Varkala Beach: First Impressions

FOR westerners visiting Varkala Beach in Southern India, there are a few things you should know and accept - like if you have a young daughter, she will likely be stolen from your arms by doting women, younger girls and even men!

This, I am certain, isn't just a fascination unique to the ultra-friendly people of this region. I suspect it is nationwide.

On a recent trip to the beach with Zenchai and Kobra, at least 16 visitors - men, woman, younger men and girls - came to introduce themselves and smile and touch Kobra (Jamie wasn't with us).

At one point a group of young men started passing Kobra around and each having their photo taken with her, like she was some kind of zoo exhibit. I wasn't sure whether to be proud or offended. 

Thank God Kobra is such a good sport. She never gets flustered by the attention, unlike her older brother. And while Zenchai doesn't much like being approached by strangers, I am sure he's finding all the loving attention his sister gets to be difficult to deal with. 

He has found an outlet bodysurfing, building sand castles and playing with the local boys where we are staying. His lego and matchbox cars are particularly popular. 

We are not the only visitors here by any stretch. In fact, we were quite shocked by the numbers of tourists. It has a sort of Greek holiday resort feel. There are lots of British, Australian, American, German, French, Italian and Russian visitors. And the restaurants serve multi-national cuisine.

It's a place in India where people come to relax by the beach (and watch the magnificent sunsets) and as we are next going to Chiang Mai in Thailand, a city in the north, we thought we'd get enough sun and sand to hold us over.

Varkala Beach is laid back - it can take a while to get served in restaurants, although the food is often prepared freshly and well worth the wait. 

The prices, compared to London at least, are mind-blowing - and Kerala is apparently one of the more expensive Indian states! We usually fill our bellies for between £4 and £7, ordering the quantity of food that would cost at least £30-£40 in England.

There are a number of places which make fresh juices  - papaya, watermelon, pineapple, veggie juices etc. Take your pick. Expect to pay around 50 rupees (60 pence). Try the Juice Shack or Chillout Lounge (where they also show Premiership football).

Surprisingly, fresh coconut water and coconuts are not abundant. You have to head to the end of the beach, in the direction of the helipad and heading to Varkala town, for the few stalls which supply them. 

Accommodation is not in short supply, though. Resorts, hostels and homestays line the beachfront and, compared with western standards, offer fairly inexpensive rates. For instance, we paid R935 (£12) per night for our room for the first week and then negotiated a cheaper rate elsewhere for the remainder of our stay. We did look at rented houses and apartments, but they are harder to find and usually much further from the beach. Given the heat (about 33 degrees on average in January) and carrying Kobra around, we opted to be close to the beaches and restaurants. 

Talking of heat, make sure you bring with you sunscreen lotion. The sun, especially around mid-day, is particularly strong. My favourites times of day are 6am, as the sun rises, and 4pm, when it starts to set.

I like to get up early to exercise. There are no parks around here, so people congregate on the beach and even as the sun comes up the beach is surprisingly populated with joggers, people doing yoga, playing volleyball, cricket and football. There is a gym, with machines and free weights, on the way to Varkala town. Cost for about a month is R1,000 (£13).

And if you over-do it, there is no shortage of massage therapists. Not a day passes without me being asked if I'd like a massage or, for that matter, to check out the many shops selling colourful clothes and artefacts.

Make sure you take off your shoes before entering any building. It's worth considering your footwear, because a shoe that doesn't come off or go on easily can become an irritation if you decide to go in and out on a shopping spree. Flip-flops are perfect. 

Prices are reasonable, even if it is inflated for tourists. Be sure to bargain with them, even if you are arguing over what turns out to be a few pence. Otherwise the price of goods will go through the roof. Also, bring cash with you. There are no ATMs. To change money and get the best rates, you have to go to Varkala town, a walk of a few kilometres.

It's early days for us still. We haven't yet fully explored Varkala town. Zenchai enjoyed a tuk-tuk ride I took him on. And he's keen to go on a train, too, but I haven't looked into that. We also want to spend a night on a boat in the backwaters, so there is plenty to do and see besides enjoying the leisurely pace of life. 

 

Comments

[Sam]

True about Varkala.. Even 10 years ago it was super touristy... but, it is beautiful, and cheap, and has some great food options.. We stayed there a couple of weeks and relaxed after our Tsunami experience and met some nice people.... not "real" india but after real india for a few months, it is real nice to take a break...

[Margaret River]

The beach is great in this place and the food as well. I should definitely consider going there sometime.

[Jacob @hostelworld]

The pictures provide a window into your experience in Varkala Beach. The sights there are amazing, especially the sunset picture. It is a totally different life from the West over there, and this is probably the reason why tourists flock to the place: in order to experience the different aspects it has to offer. It looks safe to travel there with children. The picture showing that person on the beach wearing a Rooney football shirt shows how globalised the world has become.