Rest in India has its own specifics, I think if you are considering this particular country as an opportunity to relax by the sea, our experience can be useful to you. At this year, on Southeast Asia, we spent a week in Varkala, before that it was already rested in India, but here were the first time.
The resort is interesting, but has a number of features. For many tourists (and Russian, and Europeans), it is interesting including very low prices. I will write about them too, information on prices is relevant for December 2014 (we found a course of 100 rubles for 80 rupees).
So, Varkala. In our route, visiting the Arabian Sea was scheduled for dates at the end of December, it was assumed from Nepal local air carriers to go here. In the process, the route changed a little, but the plan can be considered made: a beach holiday week on the shore of the warm sea at the lowest price succeeded. Fishing villages and beaches with black sand are especially impressed. Walking along the coast you can go gradually from conventional sand to beaches with multi-colored layers, and then to completely black sand. They are the most beautiful and, by the way, there were practically no people. To argue that I can not constantly, maybe it depends on the season, but we were lucky - deserted beautiful beaches and no soul!
First I will write about that we liked it. Place for relaxing after noisy Kathmandu in my opinion perfect. The fact is that the specifics of Varkala are just that it is calm, relaxing, there are no "part" entertainment (I will not be categorical, but in a week we did not even see a hint of this). But here you can lazily lie on the beach, walk along the coast, watch beautiful sunsets and enjoy life.
How much accommodation is accommodation in Varkal:
- For a week, a house with three bedrooms and a kitchen, very clean, well-groomed, light and next to the sea we managed to remove 5000 rupees for the symbolic price. Here is one of the bedrooms.
Immediately I will say that we chose not by the number of bedrooms or price, I wanted the sun and heat, and in this house it seemed to us solar than in the rest.
Kitchen:
Why do I think it's cheap? Because we have been dedicated to the study of the situation on the ground, with an eye to the future. We looked at our own eyes what housing can be removed for how much. So, prices range from 12 thousand per month to the maximum that managed to detect us - 30,000 rupees. At the same time, it is worth considering both the "seasonality" of prices, and the rental duration, when we talked with the hostess, she said that from the next month the price will be 7,000, but if we dwell on a long period, you can agree for 6000 (i.e. essence 24000 per month).
What caused the difference in price. My eyes look like this: it's easier to repair, more noticeable tracks of the room (rubbing, some kind of gray, the feeling that everything needs to be washed), less space, no kitchen or it is very small, easier furniture and its smaller, location (closer to the temple - cheaper).
Now about food prices in the cafe.
We are not vegetarians, the standard account was about 450 rupees breakfast, 750 rupees lunch. Pelmeni MOMO - 150 rupees, oatmeal plus fruit - 70 rupees, banana shake - 70 rupees, tom yam - 150 rupees, seafood with rice - 160 rupees, fish plus salad - 300-400 rupees, salads 120-180 rupees, chicken with garnish - 180 rupees, juices from 60 rupees, Masala tea - 8 rupees, sweets - 30-40 rupees.
Cooked a couple of times to eat yourself. Prices in Store: Chapati, Mandarins (kg) - 40 rupees, cucumbers - 30 rupees, pineapple, potatoes, watermelon, tomatoes, cauliflower - 50 rupees, cookies - 20-50 rupees, cheese - 180 rupees for 400 gr.
The minus of this resort is for me this high bank and waves. Going to the beach - the heart is rejoiced, scenery is breathtaking, the water is thermal, but it is scattered and rarely succeeded, most often a wave. We caught a relatively calm sea at sunset and at dawn. During the day, it also wants to swim, too, with swims, but the waves interfere. But for those who like surfing is a bold plus.
But actually a high shore:
Crowing a half-hearted doubtful pleasure, just hot and hard, although we seem to be quite sports comrades.
Another minus - there is not a lot of entertainment. But there is an opportunity to: fly, perieve (Husband I tried, I did not, I'm afraid of waves, prices for now I remember - rent a surfboard 350 rupees per hour, instructor for introductory lesson - "put on the board" - 1000 rupees), dance (offered 200 rupees lesson, did not go, how much time did not specify), practice yoga, draw, etc.
Souvenirs for every taste, at low prices:
There are interesting things, we bought local cosmetics, ayverdic preparations, silk, shawls, spices, Masala tea, light summer things, and still from not trivial - two huge bath towels excellent quality for 70 rupees))).
The overall impression is quite good, I can not say that we are in absolute delight, but pleasant moments on this trip are still enough to visit Varkal again.