Selected as one of the top 5 wellness tourism destinations in the world, Sri Lanka is the perfect place to improve your physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. With the renowned hospitality, wellness tourism is a rapidly growing sector in the Sri Lankan travel industry. You can find many world-class wellness retreats to support you. These retreats are designed to aid you with a healthy routine to get rid of the stress of modern daily life. Especially, they have a peaceful atmosphere with designed interiors and lighting which are essential for traditional healing.
Moreover, wellness retreats create a loving and supportive environment that encourages you to meet different people with an open heart. There will be fun adventures to beaches, walking tours, hiking and trekking activities. The warm sunshine, beautiful nature, and specially arranged fresh vegan diet support the body, mind, and heart for ultimate wellbeing. Furthermore, the daily yoga and meditation sessions with expert therapists in these retreats will deepen your mental strength.
In this post, we are going to introduce you 10 best world-class wellness retreats in Sri Lanka. These resorts are located in lovely surrounding to support your wellness-oriented vacation. Definitely, you’ll be guided in a progressive manner along a transformative journey in these resorts.
1. Santani Wellness Resort
Santani Wellness Resort is Sri Lanka’s first wellness-oriented retreat in the Hill Country mountains of Kandy in Sri Lanka. It perches in a breathtaking location, surrounded by pristine nature in lush green mountains in the Knuckles Mountain Range. Time Magazine included Santani in the list of “World’s Greatest Places in 2018”. This was the first time a Sri Lankan entity was featured in any Time Magazine, where only 8 Asian properties were mentioned in the list.
This 18-villa property spreads over a large area. The design of the lounge area and main hall of Santani is simply stunning. The building has an extraordinary minimalistic style, featuring large wooden framed windows from floor to ceiling. These windows allow a complete view of the entire landscape and provide a constant breeze from the hills afar.
Santani Resort offers active yoga sessions and restorative Ayurvedic treatments including Shirodhara head treatments. Healthy meals and cleansing herbal teas are specialties. The spa offers wonderful hydrotherapy facilities including thermal salt pools. Moreover, it has a steam room and cedar-wood sauna overlooking the valleys. There are expert therapists for traditional treatments, like detoxifying, cleansing, and hot-stone massages.
2. Sen Wellness Sanctuary
Sen Wellness Sanctuary is a spiritual wellness retreat in the far southern coastal town of Rekawa in Tangalle. It has created for a special concept of self-healing & nourishing with Ayurveda and yoga sessions. It is a place like heaven to relax in your luxury cabana and rejuvenate in beautiful natural surroundings. There are sun loungers in the peaceful sanctuary premises to rest between treatments and sessions. Travel & Leisure has mentioned this resort is one of the world’s best yoga retreats.
There are a number of healing therapies available in Sen Wellness Sanctuary. One of them is a sound healing therapy that allows you to play the gong in the open-air yoga room. This ancient healing method uses waves of sound vibration to help the mind let go of thoughts and reduce stress. Definitely, this is a magical and transformative experience for visitors.
Although this is a renowned wellness resort, it is a small and quiet place where only 16-20 guests can stay at a time. There is plenty of space in the garden. It provides excellent wellness for the guests by offering qualified Ayurvedic consultations and treatments. When it comes to yoga, the best yoga practitioners in the world are available. Obviously, Sen Wellness Sanctuary will offer you a life-changing experience toward a healthier life.
3. Kandy Samadhi Center
The Kandy Samadhi Center is among the leading wellness retreats in Sri Lanka. This Ayurveda and yoga retreat is famous for offering traditional treatments. It is located in Digana around 40 minutes drive from Kandy City. The therapies are based on ancient Ayurveda and healing techniques. Therapists and yoga teachers help to eliminate distress, disorders, and disturbances to heal your body and mind.
This center is a sprawling complex of buildings spread over 17 acres. It locates closer to the UNESCO world heritage site Knuckles Mountain Range. The surrounding is quite beautiful with rivers, mountains, paddy fields, and lush green jungles. You can go for a nature walk and end it with a dip in a refreshing natural pool.
The open restaurant is decorated with traditional oil lamps and this is the most wonderful place in Samadhi. This restaurant offers local organic food with perfect vegetarian dishes. After all, this nicely arranged dining hall lit with lamps gives a nice feeling to guests.
4. Anasa Wellness Resort
Anasa Wellness Resort locates in Sri Lanka’s central hill country in Bandarawela. It provides a refreshing cool escape from the heat of the island’s coast. The wellness resort locates between Bandarawela and Ella town. Certainly, your stay will complement the best weather and clear views of famous landscapes such as Ella Gap.
There are numerous recreational activities available at Anasa. The favorite part of your stay at Anasa Wellness Resort will be a combination of holistic experiences. These special therapies help to detoxify, revitalize, and rejuvenate your body and mind. Sukoon SPA, tailored fitness programs, and yoga lessons by expert wellness practitioners are a few of them.
5. Aarunya Nature Resort
On the outskirts of the Hill Capital of Kandy, Aarunya Nature Resort locates overlooking the Knuckles Mountain Range. Aarunya means the first rays of the sun in the ancient language of Sanskrit. This is a collection of nine modern luxury private villas in endless tea gardens. It provides guests with a truly personalized hospitality experience that surpasses their expectations.
Certainly, Aarunya is among the top wellness retreats in Sri Lanka and a winner of many international hotel awards. Aarunya was crowned as both Sri Lanka’s and Asia’s Leading Boutique Hotel in 2020. It offers a relaxing retreat with charming bungalows dotted in the lush green valley. Admiring spectacular views over misty mountains, you can enjoy yourself in the lounge by the pool.
