Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India

Places to visit near Varkala

Varkala is a town in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India. Within 50 km by road there are 139 places to visit — 31 temples, 22 beaches & coast, 13 hill stations & viewpoints and 18 museums. The must-see places are Varkala Beach Trivandrum (2 km), Sivagiri Mutt (2 km) and Kappil Beach (8 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Varkala on the map

Varkala, Kerala
Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Varkala at a glance

Location
Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India
Coordinates
8.7379° N, 76.7163° E
Places within 50 km
139 (50 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to March for beaches & coast; October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; year-round for temples and museums
Nearest city
Kollam, 26 km
Railway station
Varkala (VAK), 1 km
Airport
Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TRV), 45 km

Top places to visit near Varkala

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Varkala: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

More places near Varkala

Things to see near Varkala, by type

Temples near Varkala

63 temples within 100 km of Varkala. The closest is Sivagiri Mutt (2 km). Best time: year-round.

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Beaches & coast near Varkala

29 beaches & coast within 100 km of Varkala. The closest is Varkala Beach Trivandrum (2 km). Best time: october to march.

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Hill stations & viewpoints near Varkala

25 hill stations & viewpoints within 100 km of Varkala. The closest is South Cliff Varkala Town (2 km). Best time: october to february for cool, clear air.

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Museums near Varkala

21 museums within 100 km of Varkala. The closest is Asan Smarakam (9 km). Best time: year-round.

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Churches near Varkala

19 churches within 100 km of Varkala. The closest is Immaculate Conception Church (17 km). Best time: year-round.

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Waterfalls near Varkala

19 waterfalls within 100 km of Varkala. The closest is Vattathil Waterfall Kalladathanni (22 km). Best time: july to january, best august to november right after rains.

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A one-day trip from Varkala

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 61 km on the road.

  1. Start in Varkala
  2. 17 km Immaculate Conception Church · church, Kollam
  3. 10 km Kappil Beach · beach, Thiruvananthapuram
  4. 8 km Varkala Beach Trivandrum · beach, Thiruvananthapuram
  5. 13 km Anjuthengu Fort Trivandrum · fort, Thiruvananthapuram
  6. 11 km Sivagiri Mutt · temple, Thiruvananthapuram
  7. 2 km Back to Varkala

Plan a longer trip from Varkala — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Varkala

No traveller has reported from around Varkala yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Varkala

  • By train: Varkala (VAK) — about 1 km from the centre
  • By air: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TRV), Thiruvananthapuram — about 45 km by road
  • By air: Cochin International Airport (COK), Kochi — about 201 km by road
  • By road from Kollam: about 26 km · directions
  • By road from Thiruvananthapuram: about 42 km · directions
  • By road from Alappuzha: about 118 km · directions

All places near Varkala by distance

Within 15 km of Varkala

15–50 km — half-day trips

50–100 km — one-day trips

Count by type (within 100 km)

Places near Varkala by type
TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
Temples3163Sivagiri Mutt (2 km)
Beaches & coast2229Varkala Beach Trivandrum (2 km)
Hill stations & viewpoints1325South Cliff Varkala Town (2 km)
Museums1821Asan Smarakam (9 km)
Churches1319Immaculate Conception Church (17 km)
Waterfalls619Vattathil Waterfall Kalladathanni (22 km)
Forts & heritage1618Poonthran (8 km)
Lakes, dams & reservoirs616Indira Gandhi Lake View Park (8 km)
Other attractions49Jatayu Rock (27 km)
Wildlife, forests & gardens29Panayam Reserve Forest (38 km)
Mosques & dargahs45Kaduvayil Juma Masjid (12 km)
Parks33Mahatma Gandhi Park (25 km)
Caves02Munippara - Cave of Sadhoos (57 km)
Rivers, islands & mangroves11Golden Island Boating & kayaking(Kayikkara Kadavu) (8 km)
Jain sites01Chitharal Jain Temple ( Malaikovil) (91 km)

Varkala: questions travellers ask

What are the best places to visit near Varkala?

Sivagiri Mutt (temple, about 2 km), Varkala Beach Trivandrum (beach, about 2 km), Kappil Beach (beach, about 8 km), Anjuthengu Fort Trivandrum (fort, about 12 km), Immaculate Conception Church (church, about 17 km), Poonthran (heritage site, about 8 km).

How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Varkala?

139 places on Spotwander: 31 temples, 22 beaches & coast, 13 hill stations & viewpoints, 18 museums, 13 churches.

Which is the nearest temple to Varkala?

Sivagiri Mutt, about 2 km by road; Kulamuttom Lake View Point (8 km) is next.

Which is the nearest beach to Varkala?

Varkala Beach Trivandrum, about 2 km by road; Papanasam Beach (2 km) is next.

Which is the nearest viewpoint to Varkala?

South Cliff Varkala Town, about 2 km by road; Rock Island (9 km) is next.

What is a good one-day trip from Varkala?

Start in Varkala, visit Immaculate Conception Church, then Kappil Beach, then Varkala Beach Trivandrum, then Anjuthengu Fort Trivandrum, then Sivagiri Mutt, and drive back — about 61 km by road in all.

What is the best time to visit places near Varkala?

October to March for beaches & coast; October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; year-round for temples and museums.

How do I reach Varkala?

By train: Varkala (VAK), about 1 km away. By air: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TRV), about 45 km by road. By road: 26 km from Kollam.

Towns near Varkala

Nearest cities

Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Varkala’s location and population from GeoNames; see also Varkala on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.