Top Local Tips for Thiruvananthapuram

Rainy in the mountains We didn't bring any jackets of any kind becuase we expected sun and warmth. It ended up raining every day, not the whole day but intense showers, and it was colder than we thought. Bring a thin jacket to protect you from possible showers and windy weather!

Taj Garden Retreat Hotel, Varkala We stayed at the Taj Garden Retreat Hotel in Varkala in December 2008. The hotel was badly in need of a face lift, and needed more sunbeds around the pool (not helped by the hotel allowing non guests to use the pool for a fee). We planned a nice relaxing holiday but in the end could not do this as there was no place to lie and relax.