Five people in red life jackets with mud on their faces holding the bow of a wooden canoe in the water

Experiences

Varkala Hidden Gems

Odayam's empty sand, the Kappil estuary mouth, cliff viewpoints without a café attached, and the fishing harbour at first light.

Half-day guided wanders, on scooters or on foot, built around whoever's going. Jatayu Earth Centre, the world's largest bird sculpture, is an hour away when you want the big one. Ask on the terrace; someone is always heading somewhere.

A man at the far end of a traditional wooden boat on the backwater, mangroves behind

Fishermen gathered around painted fishing boats pulled up on the beach

How it runs

Planning a wander away from the cliff

Best hours: Dawn, or the last hour of light. Even the busier beaches empty out then, and the heat is gentler. Midday is for shade.
Season: October to March is the most comfortable. December and January are busiest everywhere, which is when the quiet northern beaches earn their keep.
Getting around: By scooter, none of Odayam, Edava and Kappil is more than about ten minutes from the others. An auto-rickshaw is fine too if you settle the price before you get in. Narrow, busy roads make every trip slower than the map says.
A longer day: Ponnumthuruthu, the golden island, is about 12 km south of Varkala, a boat ride of around 30 minutes from the jetty at Nedunganda. Anjengo Fort, built by the British East India Company in the 17th century, is close to it. The Chilakkoor canal tunnel reopened in February 2026.
The waterfall question: The water in most photographs is the freshwater springs running out of the cliff at Papanasam, a good place to sit at low tide. Varkala itself has no waterfall.
What to wear: Something light for the heat. Ponnumthuruthu is a temple island, so carry a layer that covers shoulders and knees, as for any temple visit.
Bring: Water, sunscreen, a hat and a bag for your rubbish. Shade is limited, and there are few shops on the sand.
Swimming: Quiet is not the same as calm. Currents at Edava and Kappil can be strong, so ask someone who knows the water first, and never swim alone.

An afternoon on the beach wall, a few minutes from the house. Filmed at Kuma Surf. Watch: A day with Kuma Surf at Edava, Varkala

A man carries a large white board across wet sand, a crowd and a palm-covered red laterite cliff behind him — Red cliff, plenty of company. The wanders aim for less.

Off the main strip

Varkala hidden gems, the quiet way round

Varkala is not a secret. Parts of it are busy, and the cliff at sunset draws a crowd.

The quieter parts are there too, if you know which way to go. The wanders are how you find them without spending your holiday guessing.

On the list

Four stops worth the detour

Odayam first, because it is barely a detour: three minutes on foot from the house and quieter again than Edava.

The Kappil estuary mouth is where the backwater reaches the sea. Admire it from the sand, and check with us before anyone goes in.

Then the cliff viewpoints nobody has built a café on yet, and the fishing harbour, which is worth the early alarm because first light is when to see it.

How it works

Planned on the terrace, not in a brochure

There is no set route. A wander takes half a day, on scooters or on foot, shaped around the people going and what they want to see.

For the big day out, Jatayu Earth Centre is about an hour away. Its bird sculpture is the largest in the world, and hard to miss.

Mention it on the terrace or on WhatsApp the evening before.