In addition to the wide variety of natural, cultural and historical attractions that Sri Lanka has to offer, the country also promises some of the best wellness retreats in all of Asia. Most of the treatments offered at these retreats are based on Ayurvedic medicinal principles – one of the most ancient holistic approach to healing systems that encourages good health through better lifestyle. Incorporating the beauty of nature, from beautiful beaches to the peace and quiet of mountainsides, wellness retreats in Sri Lanka include body scrubs, wraps, massages, yoga sessions, steam baths, thermal pools, and other individualized programs carried out over a period of days with an aim to result in a soothing stay.
Anasa Wellness Resort
Situated in Ella, 5 km from Demodara Nine Arch Bridge, Anasa Wellness Resort features accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking, an outdoor swimming pool and a fitness centre. 4.1 km from Ella Spice Garden and 5 km from Ella Rock, the property offers a garden and a tennis court. The accommodation provides room service, a business centre and currency exchange for guests. At the resort, rooms include air conditioning, a seating area, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a safety deposit box and a private bathroom with a bidet, bathrobes and slippers. At Anasa Wellness Resort the rooms include bed linen and towels.
Anasa Wellness Resort offers a children’s playground. You can play billiards, squash and mini-golf at the resort, and the area is popular for hiking and cycling.
Santani Wellness Resort
Located in the isolated hills of Kandy, this heavenly wellness resort focuses on nurturing guests with its atmospheric spa facilities. Disconnect from the rest of the world, practice yoga for days, trek amidst gorgeous nature trails, and dine with nutritional meals at Santani Wellness Resort.
Highlights: The three-tiered property is surrounded by hills and the Ayurvedic therapists and practitioners are warm, welcoming and caring. The resort offers packages that focus on dietary needs, stress, lifestyle, and medical ailments. In addition to that, individual treatments can be catered to from a range of international spa treatments.
Barberyn Beach Ayurveda Resort
About two hours away from Sri Lanka’s International Airport is the Barberyn Beach Ayurveda Resort in an idyllic coastal setting on the exotic southern coast beach of Weligama. Amidst this setting, Barberyn offers well-thought-out traditional eastern treatments and holistic therapies at its Ayurvedic Health Center to provide guests with mental, physical and spiritual balance.
Highlights: The resorts kitchen offers a variety of delicious and wholesome food including tropical fruits, congee, green soups, and a range of vegetarian Ayurvedic dishes such as red rice, jackfruit curry and so on. Barberyn Beach Resort is an ideal location to base yourself for a long wellness holiday while also enjoying popular tourist attractions in Sri Lanka such as the Galle Fort and Lake Koggala.
Sen Wellness Sanctuary
Featured in UK’s The Guardian, as well as the Conde Nast 2018 Spa Guide, this Ayurvedic retreat is a much sought-after resort amongst wellness travelers in search of a quiet getaway from the rest of the world. Designed by a Brazilian-American architect, Sen Wellness Sanctuary is built in line to the natural beauty that it is surrounded by, along with the use of circular shapes to create open and flowing spaces around the property.
Highlights: The resort prepares its menu based on traditional Ayurvedic principles, focusing on local vegetarian cuisine and prefers to eliminate the use of sugar, salt and preservatives in their meals. So, anyone looking for a detox or weight loss program will see positive results here. Sen Wellness Sanctuary offers its guests retreat experiences for 3-14 nights as well as their signature one-off retreats. Your meals and daily treatments are decided upon after an initial consultation with the Ayurvedic Doctor at the resort.
Tri Hotel Koggala
Tri – a boutique hotel in Koggala, is the first modern sustainable luxury hotel in Sri Lanka. Perched on Sri Lanka’s finest Koggala Lake, with natural beauty inspiring a jungle-like landscape surrounded by an island-like feel. Add delicious dining to bespoke yoga and Ayurveda treatments as perks of staying at this masterpiece hotel.
