Desiring a destination yoga retreat? The answer lies in the beautiful destination of Sri Lanka. As per the well-known international publication The Guardian, and I quote, “The forests of central Sri Lanka are home to one of the world’s best yoga retreats, where the scenery and ancient sites on the doorstep are as blissful as the yoga classes.”
Our list of Yoga Retreats in Sri Lanka factors in the scenery and expertise to help you narrow down your options before you make the final decision. Yoga has been part of Sri Lankan culture since ages. Our list of yoga retreats in Sri-lanka consists of centres that promise to give you a diverse yoga experience. Some of these yoga retreats are carried out in a village setting for a local cultural immersion, whereas few in the list are out and out luxury retreats with all the amenities you can possibly ask for. Overall, these retreats include all the facets of wellness tourism; you can possibly think of in a setting that can be best described as a powerful combination of tranquil and beautiful. So keep your planning worries aside, and refer to our interactive list to help you plan your destination yoga getaway in a meaningful way.
Sri Lanka, in general, has a tropical climate, and experiences a range of climatic variations. Therefore travelers are encouraged to visit Sri Lanka during September to April when the weather is on a pleasant side. This enchanting country sees high tourist inflow during December to January. October to February is a mid-tourist season in Sri Lanka whereas May to August is a low tourist season. Our interactive list of Yoga retreats in Sri Lanka takes various parameters into account so that you can select the ideal yoga retreat on the parameters that are most important to you.
Calamander Unawatuna Beach is an ‘affordable luxury’, family-friendly resort that celebrates its superb location. The resort is all about being outdoors: sunbathing on one of the world’s best beaches, joining a game of beach volleyball or a yoga class, lounging by one of Sri Lanka’s three best swimming pools, kayaking on the Indian Ocean in one of our free kayaks, or dining al-fresco at one of our four beachside restaurants and bars.
Talalla Retreat is a beach front boutique resort on a pristine, white sandy beach with calm turquoise water, at the southern tip of Sri Lanka .It comprises seventy rooms including ocean view villas, bamboo huts and the ever popular deluxe rooms. For those on a budget there is also affordable dormitory accommodation in a beautiful colonial house. Elegantly designed rooms include open air marble bathrooms, private patios and great views of the lush gardens. There is something for everyone. Our retreat has a 20m freshwater lap pool, three custom built yoga pavilions, spa facilities and a gourmet open-air restaurant serving the freshest healthiest meals. We grow organic vegetables for the kitchen…use good stuff and cook it well… A new beach front restaurant and pool will be coming soon. Yoga classes from highly trained western teachers are offered twice daily and Yoga retreats are available.Talalla Surf camp is second to none… from private lessons to board hire and transport.
The famous one week surf camp is a must for those wanting to learn or wanting to improve their surfing.Talalla retreat is and was built as a retreat from your everyday life…. relax and enjoy.
Saraii Village believes that travel is not just about seeing the new, but about feeling and breathing in a rustic experience that touches your soul. As one of the most eco-conscious hotels in Sri Lanka, we invite the conscientious traveler seeking something off the beaten path, and encourage our visitors to embrace the Saraii philosophy of respecting the serene environment that surrounds them.
The sensation of fine wine and good food in your private nest under the stars is all part of Saraii’s magic spell. Hidden beneath a canopy of trees deep in the heart of Weerawila, Saraii Village is a private estate featuring a series of mud chalets designed to imitate the open air concept of rural homes in the locale. However, the highlights of the property and a firm favorite with guests of all ages, are the magical tree houses, built especially for the wild at heart.
Santani is the first and only purpose-built wellness resort offering luxury escapes in Sri Lanka, designed according to the highest sustainability and eco-standards. Santani offers a welcoming place to retreat and rejuvenate within an unspoilt wilderness in the spiritual centre of Sri Lanka. Santani Sri Lanka wellness programs in Ayurveda, detox, yoga and spa combine on-site pampering and rejuvenation with enlightened learning for healthy living long after you leave these naturally rejuvenating surroundings placing us among the best luxury ayurveda resorts in Sri Lanka. Within one of the world’s lushest environments, the holistic architecture treads as lightly as possible upon the land to let nature’s rhythms back to life. Santani also offers the varieties of ayurveda retreat such as Santani Recovery, Personal Dosha Ayurveda RetreatAs in the past, Kandy is the spiritual centre of Sri Lanka, home to one of the most sacred relics in Buddhist culture as well as the Kandy Perahera, one of the world’s most extravagant pageants with over 100 adorned elephants and thousands of artists parading through the streets of Kandy every August.
kandy samadhi centre Samadhi Spa for the Spirit!
