Varkala Beach in Kerala with Kids

Varkala Beach in Kerala was the high point of our South India vacation for my kids. They loved to splash in the waves, and the food at the cafes along the cliff was delicious. Varkala is known for its cafe culture, laid back vibe, and towering red laterite cliffs lining the shore. While the beach is below the cliffs, the hotels & cafes are located above along a scenic cliff walk.

The Beach

Varkala is one of the cleaner, less crowded and more kid-friendly beaches in India. However, there is still litter washed in on the lower part of the cliffs and strewn about the beach. My seven-year-old son noted that the public trash bins all along the beach and the cliff walk were all overflowing, so people started throwing trash into piles beside them, which then blew away in the wind. If you are looking for pristine, untouched beaches, Varkala is not the place. If you do find that place in India, please let me know!

The kids loved getting their feet wet in the waves, which was about all they could do because the surf was quite strong. I only went into the water neck deep once and got smashed back into the shore by a wave. Being located on the western coast of India, rough surf wasn’t a surprise, but the water also got deep quickly, so the kids spent more time playing in the sand than the water. They loved being down at the beach during the sunset.

The toughest thing about Varkala was the steps to and from the beach with two kids in tow. A friend joined us for the trip, so when we went to the beach together and had one adult per kid, it was more manageable. Otherwise, my four-year-old found the steps quite steep and she had to go slowly to balance. Meanwhile, the older one was racing ahead so it was a bit nerve wracking. The steps are uneven and you do have to jump down in some places. There is no way to get down to the beach with a pram/stroller if you have younger ones.

The Cliff Walk and Cafes

My favorite things about Varkala were the food and the sunset views. At sunset, we could see eagles flying along the cliffs. The light reflecting from the red laterite cliffs was amazing. I remember racing north up the cliff walk, chasing my kids, just to get a better view of the birds before it got dark. If you visit, don’t miss a sunset! Along the cliff walk, there are also shops selling Indian souvenirs, although interestingly, most are offering goods from Ladakh and Tibet which are popular with tourists. You’ll find Himalayan entrepreneurs who spend winters at the beach and summers in the mountains.

The breakfast options in Varkala are awesome. The kids ate so well as compared to the rest of our South India trip. They had a lot of pancakes, smoothies, and fresh fruit. We traveled with a vegan friend, and she always found interesting options. For me, I am still dreaming of the date-banana-almond-cinnamon breakfast smoothies. I might go back to Varkala just for those! You can just wander up and down the cliff walk looking for restaurants. In the evening, lots of fresh fish is out on offer to have cooked any way you like.

Lodging

In December, the lodging prices in Varkala were pretty high. I booked about four months ahead of time, and I found the properties to be much less value than in other locations. Unless you go very far up the beach, don’t be fooled by the description of “beachfront” property as I was. Most properties are on the cliff, and they may or may not have a view of the sea. Ours claimed to have a beachfront/seaview room, however it was not even on the first row of the cliff walk. Other buildings completely obstructed any view.

The southern end of the cliff walk is closer to the public taxi stand. The northern end is quieter and more secluded. We stayed somewhere in the middle. It was quiet, as Varkala is not a party scene kind of beach. It’s more people chilling in cafes with their books and a healthy smoothie. If I go to Varkala again, there are two properties I walked by that I would check out, pictured below. These are both at the northern end of the cliff walk which is a bit further from the main steps to the beach. However, there are some smaller beaches nearby.

Below are my “photo notes” of which properties to look at next time around. These properties have a lot of space and are quite open with green areas for kids to run around. Book well ahead, especially if you’re going during Christmas break.

The Varkala Verdict

So, would be go back to Varkala? Yes, once my youngest is older and able to better handle the steps to and from the beach, I’d like to go back. The soaring eagles on the cliffs, the wonderful food, and the lovely spice shops made it worth the trip. I’d definitely go for a resort though instead of a small, boxed in guesthouse so that the kids would have somewhere to relax and run around. I would also bring more sand toys, since the surf might be too rough to spend a lot of time swimming.

I did try the Kerala massage, which I’ll skip next time as I found it very oily and uncomfortable. My friend attended a yoga class, and with her mom being a yoga instructor, she was pretty shocked at the poor level of expertise at the class she attended. So a word of caution, don’t pull a muscle in a poorly run beachside yoga class. Read reviews and find a reputable instructor if you’re so inclined.

Have you been to any great beaches for kids in India? Please share your tips in the comments below.