Location
Varkala is a small town in Kerala, South India. If you're looking for beaches and are fed up with the crowds and prices at Kovalam, then its well worth checking out Varkala. The best times to go, are of course in the season, when the beach extends out all around the cliff face for 500 meters.
Beaches
The beaches around this area are excellent and if you're looking for a cheap holiday Varkala should definitely be on your list. In the off season its really mellow and relaxed, swim and sleep and chill out. Only in December does it get really busy and prices start rocketing till January/February, when it starts to quieten down. But remember most 'tourist' locations in India with beaches will be busy during December, if you want to miss the crowd, head for the hills in Kodiakanal-Tamil Nadu.
Janardhana Temple
Varkala has been a Hindu pilgrimage site since the 12th Century. The Janardhana Temple was built during this period and many Hindu's still visit Varkala to this day, for this very reason. The main beaches and tourist area are located at the cliff top, which is about 7 minutes walk from the Temple. The 'cliff-top' is where most of the hotels and restaurants are located, overlooking the Arabian Sea.
The main season starts from Dec 1st- March 31st, with December & early January
experiencing the biggest rush. If you want to go out of season, then you can
stay very cheaply and of course avoid the crowd. Varkala is quite a new place
to hang out in India and has only been developed as a tourist destination in
the last 2 years.
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