Fifty minutes northeast of Kandy the fertile landscape becomes a mass of lush vegetation reverberating with unfamiliar birdsong. The human populace too seem a different breed, profligate with smiles and allowing their abundant good sat sung to spill over and cloak the visitor. Go past the triangular ambalama and up the steps where you squeeze past the statue of a giant Hindu goddess - half woman, half horse.
Inside the entrance hall at Samadhi you are watched over by a silk tapestry depicting seven Buddhist monks each holding a lotus blossom in their hand. Each monk is a different shade of brown. Likewise, the cultural diversity of this island is reflected in the villagers, who form the core of what makes Samadhi run smoothly; they are unspoiled and courteous; every man, woman or boy will calmly break from sweeping the stone pathway, lighting the oil lamp or picking fresh produce for your lunch to wish you “Ayubowan!†the traditional Sinhala welcome which means “Let there be long life!â€
Samadhi weaves its magic on you from the moment you enter through the massive Kandyan doorway set into stone. Suri mama, the soft-spoken guardian of Samadhi and its Manager, is there to greet you. He is also resident artist who is responsible for the murals of Tantric art on the walls.
Samadhi nurtures the spirit, calms the mind
The inspiration for the design and architecture was born of meditation. And so you willingly leave your city husk behind at the gates…with no signal for mobile phones, it is the perfect opportunity to let nothing interrupt the sounds of forest birdsong, of tree frogs and crickets and the whisper of the breeze from the trees.
The thirteen pavilions, which lean out of the hillside, are veritable temples of tranquility. They are designed to make you feel you are the only person staying here. Privacy is everything. Yet there are no unnecessary walls.
This results in a truly serene environment surrounded by urns, art and treasures dating back to a time Kandy was a Royal realm. Here everything is king-sized. The Indonesian teak bed in a double room is spacious enough to sleep three people comfortably. But even the smallest suite provides a four-poster bed to dream in.
Surrender your senses
The spacious verandahs of each suite of rooms give onto paddy fields, nearby mountains and bench terraces filled with herb gardens or pineapples. Bamboos reach out with their four-fingered leaves to fan a breeze at you.
In the surrounding natural forest, Mango, Toddy Palm, Mahogany and Jak trees rub necks with giant bamboo, Avocado and Chinese Guava. The Kukul- Oya River meets the Hulu-Ganga, conveniently creating several spots for river bathing amongst the rocks and baby rapids. Here Plumbago (graphite) was found in lumps amongst the pebbles. But the locals had since been driven to eke out a meager living selling fruit and vegetables off roadside stalls.
Ulpotha is a Buddhist agricultural community in the jungle heartland of Sri Lanka, offering guests world class yoga in an incomparably beautiful setting as close to nature as is humanly possible.
“Ulpotha is talked about in revered tones as one of the most extraordinary yoga destinations in the world” – The Guardian
Wake up in this beautiful colonial mansion to soft sunlight filtering through your shuttered windows. Open your heart in a morning class by the poolside yoga shala, nourish your body with a dazzling array of homemade Sri Lankan dishes and rediscover your center with an evening yoga class on the beach as the sun sets. Villa de Zoysa is simply a kindred abode that will awaken your soul, your spirit and your senses. There is history and heart wrapped into the bones of this home and into the spirit of its owner. Time spent on the grounds of Villa de Zoysa — resting in a hammock, curling up with a book on one of the expansive terraces, or sipping freshly brewed tea in an open courtyard — is deliciously restorative. Step onto the green grasses of the villa, and step into peace.
We like to say we run yoga holidays, as retreats sound a bit too serious and structured. We have only 2 yoga classes a day. 7.30 to 9.00 AM and 5 to 6.30 pm with Sunday being the off day. Between the classes, on a typical day, you have enough free time to indulge in surfing, snorkeling, diving, visiting UN heritage site of timeless Galle-Fort, a tea plantation, an isolated Buddhist temple, cycling in the village and even having a fabulous in-house deep tissue massage.
Built in the last century and still own and manage by a family member, this heritance home is the best yoga retreat in Sri Lanka.
Ocean front with unspoiled turtle breeding beach and a 4 acre coconut tree fringed garden provides you with ample lush greenery and space. Our yoga shala by the pool or the wooden platform with open skies on the beach, your practice is instructed by the best yoga teachers.
