Varkala Cliff is a little seaside town in the state of Kerala, India. The promenade is about a half-mile long, dotted with small hotels, B and B’s, restaurants, gift shops, yoga, and ayurveda centers.
Town starts getting busy when weather begins to get cold in Europe. Tourists and ‘snowbirds’ start arriving in mid-November. Season really gets going in December and hums along until late February, with some lingering into March.
Varkala is a beautiful, small and manageable vacation destination and winter getaway, unlike Goa that has become very crowded.
There is a lot to do to keep busy. Start your day with a walk on the beach. I usually take the steps at the north end near Little Tibet restaurant. These steps are less steep and safer than others. Go down to the beach and walk up to Papanasam beach. If you get there early like 6:30am, you will catch fishermen bringing in boats from the ocean and unloading the fresh catch of the day. This is quite a site to behold. You will also see worshippers performing religious rituals in front of the Temple, and floating offerings in the sea for the departed ancestors.
Then, you can take a walk toward the Janardanaswamy Temple a few blocks away. This is a very famous and ancient temple, 2,000 years old, and worshippers come from all over the country. Observe the goings on and enjoy the local ambience. Walk back to the beach and trace back your steps to the Cliff.
Enjoy a sumptuous breakfast and a delicious cappuccino at the Coffee Temple, or many ocean facing eateries along the cliff. While away your days on the beach, do yoga, have Ayurvedic massages, meet other interesting people from all over, shop for curios, or take many excursions available to many interesting places.
Some interesting places to consider are Munnar, Thekdi, Alleppy, Kanyakumari and backwaters near Cochin. There is also Sivananda Ashram at Theyyar Dam. It is about 70 kilometers away and perhaps one of the finest destinations in the world to learn yoga and meditation. One can also take a certified Teachers Training Course (TTC), if so inclined.