One Day Fun Day at Taj Varkala!!!
Yet another outing that sprouted out of a flyer ” One Day Fun Day at Taj Varkala ” . Me and my colleagues decided to spend a day at Taj Varkala availing a corporate offer, to experience the property and chill off the hectic week behind exploring the whole of Varkala. Taj Varkala also known by the the name ” The Gateway Hotel Janarthanapuram” is located atop a majestic red cliff in Varkala overlooking the Arabian Sea. This charming resort is operated by the Taj Group of hotels and offers good service, unforgettable experience and a good view of the Arabian sea. It is located in between the Papanasam beach and the Varkala cliff.
Talking about Varkala, it is a coastal town situated 51kms north-west from Trivandrum. It is famous for its beaches, cliffs, resorts, temples and Mutt. Located in the outskirts of Trivandrum and facing the Arabian sea, this place tops the charts of the most favoured tourist destinations in Kerala.
The main attractions of this place are Papanasam Beach,Varkala Beach, Varkala Cliff and Helipad,Kappil Beach, 2000 years old Janardana Swami Temple and Sivagiri Mutt.
Getting there and around
Varkala is easily accessible and well connected via road and rail. There are frequent buses plying to and from Trivandrum to Varkala. KSRTC operates volvo buses too. You can also reach Varkala by rail and the railway station is just 4kms from the beach. The nearest airport is in Trivandrum.
Varkala Distance Chart
Trivandrum-51kms | Kovalam-60kms | Kollam-35kms | Cochin-171kms | Kanyakumari-139kms |
Things to do
Things to carry
- Camera
- Swimming trunk/suit
- Dress to change
- Beach wear
- Wallet/Credit cards
- Sports shoes
Taj Varkala – A day out
As per the plan I along with my wife started off from Trivandrum by 6am on mour car,drove via NH47 till Kallambalam and from there took the left to Varkala via the Varakal-Kallambalam road and finally deviated to the Varkala-Thazhevettoor road to reach the beach. We reached Varkala by 6:45am. After parking the car in front of the Janardana Swami Temple, we walked down towards Papanasam beach. Except for some hindu priests and people who had come to perform “bali” (sacrificial ritual performed in memory of the departed souls of ancestors) the beach was almost empty. We sat there enoying the cool breeze and the calmness to the sea. At a distance we could see fishing boats (catamarans), probably wading their way back after the early catch. After spending half an hour at the beach, we drove towards the Varkala Cliff . On the way to the cliff e saw the entrance of Taj Varkala.
Photos from Papanasam Beach
We reached Varkal Cliff in less than 15 minutes. The view from the cliff was awesome, a panoramic view of the sea, beach and the cliff extending sideways. You can walk down the cliff towards the beach. We choose to walk sideways, through the narrow pathway overlooking the sea. There are restraurants and hotels on the right and to towards the left, down below the cliff, is the roaring sea. We could see yoga classes being conducted on the beach as well as tourists sunbathing out there. That was a perfect frame to capture.
Photos from Varkala Cliff
You can trek all the way from here to Kappil beach (one currently in my wishlist), but due to lack of time we headed to Taj Varkala. We reached the hotel by 9AM and waited for the rest of the guys in the lobby.You get a beautiful view of the sea and the fishermen sailing through, in their catamarans from the lobby. When my colleagues and their family arrived we checked in to the room alloted to us, settled down and started off to explore and experience the property. It was well landscaped with lawns and gardens. We also had a look at the tennis court, badminton court and the childrens park. The place was calm, quite and serene. As it was too hot outside we decided to leap into the pool. We spent a good time in the pool where I retested my swimming skills. The hotel has a fantastic bar and they serve the liquor by the pool side. One can rest the butts on marble seats spread in arches around the center of the pool enjoying the drink, cool sea breeze and the ambiance of the pool. It is a soothening experience and I really enjoyed it. Meanwhile our spouces were lectured on cooking tips and were offered live cooking classes by the cheif cheff. Well that really saved the day…………….:)
Photos from Taj Varkala
It was directly from the pools to the tables where we were served some good food for lunch. After resting for a while in the lobby we took to indoor sports like caroms,chess and table tennis. When the heat subsided we parted off to the badminton court, tennis court and the garden for some cycling. We all got together by 5PM in the garden facing the pool where we were served tea and baked cookies after which we decided to visit the Papanasham and Varkala beach. It was just 10 minutes walk from the hotel, and there we were!!!! playing volleyball in the beach. We walked all the way from Papanasham to the Varkala beach enjoying the cool breeze and the cliff. After seeing the sun set and a bit of photography we returned back to the hotel. It was around 7Pm and we were drawing close to the time for departure. We packed up our bags, payed off the bills (which was the saddest part of all) and made our way back home with sweet memories of the place and a calm mind to start off another workaholic week……….:)
Photos from Varkala Beach
Summary
Varkala is beautiful place to spend a day or an evening. If you have the budget and are looking for an ambient place to enjoy or chill off Taj Varkala is recommended. You could check with them or browse the site for any offers. There are a plethora of budget hotels and restaurants which are equally good, and can save you quite a lot of money. I frequently drive to the cliff, sometimes in the evenings and sometimes late night. Its a awesome place to unwind.