Idyllic Beach Holiday at Varkhala

A holiday in Varkhala came true after a long time. We drove to Varkhala and arrived there by late afternoon.  We checked in to a Sunview Beach Resort, a picturesque stay along the cliff. Then, I quickly had lemon tea and then went off to explore the place. The sun started setting as I stood on the cliff. The beach, the sunset, and the cliff – the place is amazing. My husband joined me. Our initial plan was to spend a day here. After seeing the views here, we decided to spend 2 days here.

The cliff is lined with shops, cafes, and stays. As we walked, I noticed Vegan Buffet on a restaurant’s menu board. It was an eco-resort named PucciniLa La eco-resort’s menu board. We inquired about the food and stay. They did not have a vegan buffet but they had mango flavored vegan cheesecake. The price of the room seemed unbelievable too. Independent rooms in a stay with an ‘eco-resort’ tag costing just...Guess! Guess!

It costed just 900 and the price included free breakfast and free yoga classes. The staff were extremely polite and obliged to show us the rooms. All this, made us want to stay here too. So we decided to stay at  Sunview Beach Resort for the night and check in to  PucciniLa La eco-resort the next day.

We continued walking to the beach and as the night fell it started raining too. We watched the rains while we relished starters, drinks, and dinner at the sit outs of various restaurants.

Watching the rains and the ocean made the whole experience better.

Later, we met many super friendly Indian dogs. I fed them biscuits during the rest of our stay. 

Our first day drew to an end. The next day, we woke up to a sunny morning. We had a south Indian breakfast, checked out from Sunview, and went to Puccini La La.

True to the name, the resort is as close to nature as possible. The restaurant has no concrete walls, cement or tile floors. Pebbles and wooden boards cover the restaurant floor.  The furniture is simple and the place is done up in traditional Kerala style. Three restaurant has no fancy washbasins. Instead, a simple sink serves the purpose and blends with the ambiance.

We walk past the restaurant into a relaxed sit out covered by trees, and  then into a mud hut with a beautiful verandah.

 The ceilings and curtains were done up in sarees. I will be sharing these photos soon.

For lunch, I ordered rice, kerala style vegetable stew, and a cheesecake. The food took a while to be prepared and tasted bland. Then, I learnt that a foreigner who had learnt to cook Indian dishes made my lunch. I could not help relishing a Kerala style made by a foreigner.

 

I also saw dogs happily sleeping inside the resort without being chased out. I fed them biscuits too.

Puccini La La, Darjeeling Café, and a few other cafes allow us to feed dogs if we are seated near the entrance. So, if you love dogs go to these cafes and choose the seats closest to the entrance so that you can feed them easily.

At night, we spent some time in the sit out. The beautiful lanterns hung from the high branches light up this area. It was great to spend time here reading, lying on a hammock, and gazing at the night sky. We spent the rest of the night relaxing on the beach beds and rocks. As it got late, we had to go back to the room. I did not want to think of coming back home to Bangalore.

The next morning,  we went was Darjeeling Café. I had great soy tea and  and a vegan sandwich. My husband had Chole Bature. They serve many other Indian vegan items too.

After breakfast, it was time to return. I just loved the Puccini La La’s  aura and would have loved to stay longer. But holidays have to end. The staff were super friendly.  While leaving, I got lucky to see a peacock. 

The trip was very affordable. Vegan food was a bit expensive but a tourist spots are expensive and we did not mind paying.

There was only one drawback to the whole trip. As a vegan, I hated the sight of murdered fishes outside every restaurant kept as baits to draw non-vegans to a restaurant. There was a time when I would bite this bait too. Now I have realized the best part of such trips is to enjoy nature is by letting other creatures stay  alive. If I my only intention to visit a beach is to murder the original inhabitants (fishes) and eat them up, I would be a psycho not a tourist.  I am glad I managed to experience nature the way it is without murdering any living beings. This makes my holidays even more memorable.

What to Know Before You go?

• Restaurants here charge close to Rs. 100 or 150 for Indian breakfast too. So, be prepared for this.
• Restaurants or Cafes may serve bland meals if you do not specify your preferences. So,  mention your preferences while placing the order.
• Remember to apply a mosquito repellent before you go outdoors at night.
• Puccini  La La and most other stays have yoga classes and Indian cooking classes.
• Remember to carry food for the stray dogs there because they depend on us tourists for food. Biscuits are easily available in the stores here.