Staying in Varkala was our holiday within a holiday, it’s easy and relaxing, a great stop off for long term travellers, as it provides a home from home with familiar foods and places to relax, eat, drink or shop.

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One morning we got up early before it got too hot, so we could take a walk along the beach towards the North to see what we were missing out on. Although it turns out it’s quieter, the beaches are smaller and full of rubbish. Each morning huge groups of fishermen congregate to pull in massive nets full of the day’s catch.

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Most days we relaxed on the beach or up on the cliff, taking in the buzz of people around us, reading or eating. On the dullest day we decided to explore the beaches further along from the main tourist beach in Varkala.

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Papanasam Beach is used by Indians to scatter the ashes of their cremated relatives into the sea. The waters here are believed to have strong religious properties. Despite this burial activity, the locals still swim in the sea, while the guidebooks suggest tourists respect this ritual and use the main beach down the coast.

I liked this image of this man with his umbrella looking on seriously, while people around him seemed in high spirits, gesturing to their companions.

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As the weather in Varkala was mainly stormy during our stay we didn’t manage to see many of the infamous sunsets this area boasts of. However, we caught a break in the rain one evening and I captured this beautiful photo of the sun setting behind the clouds before the rain set in again.

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