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Travel Blog of Medhavi Davda.
​Solo Woman Traveler  & Adventure Travel Blogger from India.

Varkala - Cheap Backpacking Destination

12/19/2015

23 Comments

 
Varkala is a fantastic and cheap backpacking destination in Kerala. Laid-back and serene, it is the only cliff by the beach in Kerala.I had to cancel a trek of mine twice to handle some issues at work and these aren't the best times of my life. The frustration started building up and I had to make a quick escape to nature. Kerala seemed to be a good choice as the monsoon was ending and this is when the "God's own country" shines in the best of colors.
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When the skies are bluest and the grass greenest
It's a popular surfing destination of India. Post-monsoon is the best season for the expert surfers. The high-tide surfing is a treat to the eyes.
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When the tides are the happiest
The vibrant promenade stretches for 1.5 kms on the north cliff. Themed cafes, libraries, art galleries, ayurvedic massage and treatment centers, yoga centers, flea shopping, fill up this street overlooking the blue Arabian sea.
The sunset by the cliff is apt for those soul searching moments for which I travel solo.
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A few kms ride from the cliff got me to this beautiful road where I got the most spectacular view of Kappil beach on one side and the backwaters on the other.
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Kappil beach and backwaters
Further few kms ride got me to the local fisherman villages by the beautiful Edava lake.
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Edava Lake

My favorite cafes in Varkala Cliff

1. Bohemian - for fresh organic food
2. Trattorias - best home made pastas and Indian food
3. Coffee Temple - my fav breakfast place for delicious avocado & hummus baguettes
4. Cafe Italiano - for the roof-top view, gives a feeling of dining on a ship.
5. Darjeeling cafe - for oriental and Indian cuisine
6. ABBA - for excellent European food and baked cheese cake
Picture
Cafe Italiano
Accommodation:
Rooms are available in all ranges from backpacking budget to luxurious resorts.
Smart ones like me would look for a basic room in a resort, where I get to enjoy all the luxuries of the beach facing resort and still pay only Rs. 300 per night :)
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Ravenous Legs
I spent some totally laidback, stress-buster days here. I got spoilt for choice.

I would wake up in the morning, get out of the room and sleep a little more on these hammocks :)

I needed to walk just a few steps for excellent ginger lemon honey tea and organic brunch

and step down the cliff, straight into the sea to enjoy the swim and the sunbath

I met some interesting people over coffee:
    So, this European cafe owner refused to serve to me before I danced a few steps with him and he thanked me with a gooey homemade chocolate cake on the house.
     A decent guy from Nagaland, working at one of the cafes, was so happy to know that I've traveled to his state and he ended up talking to me for hours about his state.

It was a pleasant feeling to enjoy the sunset and walk down for some sea facing candle-lit dinners, sensing the cool breeze and sound of the waves.

Do I need to mention that I came back home with a completely rejuvenated soul??

Dates on which I had traveled to Varkala

My travel dates to Varkala : 9th Oct 2015 - 12th Oct 2015

Best Time to visit Varkala

I personally recommend the off-season (mid-October to November or March) when it is relaxed and tranquil. It gets crowded and expensive in peak season - December-January.

How to reach Varkala

It is 50 kms (1.5 hours) away from Trivandrum and 160kms (5 hours) from Cochin. Buses / Trains / Taxis are easily available from these cities to Varkala.
​
​Related Posts:

Romancing with monsoons in Wayanad
Backpacking in Mcleodganj & Dharamsala
23 Comments
Rajiv Verma link
12/17/2015 03:34:35 pm

Lovely lovely post showing the colors and the laid-back vibe of the place.

Cheers,
Rajiv

Reply
Medhavi Davda link
12/17/2015 05:48:41 pm

Thanks Rajiv :)

Reply
Rajiv Verma link
12/17/2015 05:51:43 pm

Welcome :)

abhinav link
12/18/2015 12:16:02 pm

Great set of pics and info

Reply
Medhavi Davda link
12/18/2015 01:03:14 pm

Thanks Abhinav

Reply
Deepak Acharya link
12/18/2015 12:46:47 pm

Looks like India's Bali :)

Reply
Medhavi Davda link
12/18/2015 01:04:41 pm

Oh yes.. nice observation. I can relate to it now!

