Long winding cliffs, warm waves soaking silver sands and stretches of dreamy rocklines – one look at this shore riddled with dozens of foreigners sunbathing under colourful, large umbrellas and surfing and you will think you are on a Miami Beach. In reality, this sandy gem is much closer to home. The sun-kissed Varkala Beach, nestled in the north end border of Thiruvananthapuram district in South Kerala where the Arabian Sea meets the coastline, is a surfing haven for tourists, both Indian and foreign.
For the adventurous, the lush waterscape makes for a great hub to conquer the waves or learn the art of surfing. Both beginners and professionals find Varkala Beach a great place to test their surfboard skills.
With a rising influx of foreign tourists, the location is also prime haunt for yoga enthusiasts and anyone looking to enjoy themselves in the lap of nature with spas and saunas. Apart from the beach attractions, the heritage Cliffside gives a picturesque view of the ocean with fishing boats lapping the waves in the distance, while snorkelers and surfers dive into the warm waters and bathers soak in the sun. Be it beach lovers or honeymooners, catching the sunset on the horizon and basking in the morning rays of the rising sun are reasons enough to stay over at any of the Cliffside resorts, beach shacks and homestays. Also lining the edge of the beach are untouched black rock formations bathed by sandy waters that are worth taking a trek over.
What makes this particular beach stand out from the rest of the South Kerala coastline is that it is the only one where cliffs line up along the Arabian Sea. Dating as far back as the Cenozoic Age, the exceptional cliff ridge exposes sedimentary rocks which are significant in Kerala’s geology and popularly known as the ‘Warkalli Formation’ made up of alternating beds of sand and fine-grained sedimentary rock.
Beach thrills
A hub for yoga and Ayurveda aficionados, the Cliffside offers a range of eccentric spots to connect with the inner self and dabble in traditional practices. A paved walkway, lining the entire stretch of the cliff, can lead one to an interesting discovery of the location providing enough opportunities for selfies with the beach and the waters behind you.
The walkway, lined with coconut trees, is also is a hawkers’ paradise. From garments, jewellery and handicrafts to quaint eateries, cafés and restaurants, the path has everything a tourist will look for on the beachside. With a view to kill for, the Cliffside’s restaurants offer freshly caught fish - from popular sheer fish to exotic ones like swordfish, apart from a host of lip-smacking cuisines ranging from South Indian to Continental, Italian, and Chinese. Breakfast also has several options to choose from. Pamphlets line up the wall every weekend with certain eateries hosting concerts by local bands, parties by local DJs and dance nights. Evenings also offer traditional dance performances held in local theatres during local festivals. While food is affordable and you have a variety to choose from, the prices of everything else are rather steep. Mostly catering to the foreign crowd, the shops are extremely overpriced. Money exchange shops are aplenty while getting access to an ATM is tough. Most shops do accept credit and debit cards.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM 25/11/2007---- Aiming high: A miss, but a great attempt all the same. A tourist takes his passion for outdoor games to Varkala Beach in Thiruvananthapuram district. All resorts in the State are filling up these days as the season climbs to its peak...........Photo:S_Mahinsha ..........Photo:S_Mahinsha
Shore satisfaction
During the day, a panoramic view of the Varkala Beach will offer you a plethora give you a range of seaside action – from adventure and leisure activities like boating, para-sailing, jetting and horse-riding to surfing, snorkelling, frisbees and swimming. The mild to medium high waves with sinking sand is rather fun to play in. In the nights, the sea comes alive with flickering lights from distant fishing boats in the water.
