South India offers endless spots to explore, and Varkala is one of the best. Located 51 km north of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, Varkala holds a special place in my heart. It was one of the first places I visited with my partner, and it’s where I made important life decisions, including deciding to spend my life with him. Our weekend in Varkala was incredibly special, and it might be for you too. If you’re in South India and want a quick weekend getaway, keep reading.
Getting to Varkala is relatively easy. You can fly to Trivandrum International Airport and drive to Varkala, or take an overnight train from Chennai, as I did. Once at the train station, our hostel was a short auto ride away. We traveled during a long weekend, so many properties were sold out. We stayed in two different hostels: the first was Soul & Surf Varkala, where we had a private room that felt like a hotel but with hostel perks like making new friends and joining group tours.
We arrived on a Friday morning without much planned, but thanks to the people we met at the hostel, we had a fun-filled day. Soul & Surf is close to Varkala Cliff, our first stop, where we found many cute cafes and lunch spots. We spent the evening walking along the nearby Black Sand Beach. You can also rent a bike to explore the area.
Consider taking a small group tour to the Jatayu Earth Center and trying the Ropeway adventure in the late afternoon. Although we didn’t do this, we heard great feedback from hostel friends. End your day at Darjeeling Cafe for stunning views.
On Saturday, we checked out and moved to a different hostel, Zostel Varkala, where we had a private room. We joined a group tour to Munroe Island, about an hour’s drive from Varkala Cliff. Local boatmen took us on a serene canoe ride through the mangroves and backwaters, where we saw beautiful lush greenery, paddy fields, and small villages. The tour ended around sunset, which was one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen—a perfect romantic experience or a great outing with friends or family.
Munroe Island is also known for its coir-making units and temples, which are worth exploring if you have extra time. After the tour, we headed to Edava Beach, about 30 minutes away, and spent the evening relaxing on the golden sands before returning to our hostel for the night.
On Sunday, we had our train back to Chennai in the afternoon, so we did not have much planned. We started the day with breakfast at InDa Café and took a quick trip to see the Anjengo Lighthouse and fort area. The views from here are stunning! We had a quick lunch at Caffe Italiano on the North Cliff before catching the train back home. All in all, Varkala is a fantastic spot for a quick weekend getaway and it is one of those places that would be amazing with literally anyone.
