Varkala
Red cliffs, a sacred spring and a Vishnu temple above the sea
A Varkala tour follows red laterite cliffs above Papanasam Beach, the Janardhana Swami Temple and Sivagiri Mutt in Thiruvananthapuram district.
Overview
Varkala, a coastal municipality in Thiruvananthapuram district, is the one place in southern Kerala where cliffs of red laterite drop straight to the Arabian Sea. Walkers, swimmers, surfers and pilgrims all use the same short shoreline, and the beach season runs from October to March.
The cliff is recognised as a national geological monument, and a path along its top is lined with cafes serving Kerala dishes and seafood. Below it lies Papanasam Beach. The name is usually translated as "destruction of sins", and a spring at the foot of the cliff is believed to purify those who bathe in it. Ask locally about sea conditions before swimming, especially once the monsoon rains arrive in June.
On the cliff stands the Janardhana Swami Temple, a Vishnu shrine said to be about 2,000 years old, overlooking the same water. Its ten-day Arattu festival is held in the Malayalam month of Meenam, and families come to the beach on the new-moon day of Karkidakam, in July or August, to make offerings for departed relatives. Kerala Tourism lists Papanasam among the main venues for this rite.
About 3 km inland sits Sivagiri Mutt, the headquarters of the Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham. The reformer Sree Narayana Guru built the hermitage in 1904, and his samadhi, where he was laid to rest after his death in 1928, draws pilgrims throughout the year. The big gathering is the Sivagiri Pilgrimage from 30 December to 1 January, when walking processions arrive from several states, so book rooms well ahead if your trip falls in those days.
Active visitors find plenty to do. Surfing, stand-up paddle-boarding, parasailing and paragliding are all offered, and Edava beach in the same municipality has hosted an international surfing festival. Ayurvedic massage centres and yoga and meditation studios operate around the beach. Away from the sea, Kappil Lake and Edava Lake lie nearby, and the old Anjengo Fort stands about 12 km away.
Varkala has its own railway station, Varkala Sivagiri, roughly 3 km from the beach. Thiruvananthapuram airport is the nearest air hub, about 40 to 57 km away by road. The cliff, the temple, the mutt and a lake fit into two or three days.
Known for
Red laterite cliffs above the Arabian Sea, a national geological monument
Happening soon
Updated Oct 7, 2026Sivagiri Pilgrimage
festivalAnnual three-day pilgrimage to Sree Narayana Guru's samadhi at Sivagiri, run by the Dharma Sangham Trust, with walking processions arriving from several states.
Coming up, dates to be confirmed
Yaanam travel literature festival
culturalA travel writing festival of talks, screenings and conversations at the Ranga Kala Kendram at Varkala Cliff, started by Kerala Tourism in 2025.
First held in October 2025; Kerala Tourism's minister said it would become annual, but no official 2026 dates were found
Reach out to us for the confirmed datesArattu festival at Janardhana Swami Temple
festivalTen-day temple festival with a flag hoisting, all-night Kathakali on the fourth and fifth days, and a sea bath procession on the last day.
Usually in the Malayalam month of Meenam (March to April)
Reach out to us for the confirmed datesKarkidaka Vavu Bali at Papanasam Beach
festivalFamilies gather at Papanasam Beach on the new-moon day of Karkidakam to offer rice, sesame and water for departed ancestors.
Usually on the new-moon day of the Malayalam month of Karkidakam, in July or August
Reach out to us for the confirmed datesQuick facts
Monthly averages run from about 20 C to 36 C, with heavy rain from June to August.
Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (distance to be supplied; three sources give 39 to 57 km)
Varkala Sivagiri Railway Station, about 3 km from the beach
The town lies on NH 66, State Highway 64 and the Thiruvananthapuram to Kollam coastal highway. Drive times to be supplied.
Karkidaka Vavu Bali draws thousands of devotees across Kerala, with Papanasam a main venue; check the new-moon date locally if you travel in July or August
Plan around the Sivagiri Pilgrimage (30 December to 1 January), as walking processions converge on Sivagiri Mutt and rooms in the area are likely to be in demand
Ask locally about sea and surf conditions before swimming, particularly from June to August
Location
Packages that visit Varkala
All packages →
4D / 3NVarkala Cliff Beach Stay
A Varkala beach stay of four days: three nights by the red cliffs in Kerala, with Papanasam Beach, the cliff temple and Anjengo Fort. Private car included.
VarkalaBeaches & Coastline5D / 4NVarkala and Kovalam Beach Break
A Varkala Kovalam beach tour in five days: red cliffs, Papanasam Beach and a temple, then three bays and a lighthouse at Kovalam, with private transfers.
Varkala → KovalamBeaches & Coastline5D / 4NVarkala Cliffs and Kollam Backwaters
A Varkala and Kollam tour package in Kerala: two nights by red cliffs, two by Ashtamudi Lake, plus Munroe Island canals and airport transfers.
Varkala → KollamBeaches & CoastlinePlan a trip to Varkala
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