Sri Lanka is one of the hottest destinations on the planet right now. It’s always had the unspoilt beaches. Now it’s got chic new boutique hotels and an emerging restaurant scene, too. And if a holiday for you means hours whiled away in a luxurious spa, there’s another compelling reason to visit. The country’s wellness scene is becoming the affordable alternative to the holistic honeypots of Thailand and Indonesia, with A-list yoga instruction and authentic ayurvedic retreats. It’s five-star pampering at four-star prices. Here’s our pick of the best places to lie back and think of the savings.
The Sri Lankan Sam Kankanamge is one of London’s top osteopaths, but, these days, he divides his time between Wimpole Street and his new project, this retreat in a sliver of jungle between a pristine beach and a serene lagoon. Life here has a rhythm as steady as the surf that pounds the coast: sunrise yoga at the shoreline, meditation with a Buddhist monk, spa treatments prescribed by an ayurvedic doctor, free excursions to nearby temples, and cookery lessons with the village grannies. The same grannies cook the resort’s delicious Sri Lankan buffets, though the communal dining may not be to everyone’s taste. There’s late-night turtle-watching, but most guests retire early to their four-poster with a book.
Read the full article by Susan D’arcy in The Sunday Times.
