{"id":54,"date":"2021-07-04T14:32:44","date_gmt":"2021-07-04T14:32:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/blog\/?p=54"},"modified":"2021-07-06T10:01:29","modified_gmt":"2021-07-06T10:01:29","slug":"kovalam-or-varkala","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/kovalam-or-varkala\/","title":{"rendered":"Kovalam or Varkala : Which One is Better?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Kovalam and Varkala are among the <a title=\"Beaches of Kerala\" href=\"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/best-beaches-kerala\/\">best beaches in kerala<\/a> and both are quite different, but each has its own charms, and when a question comes to your mind about staying in Kovalam or Varkala that is a good sign as it prepares you for expectations on what lies ahead when you stay at both these places.<\/p>\n<p>Varkala is the Best cliff beach in India tucked away in Kerala, mid-way between Trivandrum and Kollam. There are about 100 shacks and restaurants on the cliff overlooking the Arabian sea. Kovalam has three beaches separated by rocky outcroppings in its 17 km coastline, the three together form the famous crescent of the Kovalam beach.<\/p>\n<p><center><strong>ALSO SEE<\/strong>&#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/best-resorts-in-varkala\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Best Resorts in Varkala<\/a><\/center>Kovalam and Varkala have both been announced the winners of its <a title=\"TripAdvisor\" href=\"http:\/\/www.tripadvisor.in\/TravelersChoice-Beaches-cTop-g2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Travelers\u2019 Choice Beaches Awards by TripAdvisor<\/a> &#8211; Worlds largest travel website.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4396\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4396\" style=\"width: 1280px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-4396 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/kovalam-or-varkala.jpg\" alt=\"Koavalam or Varkala\" width=\"1280\" height=\"1024\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1280px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1280\/1024;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4396\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fishermen pull their fishing net on Samudra beach in Kovalam. Kerala. India<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Here is a snapshot on what you can expect in Kovalam or Varkala when you decide to visit both these places<\/p>\n<h3>Beaches &#8211; Cliff in Varkala or the Black Sand in Kovalam<\/h3>\n<p>Varkala Beach<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a relatively new entrant to the tourism map compared to <\/span>Kovalam Beach Kerala<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that has a certain uniqueness.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Lighthouse Beach in Kovalam is a good but crowded beach and there is black sand in place. Eve&#8217;s beach and the Samudra beach are good. Papanassam beach at Varkala is much quieter than beaches in Kovalam. Black beach further north is small and more secluded and the beach further south is a lovely long stretch and very quiet. However, there are stretches near both the beaches which are dirty and have garbage as well. Varkala has a longer, wider, and much better beach and has less black sand than Kovalam. Don&#8217;t expect that beaches to be having golden sands as being showcased in any restaurant brochures.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4397\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4397\" style=\"width: 1280px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-4397 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/kovalam-light-house.jpg\" alt=\"keralas-kovalam-light-house-beach\" width=\"1280\" height=\"1024\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1280px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1280\/1024;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4397\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lighthouse around palm trees at orange sunset sky in Kovalam, Kerala, India<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div style=\"background-color: #ffffa6; width: 100%;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong> ALSO SEE- <\/strong> <a title=\"Best Beaches near Trivandrum\" href=\"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/best-beaches-near-trivandrum\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> <strong>Best Beaches near Trivandrum<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Family-Friendly Beach suitable for Vacations<\/h3>\n<p>Kovalam is an ideal place for <a title=\"Kerala with children\" href=\"http:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/what-to-do-in-kerala-with-kids\/\">family vacations in Kerala with kids<\/a> but the beaches are not so beautiful, though it is an entirely different story, if you plan to stay in Leela Resort. Varkala is an exciting and fun-filled beach and resembles Goa. It has a beautiful beach and is located right on top of a small hill overlooking the beach. Lots of activities on the circumference of the hill for backpackers, hipsters, and other solo travelers. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you look from an ambient standpoint, <\/span>Varkala Beach seems to score better.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4398\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4398\" style=\"width: 1280px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-4398 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/varkala-beach-sivagiri-matt-celebrations.jpg\" alt=\"varkala-beach-sivagiri-matt-celebrations\" width=\"1280\" height=\"1024\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1280px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1280\/1024;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4398\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Women Celebrating in Kovalm or Varkala<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Food and Drinks Options in Kerala Beaches<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A healthy eater\u2019s delight, <\/span>Varkala beach <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is the ideal vacation spot for those who want to indulge in delicious meals without cheating on their diets. <\/span>Finer quality, more variety and much, much cheaper options of food and drinks are available in Varkala. The Prices of food and drinks are slightly less than in Varkala than in Kovalam and good varieties of fish cuisine are available at both beaches.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To satisfy your appetite, <\/span>Kovalam Beach Kerala<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has a lot of foods and drinks to offer.