Soul & Surf

back to top
WHERE IS SOUL&SURF/INDIA?
We are located on the coast of Kerala in south west India. The house is 1km south of Varkala Cliff and about an hour north of Trivandrum international airport.

back to top
HOW DO I GET THERE?
It’s most convenient to fly to Trivandrum airport in Kerala which is served by flights from the UK and most major European airports. Another option is to fly to Cochin International airport which is about 4 hours north of Soul&Surf/India. From Trivandrum airport it’s a 1 hour drive, we will arrange a driver to collect you from the airport so contact us at least a week before your stay with flight details. The cost will be around £15 (€18 or $24), just pay the driver. If you fly to Cochin you can easily get a taxi from the airport. Expect to pay around £40(€45 or $65) for the 4 hour drive.
Flights from the Europe to Trivandrum typically range from under £350 (€400 or $550) return to about £500 (€575 or $800) if you book ahead and avoid the Christmas fortnight!
Check out these sites to help you find the right flight: Air Ninja / Kayak / Skyscanner / Netflights / Mobissimo.
At the time of writing we recommend flying Emirates as they seem to be the most surfboard friendly - there is no extra charge for boards as long as they fit in your 30kg baggage allowance.

back to top
DO I NEED A VISA?
EU passport holders require a passport that is valid for at least 6 months beyond your return date and will need to apply at their local Indian Embassy for a tourist visa. Visa situations constantly change so we strongly recommend that you check beforehand. The UK Indian Embassy website is: www.hcilondon.in/visa.php

back to top
HOW DO I BOOK?
Fill in the booking form on the booking page to let us know when you’d like to come. We require a 25% (or £50, whichever is greater) deposit per person to secure your dates. The balance is then due 30 days before arrival to confirm your room (we're only small, with four rooms so we need to be certain of our bookings. If it's difficult to do this in some way email us here to see what we can do). Payments can be made via Credit Card, Paypal or bank transfer to our UK account. Contact Sofie with your payment preference and she will send you details of how to pay. For our cancellation policy please see our Terms & Conditions.

back to top
CAN I BRING MY CHILDREN?
Children of all ages are welcome with their parents but please note we do not have any child care facilities or particular experience so they will be entirely your responsibility.

back to top
WHAT IS THE CURRENCY? CAN I GET CASH?
The Indian currency is the Rupee. Exchange rates at last time of checking were around 75Rs to the £1 and about 65Rs to the €. Rupees can only be obtained within India. There are exchange facilities and ATMs in the airport and there are also plenty of ATMs in nearby Varkala town. If you choose to bring cash there are plenty of Money Changers on Varkala Cliff, all major currencies accepted.

back to top
CAN I USE MY PHONE?
Nearly all European networks work in India but will be expensive. Buying a SIM is a good cheap option and International call charges are relatively cheap. We recommend Airtel network for international calls. There are lots of International (ISD) phones in the surrounding area and call charges are relatively cheap.

back to top
IS THERE INTERNET?
There is free wifi available at the house and there are also lots of broadband internet cafés in nearby Varkala Cliff and Varkala Town.

back to top
WHAT IS THE SURF, WATER AND THE WEATHER LIKE?
Kerala has an equatorial climate and is therefore hot and humid all year long. June through to September is the SW monsoon with torrential rain, strong onshore winds and stifling humidity. The peak tourist season in the area, and the dryest months, of December & January coincide with the small swell season yet even then it’s still at least knee to shoulder high.
The two months pre and post monsoon (monsoon is June til September) is when the swell is consistently larger and more challenging with waves averaging about 3-4ft. Otherwise the waves are mainly in the waist to shoulder high range. Check Magicseaweed.com which has nearby Kovalam for current and historical detail. (Note: A 3.5ft swell in Kovalam usually produces chect high waves up the coast here)
The waves are bigger, better and there’s more regular either side of the monsoon in Oct/Nov and Mar/Apr/May but there’s more chance of storms in these months.
Daytime air temperature ranges from 28º-32º dropping to around 22º-23º overnight. Water temperatures are pretty consistent at 27º-29º so you can surf in board shorts the whole season long. Bring a rash vest for sun-protection and for modesty in rural areas.

