Kerala is one of the beautiful destinations in South India. With its clear waters and lush greeneries, it attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world. Be it their delicious famous cuisines or the most pleasant climate, you could never resist falling in love with such a beautiful land. There are so many places in Kerala that could easily leave you stunned in no time. When it comes to visiting Kerala, one cannot miss the Varkala town and the variety of things to do in Varkala. Located in the capital city of Kerala, Trivandrum, Varkala lies adjacent to the Arabian seashore and it has a wide variety of beaches, temples and a lot to offer at a pocket-friendly price.
Things to do in Varkala
Find below the list of 10 things to do in Varkala, that you should do on your visit to Varkala to make your trip more exciting and beautiful:
- A day at Varkala Beach
- Get blessings at Janardhana Swamy Temple
- Witness some amazing views at Kappil Beach
- Visit the Anjengo Fort
- Enjoy some adventurous watersports
- Visit Varkala Lighthouse
- Relax at the Varkala Cliff
- Shop in the streets of Varkala
- Pay a visit to Ponnumthuruth Island
- Experience the local culture
1. Spend a day at Varkala Beach
Varkala Beach is one of the most famous and romantic beaches in Kerala. Also, it is the only cliff beach located in the southern part of Kerala. Also known as Papanasam Beach, this place offers boat riding, horse riding, parasailing and jetting at an affordable price. Experiencing the activities here is sure to leave anyone with a memorable experience for a lifetime. The natural springs of the beach are believed to have medicinal properties and its a popular belief among the locals that taking a dip in the beach can purify your body and soul.
Timings: Open 24*7
Entry fee: No entry fee
2. Get blessings at Janardhana Swamy Temple
Visiting this temple is one of the most religious and cultural experiences one can have in Varkala. Located in the Arabian seashore, this temple is considered to be 2000 years old. Lord Vishnu is the main deity of this temple. This temple, located on a hilltop, offers amazing views to the visitors. As the temple is located near the Varkala Beach where water is believed to have medicinal properties, this temple also acts as an Ayurveda treatment centre.
Timings: 5:30 AM – 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Entry fee: No entry fee
Also Read: Beach Resorts In Varkala
3. Witness some amazing views at Kappil Beach
Views from Kappil Beach is a must-watch if you are visiting Varkala town. It is not just another location but it offers beach and backwater experience, at the same place. It has the blue Arabian sea on one side and the Edava Narayana Lake on the other making it one of the top places in Kerala. This place is a heavenly sight for the photographers as it has coconut trees, sand strips and lagoon, all at one place. This place also offers backwater rides and is very thinly populated compared to other beaches which have very minimum to offer.
Timings: 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM (except Sunday)
Entry fee: No entry fee
4. Visit the Anjengo Fort
Anjengo Fort is an attraction which is of rich historical importance. It is one of the places in Kerala where you realize how awesome will visiting an ancient monument feel like. Apart from being historical, this place is beautiful because of its location colourfully surrounded by fishermen houses. History with some beauty, doesn’t it sound like a perfect combination?
Timings: 8 AM to 5 PM
Entry fee: No entry fee
5. Enjoy some adventurous watersports
Your trip can become beautiful just by visiting a beach or any other top attraction. But what makes your trip more exciting is the watersports you try there. Even if you are not a watersports lover, the crystal clear waters of Kerala will surely tempt you. For some adrenaline rush, you can try activities like jet skiing, parasailing and banana boat rides, and engage in one of the most fun things to do in Varkala.
Timings: 10 AM to 6 PM
Entry fee: Jet Skiing – INR 450 onwards, Parasailing – INR 1000, Banana Boat Ride – INR 300 onwards
Also Read: Things To Do In Trivandrum
6. Visit Varkala Lighthouse
Located about 13 km away from Varkala Beach, Varkala Lighthouse holds the pride of gifting the visitors with some amazing views. If the location of the attraction itself can be so beautiful, think about how amazing the views will be from the top of the lighthouse. It is said to be one of the noteworthy structures in Kerala.
Timings: 3 PM – 5 PM
Entry fee: No entry fee
7. Relax at the Varkala Cliff
How relaxing it will be to view the entire beach from a cliff! This is everything about visiting Varkala Cliff. The hill cliff formation alongside the beach will give you the best of views which would surely leave you mesmerized. Imagine yourself standing on the cliff, looking at the beach which is painted in golden colour because of the rays while the sun settles. Too beautiful for your eyes to handle, right?
Timings: 6:30 AM – 9 PM
Entry fee: INR 250
Also Read: Best Homestays In Wayanad
8. Shop in the streets of Varkala
Wherever you visit, not shopping in that particular city will make your trip less interesting. Even when it comes to describing your travel story, people have this mandatory question to ask, ‘What did you buy there?’. Having said that shopping is of so much importance, you got to wander around the streets of Varkala to buy things for you to take back home. For all the fashionistas and shopping lovers in you, Varkala has a variety of clothing, bamboo products, souvenirs, funky jewellery and so much more to offer.
Timings: No time restrictions
Entry fee: No entry fee
9. Pay a visit to Ponnumthuruth Island
To witness some eye-pleasing vistas, have some time to visit the island of Ponnumthuruth. It also has a diverse variety of flora and fauna which would be a perfect place for all the wildlife enthusiasts out there.
Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM
Entry fee: No entry fee
10. Experience the local culture
Admiring the local culture followed by different people is one thing that happens without you even trying. No matter what destination you visit, you would surely be amazed to see people following their beautiful culture and tradition. To explore the traditional culture of Kerala, you can visit Varkala Culture Center. You will get to see the authentic art forms of the state which would take you to an entirely different world.
Timings: 6:30 AM to 9 PM
Entry fee: INR 250 per person
I hope now you would have realized how amazing Varkala is. It should not stop with just that. Don’t you think it’s time to visit the amazing town of Varkala and experience the above-mentioned things for real? There are even a lot more that could excite you. To plan your trip, visit the website of Pickyourtrail to get some amazing packages to Varkala in Kerala. While you are there, we will make sure that you are given complete support via the Pickyourtrail application. Leave a Whatsapp inquiry for more options.
If you are looking for a perfect international trip, Pickyourtrail offers you the best International tour packages where you can customize your itinerary.
Happy exploring!
FAQ
Varkala Beach, Kappil Lake and Beach, Ponnumthuruthu Island, Sivagiri Mutt, Janardana Swami Temple, Odayam Beach, and Varkala Lighthouse are some of the famous places in Varkala.
About 3 days is enough to explore all the sights of Varkala with a well planned itinerary. A perfect itinerary consists of the beaches, lakes and temples of Varkala.
The foods of Varkala are similar to those of its surrounding areas with the dominance of seafoods, The shacks and restaurants in Varkala specialize in fresh seafood. Gods Own Country Kitchen on North Cliff stands out.
As any tropical region the climate of Varkala varies from time to time, it is recommended to visit between Octomber- March, to avoid the heavy rains of the monsoon season.
A gold mine for souvenir hunters, the street markets in Varkala sell everything from hippie clothing, Indian wear, bamboo products, Kerala-exclusive perfumes, incense sticks, soaps and oils, funky jewellery and more.