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People silhouetted on the wet sand at sunset, the sun behind a cloud over the sea

Kuma Surf Blog

Surf Varkala. Know the Coast.

Beginner surf guides, local Varkala tips and travel ideas from Kerala's coast: everything worth knowing before you paddle out.

  • Skaters riding a concrete bowl surrounded by palm trees while friends watch from the edge

    Local Life · 6 min read

    Flow Cult and Varkala's Surf-Skate Scene

    Where to skate in Varkala, how skating and surfing feed each other, what surf-skating is, and why the evening session at Flow Cult is worth joining.

  • A smiling woman sitting in an ice bath full of ice, surfboards and plants behind her

    Surfing · 6 min read

    Ice Baths After Surfing: What Actually Helps

    Do ice baths help after surfing? What research says about cold water and sore muscles, how long and how cold, who should skip it, and other ways to recover.

  • A surfer wading out through white water holding a yellow board, beach shrubs in the foreground

    Varkala Guide · 6 min read

    Quiet Beaches Near Varkala, and When to Go

    The quiet beaches near Varkala, north of the busy cliff: what Odayam, Edava and Kappil are like, when to go, and how to swim safely on a strong-current coast.

  • A surfer riding a small green wave close to shore

    Surfing · 8 min read

    Surfing in Kerala: Kovalam vs Varkala Compared

    Kovalam or Varkala for surfing? How the waves, seasons, beginner spots and towns compare, plus the Kovalam Surf Club and how to surf both in one trip.

  • Long tables and benches beside a counter under a thatched roof, with a painted mural on the wall

    Travel · 6 min read

    Team Offsites in Varkala: Surf, Work and Reset

    How to run a team offsite in Varkala: getting there, a day that mixes surf and work, group size, rooms and Wi-Fi, and why the whitewater beats a workshop.

  • Surfboards lying on the grass at the top of a cliff, with palm trees and people behind

    Things to Do · 6 min read

    Things to Do Around Varkala Cliff, Dawn to Dusk

    Things to do around Varkala Cliff in the order the day suggests: a dawn walk, the temple and beach below, a surf, cliff cafés and the famous sunset.

  • A yoga teacher in white standing on the sand under a row of palm trees

    Local Life · 6 min read

    Yoga and Ayurveda in Varkala, Around a Surf Week

    Fitting yoga, meditation and Ayurveda into a Varkala surf trip: when to practise, what helps a surfer's body, the monsoon healing season, how to choose well.

  • Two people in red life jackets floating on a calm backwater, kayaks and a mangrove treeline in the distance

    Things to Do · 7 min read

    A Day With a Local: Hidden Spots Around Varkala

    The Varkala most visitors miss: a fishing beach at dawn, a golden island, an old fort, a canal tunnel, cliff springs, a toddy shop and the waterfall question.

  • A surfer riding a small, clean wave on a hazy morning

    Surfing · 6 min read

    Varkala's International Surfing Festival at Edava

    Kerala's International Surfing Festival came to Edava beach in April 2025: who ran it, the divisions and winners, what it means for surfing here, and our part.

  • Surfers and instructors standing with surfboards in front of a Surfing Federation of India banner

    Surfing · 6 min read

    How to Choose a Surf School in Varkala: 9 Checks

    Accreditation, group size, where and when the lesson runs, what's included and what it costs: nine checks to run on any Varkala surf school before you pay.

  • A surf class gathered in a circle on the beach in front of a thatched building with wooden balconies

    Travel · 6 min read

    Varkala in 2-3 Days: A Surf-First Itinerary

    A relaxed 2 to 3 day Varkala plan: a dawn surf lesson, the cliff at sunset, Kappil's backwaters, good seafood and enough slack to still feel like a holiday.

  • A row of beginners standing on soft-top boards laid on the sand, practising their stance

    Surfing · 6 min read

    What Surf Lessons Cost in Varkala in 2026

    Beginner surf lessons in Varkala cost 1,500 to 3,000 rupees a person. What that buys, what should be included, and when a private lesson is worth the extra.

  • Bowls of cut fruit lined up on a counter, ready for breakfast

    Local Life · 6 min read

    What to Eat in Varkala: A Food Guide for Surfers

    Kerala breakfasts after a dawn surf, seafood on the cliff at night, and the dishes and places worth finding in Varkala, from appam and stew to fish curry.

  • An open-sided thatched shelter with surfboards, a hammock and a patterned rug

    Varkala Guide · 8 min read

    Where to Stay in Varkala: Cliff, Edava or Kappil?

    North Cliff for cafés and nightlife, South Cliff for a calmer cliff, Edava for surf and quiet, Kappil for backwaters. How to pick the right base for your trip.

  • A group of beginner surfers standing on the sand facing the sea while an instructor talks to them

    Beginner Guides · 6 min read

    Your First Surf Lesson in Varkala, Minute by Minute

    What actually happens in a first surf lesson in Varkala, from the tide-set start time and the sand drills to the first whitewater wave and the chai afterwards.

Looking for lessons rather than reading? See the surf school in Varkala or our local guide to Edava and Varkala.