Reply
Rishabh Mendon
12/21/2015 04:20:26 pm

How do you come across such amazing places? Didn't know they existed here in our country!

Well, i must say the writing is really good and nicely garnished with amazing pictures...

Hope to see more of such exceedingly exotic places soon!

Reply
Medhavi Davda link
12/21/2015 05:27:05 pm

Thanks a lot Rishabh :)
Keep connected, you'll see more of such places.

Reply
Abhinav Singh
12/24/2015 05:07:23 pm

Trust you to come up with most unusual destinations. Who would have thought Varkala can be so beautiful. Thanks to your blog, I am tempted to go!

Reply
Medhavi Davda link
12/25/2015 12:17:56 am

Thanks Abhinav! I know you would blindly wanna go to all the places selected by me :)

Reply
Rohit Dua link
1/14/2016 05:54:43 pm

When i look those picture i thought that Varkala, is situated outside India but when i read the blog and know that it is in Kerala. I can't believe this is the place which am gonna note in my Dairy. Because those place i note down i always travel there.

Reply
Medhavi Davda link
1/14/2016 07:23:15 pm

Hi Rohit,

Sounds good that you added this in your list! Happy travels.

Reply
Manikantan
1/27/2016 06:20:50 pm

Love the images. Varkala is very close to my hometown, and it remained a fairly niche destination until recently.
Looking forward to discover such places from other parts of the country from your blog. Enjoy your travels!!

Reply
Medhavi Davda link
2/2/2016 02:51:25 pm

Thanks a lot Manikantan. Your hometown and the proximity are really beautiful!

Reply
AS
1/29/2016 08:05:31 pm

Which place was 300 bucks a night for the room? Do let us know.

Reply
Samantha link
2/10/2016 04:25:22 pm

Lovely Post,Lovely Places to see,i like that places,really gorgeous photos,i am really happy to read your article..

Reply
Medhavi Davda link
1/12/2017 12:48:26 pm

Thank you Samantha

Reply
Sophia link
1/12/2017 12:26:20 pm

Nice blog.. Good job.. Thank you so much for the information. It’s a great post...I love travelling and want to travel all over the world. Explore new places, adventurous thing sand many more. And photographs are just amazing. Keep writing !!!

Reply
Medhavi Davda link
1/12/2017 12:38:30 pm

Thanks a lot Sophia. Wish you good luck for your travels

Reply
Anindya
1/15/2017 08:05:42 pm

Where did u stay? May i knw the name of the homestay /resort

Reply
Nayan
4/30/2017 11:35:12 pm

Hey Medhavi. This post is quite old but beautifully laid out. So i am planning to go to Varkala this may. I was hoping if i could get some info like is this a nice time to visit and other stuff too?

Reply
priyanka link
11/26/2018 01:06:14 pm

hi,
what is the name of the place that you stayed at for 300 a night in varkala, kerala?

thanks
P

Reply

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    Author

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    Hola! I'm Medhavi Davda - a solo and adventure traveler. Himalayas is my first home. 
    I am a High-Altitude Trekker and a certified Advanced Open Water SCUBA Diver. 
    I LOVE dancing, badminton, french wines & cheese cakes.
    I left my 9+ yrs of career in Software Industry in a quest to make a living out of my passions. I'm living minimalistic and location independent life. I packed my basic stuff in my car (donated the rest) and lived in different parts of Himachal Pradesh for 16 months. 
    I'm currently living in Mumbai to work with an Adventure Travel company as a product manager.

    ​Comfort makes me uncomfortable and so I have RAVENOUS LEGS

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  • Home
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  • Destinations
    • India >
      • Andaman Islands
      • Goa
      • Gujarat
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