Varkala

Varkala is geologically unusual on this coast: a formation of laterite and sedimentary cliffs, protected as a national geological monument, comes right to the shore, so the beach lies below a wall of red rock rather than behind coconut flats. Freshwater springs emerge from the cliff face, and the beach below, Papanasam, is used for last rites and ancestral offerings, which are performed on the sand alongside sunbathers. The Janardanaswamy temple above is around two thousand years old by tradition. A path along the cliff top is lined with cafes, shops and guesthouses.

History

Legend says the nine Prajapatis asked the sage Narada how to cleanse their sins, and he threw down a garment, the valkalam, telling them to pray where it fell, which gave the place its name. By local lore a Pandyan king built the Janardana Swami Temple here about 2,000 years ago, the first-century Greek Periplus of the Erythraean Sea calls the place Balita, and in the 18th century it was also known as Udaya Marthandapuram, after Marthanda Varma, founder of the Travancore kingdom (Wikipedia, Varkala).

What to look for

• The laterite cliffs - a protected geological formation meeting the sea.
• The cliff springs - fresh water emerging from the rock face.
• Papanasam beach - rites performed on the sand beside swimmers.
• The cliff path - the strip of cafes and guesthouses along the top.

When to go

October to March for calm seas and dry weather; the monsoon closes most of the cliff businesses and makes the sea dangerous. Ayurveda treatment centres run through the monsoon by tradition.

Before you go

Currents are strong; the beach is only partly patrolled. Cliff erosion has closed sections of the path at times. Funeral rites and beach tourism sharing one strand unsettles some visitors.

Nearby

Kovalam lies south; Kollam and the backwaters are north.