Varkala is located 45 kms from Thiruvananthapuram city is an important hindu pilgrimage center. Varkala is known for Papasnanam Beach and 2000 years old Sree Janardhana Swamy Temple. Sivagiri is also the final resting place of Sree Narayana Guru, the great social reformer.

Varkala beach is an ideal spot for enjoying the sun and surf of the Arabian Sea. Apart from the beautiful beach Varkala is also noted for its steeping cliffs and hence one can even be a "cliff hanger" through its red cliff faces. Definitely, a view from the top of these magnificent cliffs into the beautiful landscape is breathtaking.

Hundreds of Hindu devotees perform 'Vavubali', a ritual performed for the ancestors soul to rest in peace, on the new moon day of the Malayalam month Karkidam. There is a belief that a dip in the holy waters of this beach will purify your body and soul, washing out all your sins. The beach offers its visitors a perfect beach holiday plus Ayurvedic treatments, Yoga and meditation courses.

Varkala is also an important Hindu centre of pilgrimage. It is the final resting place of Sree Narayana Guru, the great social reformer of Kerala, is near Varkala atop a hill named Sivagiri. High cliffs from mineral springs majestically rise is a scene typical of Varkala. There is a nature cure centre adjacent to the beach.