According to local guide Lijo Matthew, who also doubles up as a vendor in sunshade umbrellas: “The number of foreigner to local resident ratio is 1:3. Hence they make quite a marketable target for vendors and joint owners here. In fact, it is only recently that the honeymooning crowd from within the country has started frequenting the beach. Meanwhile, the beachside restaurants also allow fishermen to sell their catch fresh. It is a win-win for the local market and we have everything under the sun available here – all for a price, of course,” he winks.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM::9/04/2010:: Papanasam Beach in Varkala............Photo:S.Mahinsha
Temple town
The beach is also called Papanasham or Papanasanam Beach because a dip in the waters is believed to wash away sins. Apart from the obvious tourist attraction, the seaside has its share of pilgrims and is often called the Varanasi of the south. Thousands of devotees, both foreign and Indian, throng the beach between December 30 and January 1 for the Sivagiri Pilgrimage, hosted by the Sivagiri Mutt. It was founded by religious reformer and philosopher Sree Narayana Guru whose samadhi (final resting place) lies within the ashram. A 2,000-year-old shrine called the Janardhana Swami Temple also overlooks the beach on the cliff, a short distance away.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:18/04/2010:: A foreign tourist battling the waves with his ibflated boat at Papanasam Beach in Varkala on Friday............Photo:S.Mahinsha
Local lore
According to origin stories circulating along the beachside, history notes that a Travancore Pandiyan King is credited with the development of Varkala. He is believed to have had a dream to build the Janardhana Swami Temple to atone for his sins and redeem himself. The king, in 1762, also constructed rows of houses in the obscure sea side village of Varkala in order to settle the local Brahmins. Another story talks about how the place got its name. Sage Narada was believed to have been approached by a group of pilgrims asking for help to atone for their sins. In response, he threw his valkalam (a loin cloth) to the earth which landed at this location. The pilgrims went on to take a dip in the waters and believed their sins were washed away giving the name Varkala to the place and Papanasanam to the beach. Many ancient historical documents used by foreign traders are said to document Varkala for navigation and trading opportunities.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM 28/01/2011----EMERGING DESTINATIION: Tan-seekers who flocked from abroad at the Varkala beach (To go with story by Anil Radhakrishnan S.)......................Photo:C.Ratheesh kumar
Nearby attractions
Anjengo or Anjuthengu, meaning five coconut trees, has an old English Fort. The place was owned by the East India Company and was a gift by the then Queen of Attingal for trade purposes. The backwaters, water channels and beach here are also good places to see.
Visit the Varkala Tunnel if you stay longer. The project was constructed in order to navigate the backwaters for the transportation of goods from North to South Kerala in the 19th Century.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM 15/11/2011::Foriegn tourists who started arriving in Varkala before the peak tourist season at the Papanasham beach. ................Photo:S.ANIL RADHAKRISHNAN
Catch a bird’s eye view of the fishermen’s village and the entire coastline as far as you can see from the Varkala Lighthouse – the only one in the locality. A good collection of exotic and rare fishes can also be found if you visit the Varkala Aquarium. Also paddle your way through the scenic Kappil Lake, a large water body adjacent to the Arabian Sea.
With stay, shopping and eating out options are aplenty with enough water-related activities to keep you occupied at Varkala Beach, it is ideal to plan a weekend trip or a stay for a couple of days to recreate at this comfy settlement by the sea.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, 26/03/2010: Papanasam Beach at Varkala in Thiruvananthapuram._Photo: S. Mahinsha 26-03-2010
How to get there
Varkala is a hamlet on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram district. The easiest way to get to the beach is by road from Thiruvananthapuram City (51 kms) and Kollam (37 kms). While the frequency of direct busses is less, busses ply frequently to Kallambalam on National Highway 66 (about 12 kms away) from where cabs and auto rickshaws will take you to the beach for a nominal fee. It is also connected by train with Varkala Sivagiri Station about three kilometres away from the shoreline. The nearest airport is Trivandrum International Airport, about 57 km away.
Where to stay
A range of resorts and homestays line up on the cliff, the edge of the beach and go upto a kilometre from the beach. There are also a number of stay options enroute to the beach. Getting accommodation is easy, but best is to book ahead online.
When to go
Summers are usually quite hot with soaring temperatures and humidity in the tropical beach while winters are cool and pleasant and the monsoons make the place green and pretty. Ideal months to plan a trip to the pristine location are from September to February.
Trivia
The Janardhana Swami Temple has a bell from a shipwreck. It was donated by the captain of the Dutch vessel that sank near the beach. None of the ship’s crew or passengers were harmed.
Some parts of the beach sand are black, which is due to the presence of a radioactive substance called thorium oxide.