back to top
WHAT BOARDS SHOULD I BRING, DO YOU RENT EQUIPMENT?
We have 6 Mini-mal boards from 7'2"- 7'8" available for rent for beginners/intermediates at £7.50 for the whole day plus we have a supply of wax and leashes (but replacements are very hard to come by here) Bring your own equipment to suit your ability. It never gets big enough to need a gun, but you can have fun with your usual short-board, fish or Malibu.

back to top
WHAT'S INCLUDED IN MY STAY?
Homestyle accommodation five mins from the beach
Delicious healthy breakfast, tea, coffee, water, fresh fruits and the odd treat.
Transport to the surf for one long session a day 6 days a week.
Enthusiastic guide pointing you to the best waves
Use of Wi Fi

back to top
WHAT AMENETIES ARE THERE?
The are plenty of grocery shops selling fruit, vegetable and other essentials. There are many well stocked pharmacy and alcohol can be bought in Varkala town.

back to top
ARE THERE SURF SHOPS IN VARKALA?
You won’t find a surf shop anywhere in Kerala (yet) so bring everything you need with you. A good kit would include warm water wax, spare leash, rash vest, sun protection, ding repair kit. If you're travelling in India for a while there's two sources of eqpt we know of: SAE in Karnataka and the Temple Adventures crew in Tamil Nadu. Both will deliver.

back to top
WHAT CLOTHING WILL I NEED?
Bring cool clothing for hot and humid weather, bring something waterproof because in this tropical climate it can rain at any time – and it’s torrential! Wear light coloured long-sleeved clothing to keep the mossies at bay in the evening. In tourist areas such as Varkala cliff top and Kovalam it’s acceptable to wear anything you like including bikinis on the beach. Everywhere else women should cover their shoulders and wear skirts or trousers that cover the knees. If we’re surfing in remote areas you will need to wear a rash vest and shorts.

back to top
WHAT FOOD CAN I EXPECT?
Breakfast is included at the house including fruits, breads, eggs, cereals, home-made muesli, yoghurt, & local honey. We’ll throw a barbecue party and have a south indian meal at ours if you’re up for it. There are an abundance of restaurants and cafes on Varkala cliff top including Keralan curries and tandooris, fantastic seafood, european classics such as pizza and pasta. Plus local spots in town offering delicious thali lunches, delicious spicy dhosas, parathas and biryanis mosty at under £1 a meal.
Vegetarian food is plentiful in both local and tourist restaurants.

back to top
WHAT ABOUT ALCOHOLIC DRINKS?
Alcohol can be bought from Varkala town and is served in all the restaurants on Varkala cliff top. We can point you in the direction of the booze shop in Varkala which you can bring back to the house, but you must keep the receipt and prove it's your personal alcohol. We can get in serious trouble if the authorities think we're supplying alcohol without a licence!

back to top
DO YOU CATER FOR SPECIAL DIETS?
We understand that some people have special requirements. Let us know in advance, and we’ll do our best to make sure we have what you need. All guests should be aware that we are in India and not all ‘specialized food alternatives’ are available, but vegetarians are very well catered for.

back to top
WHAT ABOUT THE EVENINGS?
A couple of nights a week we’ll have dinner at the house, a barbeque or a bonfire on the beach. The rest of the time it’s really up to you. You can dine along Varkala cliff top, get comfy amongst the cushions at the house and watch a film or checkout the scene in town and have a kebab. There’s not much in the way of night life here, but there are a few bars open until 1am and it gets lively around Christmas and New Year.

