Forget Bali — Your Wellness Reset Is In Varkala

Wellness has suddenly become the internet’s favourite personality trait. Resorts, spas, Ayurvedic potions and spirituality, basically everything my nani’s been doing forever, is now what’s considered edgy and cool. Every twenty-something is swapping their “last Friday night” hangover stories for sunrise meditation and a matcha latte.
We still don’t know what kind of TikTok witchcraft turned Bali into the holy land for modern-day soul-searchers. Ever since Eat Pray Love, everyone’s been desperate for their own moment with Ketut Liyer, cruising through those impossibly dreamy rice fields. Count me in that queue, too, at least until I stumbled upon the magic of South India. It’s way more than just delicious dosas and sipping coconut water like you’re starring in your own wellness vlog.

Graduated, Burnt Out, and Off to Varkala

After graduating this summer, I wanted my very own Eat Pray Love movie moment, that cinematic kind of self-discovery where I wanted to trade deadlines for daydreams and let the sun set the pace of your day. I wasn’t searching for a grand escape, after 3 years of chasing that grade average and surviving on 4 hours of sleep and partying like there’s no tomorrow.  That’s when I stumbled upon Varkala, geographically placed slightly above your usual touristy spots in Kerala, amidst the cliffs and backwaters, this little town was my very own Bali retreat and happened to give me just what I was looking for with just a fraction of the cost of an actual Bali trip. 

Somewhere on the internet, I’d once read, “Gen Z is leaving their work and travelling like they’ve already retired.” As a card-carrying member of the generation that millennials love to roast, I decided to take that quote seriously and woke up somewhere near a cliff with beachy sand and ocean waves. 

My Island-Girl Era, But Make It Indian

Think relaxing ayurvedic kerala massages, swimming by the pool like a mermaid and eating smoothie bowls for breakfast everyday, your island girl starter pack but make it Indian edition. There’s something almost meditative about stepping out of an oil massage only to be greeted by a cliffside view of the Arabian Sea.Temple hopping preceded cafe and club hopping in this vacation and honestly, Julia Robberts would have loved this too. Call me a Gen Z granny for swapping my Thallassa Goa nights for a wellness vacation in Varkala. Maybe this is what growth looks like.

Afternoons drifted by between pool swims, where I fully embraced my inner mermaid fantasy with lazy strolls along the cliff and laying on the beach like I belonged there. Stopping at tiny boutiques where I spent hours picking out dresses stitched with coastal charm. My entire diet revolved around coconut water, crisp dosas, pillowy appams, and the kind of South Indian meals that make you wonder why you ever praised mango sticky rice so much. When your food comes with an uninterrupted view of the beach, everything tastes just a little more soulful.

Wellness Went Too Hard

What Dil Chahta Hai started back in 2001, with Goa being the ultimate post grad trip with your friends still remains iconic but ain't no grad trip ike the one I had in South. Here are a few things I'd reccomend if you plan on giving your party era a break:

• A delicous smoothie bowl at Cafe Sarwa.
• Jatayu earth Centre (Your mom would be proud)
• Kappil Beach for those breathtaking views. 

Also Read:

A Hotel That Embraces: What The Taj Mahal, New Delhi Taught Me About Stillness

What Your Wellness Habits Say About You (And How To Make Them Smarter)