Varkala
Varkala Cliff, A National Geological Monument; Papanasam, A Sacred Beach · Varkala, Kerala
A small town on the coast of southern Kerala where red laterite cliffs drop straight to the Arabian Sea, one of the only places on India's west coast where cliffs meet the beach this way; they are protected as a geological monument. Along the top runs a path lined with guesthouses, cafes, yoga schools and shops looking out over the sea, which has made Varkala a quieter, more laid-back alternative to Goa for foreign and domestic travellers alike. Below, Papanasam beach is sacred: Hindus come to perform rites for their ancestors in the sea, near the two-thousand-year-old Janardhana Swamy temple, and the town is also home to the Sivagiri Mutt of the reformer Sree Narayana Guru. Ayurvedic treatments and yoga courses are a large part of what people come for. The sea here has strong currents, and swimming is safe only where lifeguards are posted. The cliff edge is unfenced and eroding. The season runs from October to March; in the monsoon many cliff businesses close. Thiruvananthapuram's airport is an hour away.
North Cliff, Varkala, Varkala, Kerala, 695141, India
NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED. The typical pattern: the beaches and cliff path are open all day and night, with lifeguards on duty at Papanasam roughly from morning to sunset in season. The Janardhana Swamy temple opens before dawn and closes for a midday break, reopening in the late afternoon until evening. The season runs roughly October to March; from about May to September many cliff cafes, guesthouses and surf schools close. Traps: arriving in the monsoon and finding the cliff shut, and swimming after the lifeguards leave. Confirm before travelling.