Varkala

A 40 minute drive from Trivandrum on NH47 takes you to Varkala, a quaint town that has many a story to tell you on Indian history.

The Anjengo Fort, built by the British East India Company in 1695, served as a garrison for the British. The Fort is remarkably well preserved and has a beautiful garden within its walls.

The Anjengo Lighthouse is close by. A climb to the top is worthwhile and gives you a breathtaking view of the Trivandrum district. You can even see the Technopark in Trivandrum from the Lighthouse.

The pictures here show parts of the Anjengo Fort, the Lighthouse, and the view from the top.

Closer to town is the Varkala Papanasham beach. As the name says the waters here are believed to have the power to wash away your sins.

You can also see the Varkala tunnel, built in 1880, that takes the inland waterway network under the hill connecting south Travancore to the north of Kerala.  This waterway is now in disuse.