Why visit Varkala
Townapedia lists 7 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 120 places to eat, 330 places to stay and 7 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Varkala Beach and Papanasam Beach.
Weather in Varkala
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Varkala
Varkala is a town and municipality in Thiruvananthapuram district of the Indian state of Kerala. The Varkala cliff formation found along a 7.5 km (4.7 mi) stretch of the Arabian Sea coast, formed by erosion during the Miocene–Pliocene (23 to 2.58 Ma), has been declared as a National Geological Monument by the Geological Survey of India. The Janardana Swami Temple, dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, is located at Varkala.
From the Wikipedia article Varkala (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Varkala on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do7
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Varkala Beach
Beach · 1.3 km
Cliff beach in Trivandrum, Kerala, India
Star cinema
Cinema and theater · 1.3 km
Varkala - Parippally - Madathara Road, Varkala
Museums and landmarks7
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Restaurants and cafes120
Arabian Choolah
Restaurant · Italian, Indian
Nadakkamukku Junction Temple Road, Varkala
Mo-Su 12:00-24:00
Arabian Grill
Restaurant · Chicken, Regional, Chinese, Seafood, Indian, Kebab · 1.8 km
Puthenchantha Varkaka Kallambalam Road, Varkala
Mo-Su 11:00-21:30
Pappaji Restaurant
Restaurant · Tea, Indian, Chicken, Chinese, Kebab, Asian · 2.9 km
Pappaji Restaurant, near Meva Convention Centre Varkala - Kallambalam Road, Varkala
Mo-Su 11:00-23:00
Vrindhavanam
Restaurant · Indian, Chinese · 2.0 km
Varkala Kallambalam Road, Varkala
Mo-Su 07:00-21:00
Chaai Tree
Cafe · Tea, Coffee Shop, Indian, Fries, Local · 2.6 km
Varkala - Kallambalam Road
Mo-Su,PH 13:00-23:00
Mammas Champos
Cafe · Fish, Indian, Italian Pizza, Breakfast · 1.1 km
695-141 Papanasam Beach - Varkala Road
Mo-Su 07:00-23:00
New Farmers The Village Restaurant
Restaurant · 3.1 km
New Farmers The Village Restaurant, op Kerala Gramin bank, nadayara Varkala - Parippally - Madathara Road, Varkala
Mo-Su 11:00-23:00
Clafouti Restaurant and Bakery
Restaurant · Curry, Indian · 2.0 km
Mo-Su 07:00-00:00
Thali place (run by Shaji)
Restaurant · 1.8 km
Thali, Masala chai, Milk tea, Indian breakfast, very nice indian atmosphere
Mo-Sa 07:30-15:00
108 more on the map.
Where to stay330
Government Guest House Varkala
Motel and hotel · 0.9 km
Janardhanapuram Kurakkani Temple Road, Varkala
Churches and places of worship28
Kadiyathi Temple
Place of worship · 2.5 km
Janathamukku Varkala Edava Road, Edava
Maha Ganapathy Temple
Place of worship · 1.7 km
Maha Ganapathy Temple Varkala - Edava - Kappil Bridge Approach Road, Varkala
Shopping26
Reliance SMART Bazaar Varkala
Grocery · 2.7 km
Shop No 17/442 & 443, GS Tower, Palachira, Kidavathuvila Varkala Kallambalam Road, Varkala
Supplyco Supermarket
Grocery · 1.2 km
Varkala - Parippally - Madathara Road, Varkala
Gas and EV charging6
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited
Gas station · 2.7 km
Varkala Kallambalam Road, Varkala
Janathamukku Petrol Pump - Bharat Petroleum
Gas station · 2.5 km
Paravur - Varkala Road, Varkala
Indian Oil Nadayara
Gas station · 2.5 km
Varkala - Parippally - Madathara Road, Varkala
Schools, colleges and libraries29
Higher Secondary School Sivagiri
School · 2.3 km
Sivagiri HSS Nadayara - Palachira Road, Varkala
Janatha Arts & Sports Club-Reading Room & Library
Library · 2.4 km
Varkala - Edava - Kappil Bridge Approach Road, Edava
Sree Narayana College, Sivagiri Varkala
School · 2.3 km
Sreenivasapuram Nadayara - Palachira Road, Varkala
University Institute of Management Varkala
School · 1.7 km
University Institute of Management Varkala Sivagiri Road, Varkala
Desabhivardhini Reading Room & Library
Library · 2.9 km
Nadayara-Pullannicode Road, Pullannicode PO
Government Higher Secondary School, Vettoor
School · 2.2 km
Varkala-Kadakkavoor Road, Nedungada
Government Lower Primary School, Sreenivasapuram
School · 2.4 km
Sree Narayana college road, Varkala
Shankar Womens College
School · 1.0 km
Varkala - Parippally - Madathara Road, Varkala
Healthcare22
Sivagiri Sree Narayana Medical Mission Hospital
Hospital · 1.9 km
near, Putanchandha Varkala - Kallambalam Road, Varkala
Dr. Ramesh Kumar kurup and Sarada Memorial Hospital
Clinic and pharmacy
Varkala - Kallambalam Road, Varkala
Government Taluk Hospital Varkala
Hospital
Government Taluk Hospital Varkala - Kallambalam Road, Varkala
Government Yoga & Naturopathy Hospital Varkala;Nature Cure Hospital
Hospital · 1.3 km
NEW MANGALA MEDICAL CENTRE (NMMC)
Hospital · 1.2 km
Jawahar Park, Near Railway Station Varkala - Parippally - Madathara Road, Varkala
Map of Varkala
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TRV) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 36 km away.
