I was born in Kerala. Kollam, to be specific.But life had other plans—I wasn’t brought up here, didn’t grow up speaking the language fluently, didn’t do the usual “Kerala trips” people romanticise.

So in a strange way, Kerala always felt like mine, but also… unfamiliar.And then I went to Varkala.

Just about an hour from my hometown.And yet, it felt like I was discovering a part of myself for the first time.There’s something about Varkala that doesn’t try too hard.No over-the-top chaos. No rush.Just a quiet confidence.

The moment we reached the cliff, I remember pausing for a second. The Arabian Sea stretching endlessly, waves crashing against the rocks below, and that salty breeze that instantly slows you down.It didn’t feel like a “tourist spot.”
It felt like a place that lets you just be.

If you’ve been to Varkala, you know the vibe.A long stretch of narrow pathways lined with little shops and cafés—each one calling out to you in its own way.Handmade jewellery, flowy dresses, dreamcatchers, spices, souvenirs… things you didn’t plan to buy but somehow end up carrying home.I found myself stopping every few steps. Not just to shop—but to look.
At the colours. The people. The stories behind each tiny stall.It’s slow, soulful browsing.

I think Varkala changed my relationship with seafood.Fresh catch displayed right outside the cafés—you literally pick what you want, and they cook it for you.Grilled fish with just the right spices, prawns that taste like the sea itself, and that simple squeeze of lemon that somehow makes everything perfect.And the best part?Eating all of this while sitting by the cliff, watching the sun slowly melt into the ocean.No five-star restaurant can recreate that.

We eventually made our way down to the beach.Soft sand, strong waves, and that constant rhythm of the sea that makes you forget everything else.I wasn’t thinking about plans, work, or what’s next.Just standing there, letting the water touch my feet, I had this quiet thought:

Coming Back, But Different.For me, it felt like a reconnection.To a place I was born in—but never really knew.And maybe that’s what made it special.It wasn’t just about the cliff, the shopping, or the food.

It was about finally seeing Kerala not as “where I’m from”but as somewhere I want to keep coming back to.