Highlights: The resort offers Lara Baumann’s unique Quantum Yoga approach, the first of its kind in all of Sri Lanka. Yoga sessions are held in a Shala that floats above a bamboo grove, while treatments take place in two elevated rooms. Ayurvedic therapies are designed to suit individual needs, where guests can select their preferred oils and pressure levels. Your stay at Tri will give you an experience of living walls, green roofs, solar arrays, edible gardens and accommodation constructed with all local materials to unify the landscape, making it a one-of-a-kind experience!
Siddhalepa Ayurvedic Resort
Siddhalepa Ayurvedic Resort is spaciously spread over seven acres of land full of medicinal plants and tropical trees, the ideal setting for an Ayurvedic journey. This beachfront resort offers delicious dining experiences overlooking the Indian Ocean. The menu comprises a range of herbs, salads, fruits and vegetables, along with fish and other white meat.
Highlights: At Siddhalepa, you will be under the care and guidance of expert resident physicians, visiting consultants and training therapists who will work together to achieve your goal. Whether you want to detox, focus on yoga, or simply rejuvenate, this resort has a heritage of experience in ancient healing with Ayurvedic practices and you are no doubt in the correct hands. Offering personalized treatment options, the Siddhalepa group is one of the largest producers of herbal oils, balms, elixirs and herbal cosmetics.
Kalundewa Retreat
Imagine living in a property that has nine villas spread over a 100 acres! Kalundewa Retreat is rich in biodiversity, and integrates water bodies and agricultural fields over its entire property – with an aim to minimize disturbance to the existing landscape during construction. Light and elegant villa structures and spaces designed with a seamless flow of nature provide guests with an experience of being one with nature.
Highlights: Each villa boasts a natural infinity swimming pool that is a welcome treat after a long sweaty day. Guests also have 24/7 access to the hotel canoes so you can wade on the swampy waters whenever you like. Located in Dambulla, this paradise retreat is a great way to explore the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka and other neighboring wildlife attractions.
Kandy Samadhi Center
The Japanese owner of Samadhi Center brings a touch of Japanese element into this wellness retreat. About an hour’s drive from Kandy city, this property is inspired by meditation, and has rooms scattered around its lush and quiet grounds. Most guests utilize the yoga and meditation services as well as the extensive Ayurvedic treatments offered here.
Highlights: Multiple open-air lounges are available for guests to relax and an organic vegetarian restaurant serves some splendid meals. Making the atmosphere ideal for guests to unplug, Kandy Samadhi Center does not offer Wi-Fi, TV and cellphone service either. Guests are encouraged to disconnect and enjoy the quiet rustic retreat while indulging in breathtaking views of the Knuckles Mountain Ranges.
Ulpotha Yoga and Ayurveda Retreat
Featured by The Telegraph – UK as one of the best yoga retreats on the planet, Ulpotha retreat offers an emotional, spiritual and physical reset amidst pristine nature and away from the stress of the modern world. Located at the foot of Galgiriyawa mountains in central Sri Lanka, Ulpotha offers exclusive yoga holidays, ayurvedic retreats, digital detoxing and complete relaxation amidst the simplicity of living in mud huts with no electricity, eating local organic food, and immersing in Sri Lankan jungle and village life.
Highlights: Ulpotha offers guests a world where we can safely reside without the need of walls, fences, door and locks. You’ll be living in a remote, organic farm which is a rare, yet real world where the gentle traditional agricultural community will look after you.
Talalla Retreat
Perched on one of the charming, undiscovered beaches of the south coast in Sri Lanka, in addition to the crystal-clear turquoise waters and the mesmerizing sunsets, Talalla Retreat offers its guests elegance and simplicity in a secluded cove, making it the perfect wellness holiday! Whatever choice of accommodation you make, you can enjoy natural, eco friendly settings with open air marble bathrooms, sprawling tropical gardens and white sand beaches just minutes from your room!
Highlights: Talalla Retreat is built on low-rise, set into lush gardens, is abundant with tropical flora, and has monkeys, monitor lizards and squirrels roaming freely across the property. You could relax in the 20-meter freshwater pool, or opt for an ultimate surf and yoga retreat for a unique surfing experience and a tailor-made yoga retreat package.
