Varkala

Varkala has a couple of small and unremarkable beaches with crashing waves and a frightening undertow. But, the cliffs that silhouette the Arabian Sea here are quite spectacular and a unique feature along an otherwise flat coastline. It must be these cliffs that inspired the building of a temple to Vishnu here over 2,000 years ago, and it is undoubtedly this stunning backdrop that continues to draw pilgrims, tourists and yoga retreats to the area today.

We only had 2 short days in Varkala, but did our best to enjoy what was on offer. We sampled the fresh fruits being peddled by squat women wrapped in saris on the beach and spent hours choosing from the cornucopia of seafood on offer at the cliff-side restaurants. We relaxed on the black sand beach in the morning, moved to the shaded cafes to hide away the afternoon and then returned to the beach in the evening to get pummeled and pounded by salt water as the sky turned pink and purple.

We feel our time on the subcontinent winding down and can’t help but get nostalgic for a place we’ve grown to love. But, we suspect the friendly people and coconut curries in Southern India will provide a perfect transition to the friendly people and coconut curries of Thailand and so we balance our nostalgia with our growing anticipation of what lies ahead on the next portion of our world tour.