Varkala is a sand-bottomed beachbreak set beneath towering reddish cliffs and thick palm groves that overlook the beach. When the swell is clean and the rare offshores line up, it can throw out a hollow, spitting beachbreak with both lefts and rights. On the bigger days there's a rumoured left up north of the cliffs.
When It Works
The break draws swell from the south through west (S-W), and it comes into its own on a southwest (SW) swell. It works from 0.3 m / 1 ft to 2.4 m / 8 ft, giving you a wide window of usable sizes. Consistency is moderate, so it pays to time your sessions for when a clean swell fills in.
Wind and Tide
Look for a northeast (NE) offshore to groom the sandbanks; once the wind swings onshore, close-outs become the norm. It can work through most of the tide, with a rising tide generally the better call.
Local Tips
Varkala is best suited to intermediate surfers, not least because the rips are often strong. Expect a quiet lineup, too. You might share the stretch with one or two others, but often you'll have it to yourself.
