Varkala

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Varkala ( Malayalam: വര്ക്കല Varkkala [ ʋark əla ː ] ) is a city in the southwestern Indian state of Kerala. It is located on the Malabar coast on the Arabian Sea 54 km north-west of Thiruvananthapuram, capital of Kerala, and 20 kilometers southeast of Kollam and is part of the Thiruvananthapuram District. In 2001, Varkala had about 42,000 inhabitants.

Because of the God Vishnu consecrated, from the 13th century Janardana Swami Temple is an important Hindu pilgrimage center in Varkala. At the same time Varkala has developed thanks to its located below the steep cliffs sandy beach a popular destination for Western tourists, after he was discovered by backpackers as an alternative to the near Kovalam. Tourism has developed in Varkala not the same proportions as in the popular beach resort of Kovalam, but is constantly evolving through the construction of new hotels continue.