- Vettūr 2 km southeast, about 2 min by car
- Edavai 5 km northwest, about 5 min by car
- Vakkam 8 km southeast, about 8 min by car
- Kadakkavoor 8 km southeast, about 8 min by car
- Paravūr Tekkumbhāgam 9 km northwest, about 9 min by car
- Puttankulam 9 km north, about 9 min by car
- Kīlattingal 10 km southeast, about 10 min by car
- Kollam 22 km northwest, about 22 min by car
- Thiruvananthapuram 38 km southeast, about 38 min by car
- Haripād 68 km northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Varkala traffic circle, Nikolas Becker, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Varkala 2016-01-27, Alexey Komarov, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Vallabhan Varkala - panoramio, Binoy J S, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Varkala Maithanam - panoramio, Binoy J S, CC BY-SA 3.0
- House in Varkala (6650472639), Ryan from Toronto, Canada, CC BY 2.0
- Private Bus at varkala Bus Stand - panoramio, Binoy J S, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Goats in Varkala, Alexey Komarov, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Varkala Center - panoramio, Binoy J S, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Varkala street scene (6274649017), Ryan from Toronto, Canada, CC BY 2.0
- Varkala Maithanam Entrance - panoramio, Binoy J S, CC BY-SA 3.0
- South Cliff Varkala - panoramio, Tuderna, CC BY 3.0
- Varkala Railway station - panoramio, Binoy J S, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Varkala Sivagiri railway station, Manukrishnan80, CC BY-SA 4.0
- A goatling in Varkala, Alexey Komarov, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Varkala Beach-2016-01-25, Alexey Komarov, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Varkala banner Aaliyirakkm Beach, Alexey Komarov, CC BY 3.0
- Varkala street (6111336124), Ryan from Toronto, Canada, CC BY 2.0
- Varkala Beach, June 2022 04, Noon Plastic, CC BY 4.0
- Varkala Bali Mandapam, June 2022 01, Noon Plastic, CC BY 4.0
- Varkala Bali Mandapam, June 2022 02, Noon Plastic, CC BY 4.0
- Varkala Bali Mandapam, June 2022 03, Noon Plastic, CC BY 4.0
- Varkala Beach, June 2022 05, Noon Plastic, CC BY 4.0
- Rail way tracks at varkala - panoramio, Binoy J S, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hindusthan beach resort at Varkala Beach - panoramio, Binoy J S, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Varkala beach from above, Kondephy, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Vallabhan - panoramio, Binoy J S, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Janardanaswamy Temple - panoramio, Alexey Komarov, CC BY 3.0
- Janardanaswamy Temple - panoramio (1), Alexey Komarov, CC BY 3.0
- Janardanaswamy Temple - panoramio (2), Alexey Komarov, CC BY 3.0
- Nizar (7361555536), Ryan from Toronto, Canada, CC BY 2.0
- Indian Jungle in Kerala (39669587711), Peter Addor from underway; mailnly Switzerland, Italy and Sri Lanka, world, CC BY 2.0
- Departures terminal Trivandrum International Airport Kerala India (10574232724), Aleksandr Zykov from Russia, CC BY-SA 2.0
- India (10574235894), Aleksandr Zykov from Russia, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Aaliyirakkm Beach - panoramio (2), Alexey Komarov, CC BY 3.0
- Aaliyirakkm Beach - panoramio (1), Alexey Komarov, CC BY 3.0
- The Golden Sea, binnyva, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Indien (3997446877), M M from Switzerland, CC BY-SA 2.0
- India (3997447611), M M from Switzerland, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Kathakali (3997447233), M M from Switzerland, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Fishermen at Varkkala beach (2), Shagil Kannur, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Page built November 3, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.