How Long To Stay
Recommended time: Skip it, or 1-2 days max
If you do end up in Varkala, don't stay longer than two days. There simply isn't enough to fill more time than that, and by day three, you'll be doing laps of the same strip, wondering why you didn't book the bus to Munnar. One night is plenty to get the feel of the place and tick it off the list.
What Is Varkala
Varkala is a beach town, and that's really all there is to say about it. The whole tourist operation is built up along a clifftop overlooking the Arabian Sea, with one main strip of restaurants, bars, and souvenir shops running along the edge. The views from the cliff are genuinely nice, and watching the sun go down from one of the cliff-top restaurants is a pleasant enough way to spend an evening.
The beach itself is accessible via a path down from the cliff and is a decent stretch of sand. It attracts a good mix of international tourists and domestic visitors, which gives it a lively enough atmosphere during peak season. It's not a ghost town by any means, but it's not really the best beach vibe.
What We Didn't Love
Disclaimer: This is just my honest take as someone who is spoiled by amazing beaches and lakes back home in Western Canada and someone who's been to some top-tier beach destinations around Europe and Asia. But here is my honest take:
It's not so clean: There is a good active effort to clean up the beach, but it still has a lot of litter and seaweed compared to European beaches. We went down for a swim, but just honestly were not tempted.
The mixed demographic makes for a funny beach vibe: It's a funny mix of international and domestic tourists who approach a beach day very differently. There were groups of tourists lying out on the beach in a typical fashion with books and bikinis, as well as swarms of domestic tourists (almost entirely men) who were kind of just loitering around, fully clothed with their denim jeans rolled halfway up their shins. Personally, I feel more comfortable on a European beach where everyone is scantily dressed or a cold Scottish beach where everyone is bundled up and just out for a stroll. The mixed vibe was not it for me.
The water is almost TOO warm: It was about 45 degrees when we were there, which is what gave us the idea to go for a swim, but we put our feet in the water and didn't feel refreshed at all. I don't think it's scientifically accurate, but cool, refreshing water feels a lot cleaner to me than room temperature wash.
Persistent Smoggy Skies: The air quality throughout India isn't great, and Varkala is no exception. It can be less noticeable when you're sightseeing your way through an ancient palace, but on the beach, pollution really pulls you out of the moment.
The Food: The food at our guesthouse for breakfast was pretty great, but everything on the main strip is pretty meh. Everything was fine, but you're paying basically Western prices for pretty average food. Compare this to Delhi, where you pay a fraction of the price for some of the best Indian cuisine you've ever had.
The Annoying ATM Situation: Here's a quirk worth knowing about before you arrive: the entire tourist area sits on top of a cliff, and all the ATMs are down on the main local road at sea level. Nearly everything in the tourist strip is cash only, which means at some point every visitor has to make the pilgrimage down the hill, get cash, and haul themselves back up again. In the heat of the day, it's more of a mission than it sounds. We ended up taking a tuk-tuk both ways, which felt a bit like paying an inflated ATM fee on top of the actual ATM fee. It's not a dealbreaker, but it's the kind of small friction that sums up the Varkala experience pretty well: slightly more effort than it should be for a result that's fine but not great.
Takeaway: This is by no means a slam-post on Varkala. We by no means had a bad time. It just wasn't a great time. It was a bit of a mission getting down to Varakala, and it took time away from other destinations, which we regret. But the people are kind, and the views are epic. So no hate from us, but we will most likely not be going back. There are better beaches in Goa, and even better beaches in Sri Lanka if you want to add some beach time to your vacation.
Getting Around Varkala
The clifftop strip is walkable, and honestly, you'll cover it end to end within the first hour of arriving. Tuk-tuks are readily available for getting down to sea level or out to the main town, and fares are cheap. Just make sure to agree on a price before you get in, as Uber isn't really an option here. There's not much else in terms of things to get around to, which is part of the problem.
Where To Eat In Varkala
The clifftop strip has no shortage of restaurants, most of which serve a fairly similar menu of Indian, seafood, and Western staples aimed squarely at tourists. The food is decent but unremarkable, and prices are higher than you'll pay elsewhere in Kerala. Our advice is to walk the full strip before committing to anywhere, skip anything with an overly pushy host outside, and keep your expectations in check. You'll eat fine, but you won't eat memorably.
Where To Stay In Varkala
If you're staying, the clifftop is the obvious base, because you'll be close to everything and have easy access to the beach path. There are plenty of guesthouses and small hotels along and just behind the main strip, ranging from basic to boutique. Given that we'd recommend a maximum of two nights, there's no need to splurge here. Book something clean and central, keep it simple, and put your budget toward a nicer place in Munnar or Fort Kochi instead.
Varkala Marine Palace
Varkala Marine Palace offers beachfront access, sea-view balconies, and garden. Rooms include AC, WiFi, kitchenette & private bath. On-site restaurant serves continental & vegetarian meals. Enjoy yoga, cycling, massage & a kids' playground. Steps from Varkala Beach & Cliff; airport 41km away. Couples rate the location 9.6/10.Check Availability
Bare Foot Hostels
Barefoot Hostels Varkala offers rooms with AC, balconies, private bathrooms & free WiFi, plus a garden and terrace. Amenities include daily housekeeping, karaoke, bike/car hire & free parking. Minutes from Varkala Beach, Cliff & Janardhanaswamy Temple; airport 41km away. Highly rated for friendly hosts & great service. Couples rate location 9.6/10.Check AvailabilityFinal Thoughts
Varkala isn't a bad place. It's just not a particularly good one, and in a country with as much to offer as India, spending time somewhere that's merely fine feels like a missed opportunity. The clifftop sunsets are lovely, the beach is decent, and if you hit it on a good weather day with clean water, it's a perfectly pleasant way to spend an afternoon. But four days? We wouldn't do it again. One night, maybe two, and then move on. There are better ways to spend your time in Kerala, and significantly better beaches waiting for you elsewhere in the region.
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