The Varkala beach is located in Varkala, a calm and quiet settlement, on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram/ Trivandrum district. Besides the beautiful beach, Varkala has several places of tourist interests like a 2000-year-old Vishnu temple and an ashram- 'Sivagiri Mutt' a little distance from the beach. At the tranquil Varkala beach is a quiet sea resort rich in mineral water springs. It is believed that a dip in the waters at this beach purges the body of all impurities and the soul of all sins. It is because of this belief this beach is also known as 'Papanasam beach'.

The Janardhanaswamy Temple, a two thousand year old shrine, stands on the cliffs overlooking the beach. The Sivagiri Mutt founded by the great Hindu reformer and Philosopher Sree Narayana Guru (1856 - 1928) is also located close by. The Samadhi (the final resting place) of the Guru at Varkala attracts thousands of devotees every year. Varkala offers excellent accommodation and other related facilities for the tourists. It is rapidly growing as a popular health resort with many Ayurvedic massage centers. The nearest railway station is Varkala, while the nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram/ Trivandrum international airport, nearly 57 km away.