The Om Space is a bright, breezy sanctuary in Colombo 5 which holds 15+ yoga classes every week. Teachers, all internationally trained and certified, teach a range of styles including Sivananda, Hatha, Vinyasa Flow and Kundalini, kids yoga, yoga for sports as well as pre-natal yoga. Also on offer: Reiki, Reflexology and Singing Bowl Massage, all part of the suite of services to soothe mind body and spirit. The Om Space is owned and run by British-born-Sri-Lankan yoga teacher, Serena Burgess and her mum, Mohanie Ahangama, an experienced reiki practitioner and owner of Pulse Beat Gym. The space, fully equipped with changing rooms, showers and lockers, can fit up to 20 yoga mats for each class. Clad in turquoise and white, the chic interiors were lovingly decorated by Burgess, from upholstering chairs to hand-painting upcycled lockers. Yoga-Alliance-Member Yoga will develop your child’s body awareness, breath awareness and self awareness. It will give them, Calm, Confidence and Concentration and the best part is they will have fun while doing it! Send them to us Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 2-4.30pm from the 31st July to the 11th August to practice yoga, use their creativity, doing yoga related crafts and games and to make new friends. Sign up early as spaces are limited. Investment Rs7200 for all 6 sessions or Rs3600 for either the first or second week.
The Om Space is a bright, breezy sanctuary in Colombo 5 which holds 15+ yoga classes every week. Teachers, all internationally trained and certified, teach a range of styles including Sivananda, Hatha, Vinyasa Flow and Kundalini, kids yoga, yoga for sports as well as pre-natal yoga. Also on offer: Reiki, Reflexology and Singing Bowl Massage, all part of the suite of services to soothe mind body and spirit. The Om Space is owned and run by British-born-Sri-Lankan yoga teacher, Serena Burgess and her mum, Mohanie Ahangama, an experienced reiki practitioner and owner of Pulse Beat Gym. The space, fully equipped with changing rooms, showers and lockers, can fit up to 20 yoga mats for each class. Clad in turquoise and white, the chic interiors were lovingly decorated by Burgess, from upholstering chairs to hand-painting upcycled lockers. Yoga-Alliance-Member Yoga will develop your child’s body awareness, breath awareness and self awareness. It will give them, Calm, Confidence and Concentration and the best part is they will have fun while doing it! Send them to us Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 2-4.30pm from the 31st July to the 11th August to practice yoga, use their creativity, doing yoga related crafts and games and to make new friends. Sign up early as spaces are limited. Investment Rs7200 for all 6 sessions or Rs3600 for either the first or second week.
A Courtyard House with a serene, soothing Atmosphere
Niyagama House was build in the traditional style of a courtyard house. The inner courtyard, high ceilings, airy rooms and verandahs in combination with plenty of fresh air and tropical sun make this house a comfortable and tranquil retreat.
Traditional Feng Shui
For a healthy flow of energy the rules of the Sri Lankan ‘Feng Shui’ were followed. A tradition still respected here by many people.
Plenty of Space to Relax
Three Verandhas, the Lounge with its ,Sunset Balcony ' and the roof terrace with 360 degree panoramic view offer plenty of space to relax.
And in case the monsoon visits our hilltop, then you can make yourself comfortable in the spacious living area with a view into the courtyard.
Pool & Garden
From the south verandah you step into the large garden, that surrounds the entire house. Here tropical flowers are growing between shady trees.
The ‘jewel’ of the garden is the large and chlorine-free 9m x 18m (29’ x 59’) pool, purified with an eco-friendly copper-silver-ionisation method. Swim a few sportive laps or for just chill in the shallow areas.
Surf & Yoga Mirissa is located in the third bay of Mirissa, which is a quite end of busy Mirissa beach. With just a hop from the beach, you reach a beautiful little third bay meant for snorkelling, sun and sea bathing, or just reading a book under a coconut tree. You can take a beach stroll to the right and reach the main beach which has many restaurants, or do a small hike to the left and reach the hilltop to visit the other beach, the temple or observe the sunset. The are three surf spots in the third bay itself, and on the left, Parrot rock break, and Mirissa beach and point breaks, giving any level of surfer a great choice.
Our rooms are decorated in a simple manner to make you feel like it’s your Sri Lankan home. The main villa, jungle house, and the girl’s dorm are our three main houses. The main villa has six rooms, the girl’s dorm has cosily arranged 6 beds, and jungle house has 4 rooms with doors opening to the jungle.
Experience a week in our tropical mansion in familiar atmosphere, surf at the most beautiful beaches of the South coast, relax your body & soul with yoga in our unique Island-Cabana and restore your body with our home-made and fresh food. Because we want to make you feel comfortable and guarantee you the highest possible attention in our surf- and yoga sessions, a maximum of 18 guests visit our retreat at the same time.
