A surf lesson morning at Edava beach, Varkala

A beginner surf lesson morning at Edava beach, Varkala: pop-up practice in a line on the sand, then a first ride in the whitewater with instructors close by.

What's in the film

1. 01A surfer walks down through the greenery past a tiled-roof house, board under one arm
2. 02The group lies on soft-top boards in a line on the sand, practising the pop-up
3. 03A beginner stands up on a wave of whitewater while an instructor watches from the water
4. 04The fishing village behind the beach, nets drying on the sand

Where this happens

This is how every lesson starts: a briefing and pop-up practice on the sand, then the water. Group lessons are capped at five surfers per instructor and run over the soft sand bottom at Edava, not the cliff.