When to visit›Kerala›Varkala›May
Varkala in May: doable, with the right plan
May: rain on 20 days — and outside the recommended window.
May is outside Varkala's recommended window (October – March); the season opens in October, 5 months away. Warm days around 30°C, nights near 25°C, rain on most days.
The next season opens in October, 5 months away. The next mild, dry spell usually starts in December, 7 months away.
2 days in Varkala in May · from ₹5,697 for two
Stay, food & local travel — getting there extra
Day-by-day plan with the journey from your city, priced for May — ready in seconds, no sign-up.
What the weather actually does
10-year average · VarkalaWarm days around 30°C, nights near 25°C, rain on most days.
What a day in Varkala looks like
The things most people actually do here, by time of day.
Morning
- Papanasam Beach holy dip (sin-cleansing)1h · easy
- Janardanaswamy Temple darshan (2000-year-old)1h · easy
- Sunrise yoga on the cliff1h 30m · easy
- Sivagiri Mutt pilgrimage (Sree Narayana Guru)1h 30m · easy
Afternoon
- Ayurvedic full-body massage at cliff resort2h · easy
- Anjengo Fort & lighthouse walk (12km south)2h 30m · moderate
Evening
- Varkala cliff walk at sunset1h 30m · easy
- North Cliff seafood restaurant dinner2h · easy
About 13h of activity in total — the planner spreads this across your days and fits travel time around it.
What a May trip costs · 2 days, total for two
Budget
₹5,697 for two
- Stay · 1n₹1,575
- Food₹2,600
- Local + entry₹1,100
- Buffer₹422
Mid-range
₹13,802 for two
- Stay · 1n₹3,780
- Food₹6,000
- Local + entry₹3,000
- Buffer₹1,022
Luxury
₹33,707 for two
- Stay · 1n₹11,210
- Food₹14,000
- Local + entry₹6,000
- Buffer₹2,497
Covers stay with GST, food, local transport, entry & activities, 8% buffer for two people sharing one room — the same figures the planner opens on. Excludes travel to Varkala. How we price this
Add the journey from your city — see the full priceBook Varkala for May
Opens with May dates for two — change them on the booking site.
Tourisma may earn a small commission if you book — it never changes your price.
A May plan, day by day
2 days in Varkala for May, at this month's stay rates.
- 1🌅 Slow Day1.5h out
- Varkala cliff walk at sunset · evening, 1.5h
First evening belongs to the shore — drop your bags and walk to the water.
- 2🙏 Spiritual Day3.5h out
- Sunrise yoga on the cliff · morning, 1.5h
- Papanasam Beach holy dip (sin-cleansing) · morning, 1h
- Janardanaswamy Temple darshan (2000-year-old) · morning, 1h
Final day in Varkala — this day follows the rhythm of pilgrimage — morning prayers, temple circuits, evening aarti.
Swap places, change the pace, set your own dates.
Plan my Varkala tripGetting to Varkala
Usually the biggest line in the budget — and the one the estimate above leaves out.
Trivandrum → Varkala
train · 1h
₹100
1 way / person
Trivandrum → Varkala
cab · 1.5h
₹1,500
1 way / person
Cheapest listed route is Trivandrum → Varkala by train. Return for two works out to about ₹400 — so a whole trip lands near ₹6,097 for two, travel included.
Fares are typical one-way estimates per person from Varkala's common gateways, not live prices — book early and expect festival months to run higher.
Every month, scored
What you’ll actually do in Varkala
All of these are open in May.
- Papanasam Beach (holy dip, cliff view)
- Janardanaswamy Temple
- Cliff walk sunset
- Sivagiri Mutt (Sree Narayana Guru)
- Black Beach snorkeling
- Ayurvedic treatment centres
- North Cliff cafe culture
- Anjengo Fort (17km)
- Kappil Beach & backwaters (10km)
- Kerala Bamboo House resort experience
- Paragliding from cliff
Within reach: Varkala Cliff · Papanasam Beach · Janardanaswamy Temple · Kappil Lake.
Packing for May
- A packable rain shell and quick-dry clothes — showers come most days.
- Footwear with grip that can get wet, and a zip-lock for phone and documents.
- Swimwear, reef-safe sunscreen and a dry bag for boat trips.
May questions, answered
Is May a good time to visit Varkala?
It can work — May is not Varkala's best month: the recommended season is October – March, and warm days around 30°C, nights near 25°C, rain on most days. Tourisma's fit score for May is 50/100.
See a May plan for VarkalaHow much does a trip to Varkala cost in May?
A typical 2-day trip for two costs from ₹5,697 (budget) to ₹33,707 (luxury), excluding travel to Varkala. Seasonally adjusted for May.
Price it for your group and cityWhen is the best time to visit Varkala?
The best months are January, February, December. From May: The next season opens in October, 5 months away. The next mild, dry spell usually starts in December, 7 months away.
What is there to do in Varkala?
Papanasam Beach (holy dip, cliff view). Janardanaswamy Temple. Cliff walk sunset. Sivagiri Mutt (Sree Narayana Guru). Black Beach snorkeling. Ayurvedic treatment centres. Varkala Sivagiri is the nearest railhead, 3 km away.
Nearby, same trip
Elsewhere in India in May
Instead in season this month, from Tourisma's ranking of all 238 destinations for May.
- Haridwar · Uttarakhand · from ₹6,526 for two, 2 days
- Rishikesh · Uttarakhand · from ₹7,733 for two, 3 days
- Gulmarg · Jammu & Kashmir · from ₹9,694 for two, 2 days
- Bomdila · Arunachal Pradesh · from ₹4,855 for two, 2 days
- Tawang · Arunachal Pradesh · from ₹10,176 for two, 3 days
- Ziro Valley · Arunachal Pradesh · from ₹4,855 for two, 2 days
- Kodaikanal · Tamil Nadu · from ₹6,390 for two, 2 days
- Yumthang Valley · Sikkim · from ₹5,335 for two, 2 days
Want this as a real plan?
Varkala in May, priced for your group, dawn-starts built in — about 40 seconds.
From ₹5,697 for two · stay, food & local travel — getting there extra
Plan Varkala in May