It also offers a truly spectacular dining experience at Aahaara Restaurant. It serves both traditional and modern Sri Lankan cuisine in an authentic village setting. There are tailor-made wellness and rejuvenation programs for yoga and meditation. Indeed, you can unwind and relax your mind at Aarunya Luxury Spa with traditional Ayurveda therapeutic rituals.
6. Cape Weligama
Cape Weligama is a gorgeous cliff-top resort on 12 tropical acres above the Indian Ocean near the historical Galle city. 39 villas & suites offer the most sumptuous rooms in Sri Lanka, set out like a traditional Sri Lankan village. The iconic 60m crescent-shaped infinity pool takes in sweeping 270-degree views of the blue Ocean.
Opened in October 2014, Cape Weligama has been recognized globally for many years. It has won the 2022 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Award as one of the best resorts in the world. Its dramatic location provides a perfect therapeutic setting for a unique wellness experience. The only sound you’ll hear is the gentle melody of Ocean waves breaking on the nearby shoreline.
The wellness packages in the resort focus to restore, rejuvenate, and rediscover yourself. Especially, you can unwind with a blissful massage with a fragrant scrub followed by a refreshing herbal steam treatment. Visitors can unite body, mind, and spirit by participating in Yoga sessions. Combine poses with breathing techniques and meditation to achieve holistic harmony and balance.
7. Talalla Retreat
Located amongst the palm trees on a secluded beachfront, Talalla Retreat is a popular wellness resort on the southern coast. With panoramic views of the clear blue Indian Ocean and idyllic sunsets, this resort offers a relaxing stay away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. There are spacious sea-view villas, open-air deluxe rooms, and glamping bamboo huts.
Talalla Retreat has been operating for over 16 years in the yoga and wellbeing space and it is one of the leading wellness retreats in Sri Lanka. There will be many inspiring hours spent in yoga and meditation practice which helps you to enhance both physical and mental health. Moreover, you can learn about the different aspects of yoga from expert practitioners.
Talalla retreat will help you to create the perfect holiday package for you. There are world-class surf & yoga programs for all levels. Whether it will be a surf and yoga retreat or an immersive yoga retreat, it will be expertly tailored to your needs. The retreat offers a variety of unique yoga retreat packages to help you deepen your practice.
8. Karunakarala Ayurveda Resort
Karunakarala Ayurveda Resort in Negombo is an ideal wellness retreat for an authentic Ayurveda retreat. The resort is located quite close to the airport, so it is very convenient to reach after a long flight. The resort is built on a peaceful riverside, surrounded by the nature. Certainly, you can enjoy your wellness holidays in this beautiful Ayurveda resort nestled in a lush green forest.
You can participate in daily yoga and meditation lessons while taking Ayurveda treatments. 24-hour resident doctors and top-level Ayurveda therapists in each field are available in the resort. These specialists are familiar with your specific concerns and help to provide more effective and personalized treatment. If you are looking for a wellness-oriented vacation to improve your health, this is the perfect place to come for.
There are 3 types of wellness packages for health promotion and mental healing. Firstly, the light treatment is the most popular package among visitors. Secondly, the curative package is designed for those who wish to get Ayurveda treatments for some illnesses they suffer. Thirdly, the immunity improvement program aims to enhance your natural immunity while maintaining good health.
9. Adhitya Ayurveda Retreat
Located in the sacred city of Anuradhapura, Adhitya is an oasis amidst the busy city life. Adhitya Ayurveda Retreat is a large resort having 5 floors containing Ayurvedic treatment points and luxurious lodging. It’s dedicated to people who’d like to have an experience of healing in the comfort of modern amenities.
Actually, it is like staying in a star-class hotel with the required medical treatments. Thus, this resort is highly recommended for tourists who are looking for a great medical tourism destination. There is a range of treatment programs that are tailor-made to help you achieve your personal health and wellness goals.
At Adhitya, you can uncover the incredible healing power of traditional Sri Lankan Ayurveda medicine and indigenous herbs. Personalized meal plans use for the treatment of all the visitors. All the treatment programs are designed to heal and rejuvenate the mind, body, and soul. Indeed, you’ll be guided through a restorative journey under the careful guidance of expert therapists in Adhitya.
10. Ulpotha Yoga & Ayurveda Retreat
Ulpotha is a beautiful eco-hideaway located in a rural traditional village closer to Dambulla. It is surrounded by mountains, a beautiful lotus-ringed lake, and lush green paddy fields. According to The Guardian, this is one of the world’s best yoga retreats. Definitely, Ulpotha is a peaceful fairyland where you’ll get an extraordinary experience.
Ulpotha is a fun-filled wellness retreat with top international teachers. You can get traditional Ayurveda treatments and massages from outstanding therapists. You have daily yoga classes in a lovely natural environment. The resort offers vegetarian cuisine and the food is mindfully created for a healthy life. Around 15 different curry dishes are prepared for every meal.
Lots of recreational activities are available in this resort including forest walks, boating, swimming, and cycling. One special remark is you’ll be off the grid from the digital world making you stress-free during the stay. Without a doubt, Sri Lanka’s splendid cultural heritage site Ulpotha will give you a life-changing experience.
To sum up, these are the top 10 world-class wellness retreats in Sri Lanka. The peaceful environment and loving care of expert practitioners will enhance your physical and mental wellbeing. It is assured that you can get more personalized advice for your illnesses. Actually, you can get the healing that even western medicine cannot offer. Welcome everybody, Enjoy your stay at these wellness resorts in Sri Lanka.!
Text by Magnificent Sri Lanka. Images from booking.com and each official website. All the copyrights are reserved by the original authors.