back to top
WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO DO?
The surrounding area is rich in culture and perfect for exploring on a hired scooter. Visit nearby temples, check out the local fishermen’s catch as they bring in their nets or stroll along empty golden sand beaches and take a swim in the tropically warm Arabian Sea. In the tourist destination of Varkala you can shop, while away the hours in cafe’s or sunbathe on it’s stunning cliff-backed beach. Kerala is the home of Ayurveda and we recommend a massage after a surf or consult one of the experts for a week long treatment. We’ve found an amazingly charismatic local lady, the finest south Indian cook we’ve come across, who will give cooking classes in the afternoon making numerous vegetarian curries, dhals and raitas before devouring them in the evening.

Further afield…
Travel one hour north to Kollam and take a houseboat through breath taking scenery of the backwaters. Stay over night on the boat to see the magic of dusk and dawn across the water.

To experience the full gamut of surf in India we recommend talking to the guys at the Surf Ashram 12 hours up the coast in Karnataka. The Surfing Swamis inspired us to open our doors and almost single-handedly put surfing India on the map. The environment they create makes for a unique, easy-going surfing and spiritual experience. Visit their website and tell them we sent you! SurfingIndia.net

Visit the Sivananda Ashram for their yoga vacation program up in the hills and escape from it all in their lush grounds. www.sivananda.org/neyyardam (minimum 3 days).
Fort Cochin, an important global trading post ruled in turn by the Arabians, Portuguese, Dutch, British and ultimately India, is a wonderfully atmospheric town full of great restaurants, luxurious hotels, quirky cafes and hundreds of antique shops. This port-town is where India collides with old colonial Europe in a memorable fusion of east and west, modernity and antiquity.

Cool down in the mountains near Munnar, a few hours North east of Varkala in the Western Ghats. Waterfalls, mountain lakes, lush forests, sleepy villages and colonial hill-stations provide an awesome backdrop for this alternative south Indian experience.

The southern most tip of India, Kanya Kumari is home to some of the most important temples in the country. This sacred place sees visitors from all over India on pilgrimages and across the world to see the monument for Swami Vivekananda and the giant statue of Thiruvalluvar on their own islands across the sea. Watch sunrise and sunset from this special place.

back to top
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE DETAILS
You can arrive at any time and many flights land in the middle of the night. If you want to come straight to us from the airport in the night please make sure you have booked the room for that night too! It is not always possible to have your room ready before 2pm. If you do need to arrive early you can come to our place from 8am and we’ll take care of your bags and give you some advice on where to go or you can hang out in our gardens until your room is ready. Check out is 12pm, but if you would like a later check out, let us know and we’ll do our best.

back to top
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO DRIVE IN INDIA?
You can rent a scooter locally, and we can point you in the direction of motorbike or car rentals. Please bring your valid driving licence and an International Driving licence. The local roads are in pretty good condition but potholes are common, even on main roads. Driving can be pretty chaotic, particularly in towns and cities, and the traffic rules seem to be pretty random at best! If choosing to drive we advise you avoid major town and city centres, drive slowly and pay extra attention to the other road users sometimes erratic behaviour.

back to top
MEDICAL INFORMATION
There’s a very low risk of Malaria in the Keralan state, but please check with your doctor or local travel clinic for advice on vaccinations. Also check this website for up to date advice www.travelhealth.co.uk. You absolutely must have travel/health insurance to stay with us, including cover for surfing. If you don't we can't let you stay with us. If you do need to see a doctor, there’s a great clinic in the nearby town. The health service is of a high standard and is extremely cheap.

Modesty
Outside of the tourist spots of Varkala & Kovalam the Hindu and Muslim population are quite conservative. To respect our host country's way of life we ask that guests don't bare too much flesh outside of our grounds or away from Varkala and Kovalam. When surfing secluded beaches we ask female guests to surf in shorts and rash vest to avoid causing offence or attracting too much attention from the fishermen! You can, of course, sunbathe and wear what you want on our grounds.