Idea
The idea of going for kayaking started when I saw a few instagram reels of people enjoying kayaking somewhere near Varkala. Since Varkala is only an hour drive from home(Trivandrum), I decided to give it a try.
Note: If you want just the cost and itinerary, scroll to the bottom. For the entire story, continue reading....
The Plan
I contacted Mangrove Village Adventures and booked a morning slot(6am - 10am) for kayaking for 3 people(Rs 999 per head).
We took a budget stay option(Rs1200 for a room for 3 people) at Kayal theram Resort @ Hariharapuram(~9km from the kayaking destination). Alternately you can book accommodation @ Varkala(But make sure that you wake up early since Varkala is 18 kms away from the kayaking spot and you need to reach there by 6am if you chose the morning slot).
The Trip
We started by afternoon 1:30pm from Trivandrum via car. After driving for around an hour through NH47, we reached the resort. We were the only people staying there that day.
Kayal Theram Resort
It was a fairly decent place(nothing fancy). They had a 10 people dorm, a budget room for 4(we choose this one), and an AC room. The resort had three sections at different heights. The top level had all the rooms and a big lawns with a few hammocks, swings and huts(not rooms, more like chilling spots).
The second level had a small children's park and the 3rd level was at level with the lake. We can sit here and get a proper view of the lake.
Our room and washroom were decent and clean. There were few black ants running around on the floor. The mattresses were not very comfortable(but ok considering the price). They did not have a restaurant in the property, but there is a small snack counter were you can get mineral water and aerated drinks.
We relaxed a bit, climbed on top of the tree top platform and also played some frisbee. We decided to go to Varkala for our dinner.
Varkala
We headed to Odayam beach at Varkala(The Varkala cliff is also nice. But it is very crowded and we have been there quite a few times). It is relatively peaceful since most of the visitors here are the people staying at the resorts in Odayam beach.
We went to a cafe there(forgot the name. It is right in front of the beach) had a few chilled beers. We also ordered Grilled Fish(yummy), kerala parotta and Beef Fry. With our tummies full, we headed back to our resort and settled for the night
Kayaking @ Mangrove Village Adventures
We woke up at 5:00am, got ready and reached Mangrove Village Adventures by around 5:50am. We were the first to reach there and thought that it was just us for the day. To our surprise, we went from a group of 3 to a group of around 20 people within the next 10 mins.
We started off by filling in a consent form. Then we had a short session with an instructor on the basics of kayaking and the different types of strokes and when to use them. We were given a waterproof cover for our phone, a locker to keep our valuables and a bottle of water.
Must Read: varkala resorts
Now, it was time to start the trip. People boarded their kayaks one by one and waded(getting stuck quite a few times at the start) through a small canal to the open waters. We had 4 instructors kayaking along with us. We paddled through the open waters for sometime having casual conversations with the instructors and fellow kayakers. Then came the most interesting part of the trip - Kayaking through the mangroves. It was amazing and the view is great(You can check their instagram page if you want to see some pics. I was too busy enjoying the view while I was paddling through the mangroves).
After kayaking through a couple of mangroves, we tagged our kayaks to a mangrove and jumped into the water(with the lifejackets). The waters is only waist deep near the mangroves, but the depth increases fast as you move away. We went far enough that our legs were not touching the ground and floated around for around 15-20 mins. After this we got backed into the kayaks(after a couple of tries) and paddled for another 45 mins to reach back to our starting point. We sang a few songs, collected some plastic waste and got a few lectures on how mangroves grow during our way back.
We were welcomed with a cup of hot coffee. I really needed this since it was 10:00 am and I was really hungry(Pro tip: Have some banana/nuts before you start (or) carry some snacks for eating while kayaking since this is a 3-4hr trip).
We said bye to the instructors, had brunch from a local shop, checked out and went back home.
Itinerary & Cost
Itenarary
Day 1 | 1:30 pm - Start by car from Trivandrum
Day 1 | 3:00 pm - Reach Kayal Theram Resort, Hariharapuram
Day 1 | 5:30 pm - Start by car to Odayam Beach, Varkala
Day 1 | 6:00 pm - Reach Varkala(Dinner)
Day 1 | 8:00 pm - Return to resort()
Day 2 | 5:00 am - Wake up and freshen
Day 2 | 5:30 am - Start by car to Mangrove Village Adventures
Day 2 | 5:55 am - Reach Mangrove Village Adventures
Day 2 | 6:15 am - Orientation and basic training
Day 2 | 6:45 am - Kayaking starts
Day 2 | 10:00 am - Kayaking ends
Day 2 | 10:30 am - Return to resort
Day 2 | 11:30 am - Check out from resort
Cost:
1. Kayaking - Rs 1000 per person
2. Stay @ Kayal Theram Resort - Rs 1200 for the room - Rs 400 per person
3. Dinner @ Varkala ~ Rs 2200 - Rs 733 per person
4. Breakfast after kayaking ~ Rs 240 - Rs 80 per person
5. Transportation - Fuel cost - Rs 1500 - Rs 500 per person
Total Cost/Person(Excluding Transportation) ~ Rs 2200
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