Thiruvananthapuram district, is well connected by regular trains from to major metropolitan cities in India like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Goa, Kolkata,Vishakapatnam etc. Road Varkala is situated along the Trivandrum - Kollam coastal highway. It is also connected by the State Highway 64 with the Mumbai-Kanyakumari National Highway 66 which runs at 9 km towards the east. Private buses and KSRTC buses ply along NH 66 and through Varkala from Thiruvananthapuram city, Attingal, Parippally and Kollam city. Water Varkala is connected to National Waterway 3 through Varkala Tunnel, which passes through the heart of the city. Tourism Tourism began to thrive at the end of the last century at Varkala beach (Papanasam), which was earlier famous for Vavu Beli, a Hindu custom performed at the beach. Another beach is at Tiruvambadi, one kilometre away and on the way to the old palace. An island called Ponnumthuruthu is close to Varkala and is also a tourist attraction. Many ayurvedic massage parlours line the promenade above the beach. Varkala Beach Varkala Beach, or Papanasam Beach, is a heaven for sunbathing and swimming. It also offers adventurous activities in water sports. Special authentic Kerala style local food can also be experienced along the cliff. The cliff and the beach include resorts, restaurants, and other shops. The black part of the sand on Varkala Beach contains Thorium-oxide, which is a radioactive substance. Thorium and Thorium-oxide and its isotopes are found all over Kerala and can be identified by their black colour. Cremations Sections of Varkala Beach (Papanasam Beach) are used by Indians to scatter the ashes of their cremated relatives into the sea. Despite this burial activity, the sea is popular with swimmers both local and foreign. Kappil Lake Kappil Lake is about north of Varkala Town. This serene estuary meanders through dense coconut groves before merging into the Arabian Sea. The bridge over the lake is a vantage point to view the backwater stretching white and grey to the distant blue horizon. Boating is another way to browse this waterway. Anjengo Fort Anjengo Fort is a fort near Varkala. The historic significance tagged to Anjengo comes through foreign powers like the Portuguese, the Dutch, and finally the English East India Company. In the year 1684, the English East India Company chose Anjengo to establish their first trade settlement in Kerala. At Anjengo, one can find the remnants of the old English