February 11, 2021

Soul and Surf Kerala – Get Your Surf On!

72 Shares

Soul and Surf on Varkala’s South Cliff in Kerala is truly a thing of beauty. Unique, challenging and homely. What a wonder.

Location: South Cliff, Janardhanapuram, Varkala, 695141, Kerala, India
Time of Stay: October 2019
Length of Stay: 3 Nights

Top Tips For Soul and Surf!

Bring long bottoms/leggings to surf in! More on that below
Defo join one of the candlelit yoga sessions.
If you’re a virgin surfer like us, don’t be worried, I reckon you will LOVE it!
Keep your eyes peeled to see the amazing fruit bats by the cliff

The Surfing….

As virgin surfers, it was safe to say we were slightly concerned about what we had let ourselves in for! But, Rakhul gave us our first lesson and we LOVED it!

The instructors here really look after you and make sure you feel safe, and are having a good time. It feels like such an achievement if you manage to pop up (even if it is for a split second!)

Best idea is to bring long bottoms/leggings that you can wear surfing, for two reasons: the locals like people to stay covered up, and also surfing can be real rough on the skin, so wear as much as you can! Soul and Surf will provide you with a wetsuit which is a top only.

The Souling….

The yoga classes here were some of the most enjoyable I’ve ever done. They usually take place on the rooftop and it has such a peaceful vibe about it.

The candlelit session was especially memorable, there were even rogue fireflies joining in, dotting themselves about the roof. Magical.

Yoga mats, bolsters and all props etc are provided. You can sign up for classes simply by writing your name on the big ol’ blackboard!

The Room and Prices

We stayed at Soul and Surf for 3 nights and paid £67 per person per night. We had the “really nice room” which had a little private balcony which was a nice touch.

The room itself was really beautiful and we were very pleased with our choice. The decor was wonderfully done and really suited the space.

I believe you can buy various packages to include a certain amount of surfing/yoga classes. Alternatively you can opt for a ‘pay as you go’ type scheme.

We went with the latter and prices were as follows:

1.5hr group surf lesson including soft board rental £30
1hr15min group yoga class £6.50
Group Pranayama/Meditation classes £5.50

The group classes were fab, and unless you’re planning on coming here for a much more serious turnaround in either yoga or surfing, they are absolutely enough.

The Grounds at Soul and Surf, Kerala

The beautiful grounds at Soul and Surf Kerala overlook Varkala beach, where you can watch the local (and absolutely HUGE!) fruit bats swooping into the bushes on the cliffs and the trees in the grounds.

There are lovely lounge chairs/ sunbeds/ day beds dotted around and there is a real community feel here. There are also steps that go directly from Soul and Surf down the cliff onto the beach. YAS. PERLEASE.

You get to know the other guests through both surfing and just hanging out around the cafe area at mealtimes.

The Food, Drink and Entertainment

The food and drink at Soul and Surf was a lovely selection. Lots of fresh juices and whole coconuts, as well as healthy food options. They usually hold nights where they will show a film and have either pizza or get a local meal cooked up for everyone. There are a lot of continental food choices here, so it was nice to get some local cuisine in.

Alcohol is a touchy subject in this part of the country, but Soul and Surf have come up with their own solution! Although we didn’t use this service, it was nice to know it was an option!

On our last evening, we went out for a local dinner with some fellow guests and our surf instructors. It was really lovely that they chose to spend their free time with us and show us around the town a little bit.

Soul and Surf also offer massage, therapies and treatments from £40. We had a divine massage there from Janine which was such a lovely treat.

To Conclude – Soul and Surf Kerala!

It is very easy to feel very settled and at home at Soul and Surf and so it can be difficult to tear yourself away from the wonderful crew and peaceful environment that Soul and Surf offers.

We only stayed a few days at Soul and Surf but felt we could have easily stayed a week or so here and really upped our surfing game. We loved it!

Surfing and yoga really makes such a fantastic combination and this stay was very memorable for us. As I’m absolutely sure it is for anyone that has the pleasure of staying at Soul and Surf in Kerala.