<\/span> However unlike Kovalam, there is a cafe type of culture in Varkala, and there are foreigners running establishments at Varkala and this has influenced the variety of items on sale.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4399\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4399\" style=\"width: 1280px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-4399 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/varkala-beach-kerala-cliff.jpg\" alt=\"varkala-beach-kerala-cliff\" width=\"1280\" height=\"1024\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1280px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1280\/1024;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4399\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Varkala is the Best cliff beach in India tucked away in Kerala, mid way between Trivandrum and Kollam. There are about 100 shacks and restaurants on the cliff overlooking the Arabian sea.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Distances from Airport<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From the access standpoint, <\/span>Kovalam beach Kerala scores better compared to Varkala Beach<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span>Kovalam is much nearer to Trivandrum airport than Varkala. The distance between Kovalam and Airport is 15 kilometers while the distance between Varkala and Trivandrum airport is 50 kilometers.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4400\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4400\" style=\"width: 1280px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-4400 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/Kovalam-Fishermen-in-Kerala.jpg\" alt=\"Fishermen in Kerala state, South India\" width=\"1280\" height=\"1024\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1280px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1280\/1024;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4400\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fishermen during local Pongal Festival in Varkala, Kerala State, South India<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Resorts and Accommodation Options in Kovalam or Varkala<\/h3>\n<p>Kovalam has much more options to stay in than Varkala both for <a href=\"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/luxury-beach-holiday-package-taj-kovalam\/package\">luxury resorts<\/a> and for budget hotels. Kovalam is famous for luxury resorts like Leela Kovalam Beach resort and Turtle on the beach resort Kovalam. Varkala also has a variety of options but none as famous as the luxury resorts in Kovalam.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4401\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4401\" style=\"width: 1280px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-4401 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/turtle-on-the-beach-resort-kovalam.jpg\" alt=\"turtle-on-the-beach-resort-kovalam\" width=\"1280\" height=\"1024\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1280px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1280\/1024;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4401\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Interiors of Turtle on the Beach Resort Kovalam<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div style=\"background-color: #ffffa6; width: 100%;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong> ALSO SEE- <\/strong> <a title=\"Best Beach Resorts in Kerala\" href=\"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/best-beach-resorts-kerala\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> <strong>Best Beach Resorts in Kerala<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Sightseeing Options in Kovalam and Varkala<\/h3>\n<p>For those with an adventurous spirit, both Kovalam and Varkala offer plenty of temples, mosques, and beaches. There are the Kappil (8 km north of Varkala) and Papanasam Beaches \u2014 the latter with its famous, red laterite cliffs. Varkala is also an important Hindu pilgrimage center and has the famous 2,000-year-old Sree Janardhan Temple and the Narayanswami Samadhi and temple.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4402\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4402\" style=\"width: 1280px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-4402 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/Hindu-Family-Ceremony-Varkala.jpg\" alt=\"Hindy Ceremony in Varkala Beach\" width=\"1280\" height=\"1024\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1280px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1280\/1024;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4402\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hindus at Papanasam beach to perform the last rites after a close relative has died in Varkala Kerala South India.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>When it comes to sightseeing between Kovalam or Varkala ? Kovalam is a better option if you want to do sightseeing when compared to Varkala sightseeing. Varkala has multiple options for surfing and adventure sports when compared to Kovalam.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #ffffa6; width: 100%;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong> ALSO SEE- <\/strong> <a title=\"Best Things to do in Varkala\" href=\"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/best-things-to-do-in-varkala\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> <strong>Best Things to do in Varkala<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Kovalam to Varkala distance is only 50 kilometers and the travel time is only 2 hours. We would suggest you spend 3 days at each place, and enjoy the different things that each has to offer &#8211; you won&#8217;t regret it because to know the worth of Varkala you need to stay in Kovalam and to know the worth of Kovalam you need to stay in Varkala. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make your choice between <\/span>Kovalam or Varkala<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by comparing the choices, budgets, and access.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kovalam and Varkala are among the best beaches in kerala and both are quite different, but each has its own charms, and when a question comes to your mind about staying in Kovalam or Varkala that is a good sign as it prepares you for expectations on what lies ahead when you stay at both [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":414,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-54","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-kovalam","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2626,"href":"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54\/revisions\/2626"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/414"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/irisholidays.com\/keralatourism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}