun go down from the cliff edge, then eat at a cliff-top cafe looking out to sea. Carry a torch for the walk back along the cliff. In the last days of December, Sivagiri's pilgrimage brings thousands of pilgrims to town.
Is Varkala good for children?
Yes, with care. Our guide can show you the safer stretches of beach, but currents can be stronger than they look and parts of the cliff path have no fence, so keep small children close at hand.
Is Varkala worth visiting?
Yes, as a place to slow down at the end of a Kerala trip. Kerala Tourism describes it as calm, without the bustle of Kovalam, and its beach, cliff, temples and Ayurveda are close together. A full day covers the cliff and beach; two nights add a second sunset.
About Varkala Tours & Experiences
The best things to do in Varkala are a walk along the red laterite cliff, time on Papanasam beach below it, the sunset from the cliff edge, the Janardhana Swamy temple and an Ayurveda treatment. Our Varkala cliff beach day covers the cliff and the beach in one guided day, and two of our Kerala tours end here with two nights.
Reviewed by Experience My India Editorial Team · Updated 21 Oct 2026
Things to do in Varkala
Walk the cliff-top path
Varkala's red laterite cliff, right beside the sea, is unique among the beaches of southern Kerala, Kerala Tourism says. On our Varkala cliff beach day, a guide walks you past the cafes, guesthouses and shops along the top and shows you the viewpoints and the steps down to the sand.
Spend time on Papanasam beach
Below the cliff, Papanasam is a working beach and a sacred one, where pilgrims come to the water's edge to honour departed ancestors; keep a respectful distance. Lifeguards do not cover every stretch and currents can be strong, so our guide points out safer places to swim.
Watch the sunset from the cliff
The cliff faces west over the Arabian Sea and its cafes fill as the light drops; our beach day and the Backwaters Tour's free day both end with the sunset.
Visit the Janardhana Swamy temple and Sivagiri
The Janardhana Swamy temple, given a history of some 2,000 years by Kerala Tourism, looks down on Papanasam from its hill by the beach road. Sree Narayana Guru set up his hermitage on Sivagiri hill, 3 km from town, in 1904; pilgrims visit his samadhi there, most of all from 30 December to 1 January.
Take an Ayurveda treatment
Varkala hosts the second treatment stay of the Kerala Ayurveda Retreat — 10 days: a consultation at your resort on arrival, treatment again the next day and time on the cliff and beach that afternoon. The Kerala Backwaters Tour — 7 days leaves its free day open for one, booked locally.
Choosing between our tours and experiences
The cliff beach day, our one beach experience in Varkala, suits travellers staying nearby or driving in from Thiruvananthapuram. Our tours give Varkala the last two nights of a Kerala route, with a free day on the Backwaters Tour or treatment on the Ayurveda Retreat; compare them on Varkala tour packages. The Kerala family holiday spends its beach days at Kovalam or Varkala.
When to go for these
IMD's normals for Thiruvananthapuram, Varkala's district capital, put December to March under 65 mm of rain a month, but October and November at about 280 and 200 mm, near June's 300. In the monsoon, Kerala Tourism notes, sea erosion and heavy rain keep visitors away, so plan beach days for the dry months.
Planning tips
The cliff edge is unfenced in places, so take care after dark or in rain. Cover up on the cliff-top path through the shops, even if modest swimwear is fine on the sand, and dress modestly at the temple and at Sivagiri. Our Varkala travel guide covers getting here.
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