Varkala, India
Also within 20 km of Varkala
- Boar rice Surf spot · 2.8 km from Varkala
Watch this spot We email you when Varkala is worth the trip.
About Varkala
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SW (232°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (52°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–8 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 900 m out (1 in 90). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 26°C in July, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 30°C in March, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best month is usually October, with about 4 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Varkala, 0.9 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot.
Water about 28°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Saved: this link opens the same trip
The link holds the trip itself: nothing about you is kept. Check the forecast again before you book.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 27 h 25 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to TRV, changing at Dubai International Airport (DXB).
See flights ORD → TRV · Skyscanner from about £790 returnAdGetting there. 55 min from the airport to Varkala.
Accommodation.
Stay in VarkalaAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Varkala (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Varkala 2 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 90 places to stay · where Varkala stays
Places to stay in Varkala · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Varkala · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Varkala · GetYourGuideAd
Budget 
Mid-range 
Luxury 
Where it is
Varkala on Google Maps · Directions
The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.
One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Forecast
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for intermediates | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 53, good | 3 ft8 smushy | 126kJ | wind from the west, 4 knots | 32°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 65, good | 4 ft10 ssoft | 280kJ | wind from the west, 3 knots | 28°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 64, good | 4 ft11 ssoft | 332kJ | wind from the north, 4 knots | 30°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 63, good | 4 ft10 ssoft | 282kJ | offshorewind from the north-east, 3 knots, offshore | 26°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 56, good | 4 ft9 ssoft | 173kJ | wind from the south-east, 4 knots | 29°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 44, fair | 3 ft7 smushy | 92kJ | wind from the south-west, 4 knots | 28°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 44, fair | 3 ft13 ssoft | 271kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 5 knots | 29°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 41, fair | 3 ft11 smushy | 218kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 6 knots | 26°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 39, fair | 3 ft10 smushy | 170kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 7 knots | 27°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 32, too small | 3 ft8 smushy | 74kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 5 knots | 29°C |
| Wed 28Oct | 0, poor | – | – | – | – |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly ORD to TRV, changing at DXB, then 55 min by road. About 27h 25 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Varkala
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 11 s, wind 4 kn (7 km/h).
- Wed 21 OctSurf Varkala
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 10 s, offshore wind.
- Thu 22 OctSurf Boar rice
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 9 s, wind 4 kn (7 km/h).
- Fri 23 OctSurf Boar rice
Best 11:00 to 14:00 local time: 3 ft at 8 s, wind 4 kn (7 km/h).
- Sat 24 OctSurf Boar rice
Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 3 ft at 13 s, wind 5 kn (9 km/h).
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to TRV, changing at DXB, then 55 min by road. About 27h 25 door to door
The plan picks the best of 2 spots near Varkala each day: Boar rice, Varkala.
Rough cost
About £1,280–£2,490 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to TRV, estimated from distance and season, changing at DXB, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £790–£1,635 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £70–£115 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £165–£280 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £155–£290 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £65–£105 |
| Total | £1,280–£2,490 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Varkala
- GADIndian · 2.0 km from the centre
- In Room Diningin the centre
- Barbecue 13 RestaurantBarbecue · 0.2 km from the centre
- Canadian Fried ChickenChicken · 0.2 km from the centre
- Arabian ChoolahArabian · 0.8 km from the centre
- AMMA MESSIndian · 0.9 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.