The Sunday Times – Sri Lanka’s Star Spas

POSTED August 23, 2017

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.

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Sen Wellness Sanctuary

4.7

Based on 162 reviews

pia

What a wonderful discovery! The retreat was so much more than we expected - on so many levels. Great yoga, excellent ayurvedic therapy and treatments, really good food - and amazing company. What a wealth of experiences we have taken home with us. Sam and his team were very kind and attentive and the other participants were all so special and warm hearted. We recommend this sanctuary to anyone who wants to enrich their lives and move forward.

cindy F.

A uniquely magical experience. From the moment you leave your shoes by the lotus pool to receive the warm welcome of a garland and king coconut, a sense of kindness and care envelops you.This is heartfelt. Every dish you eat is prepared with a knowledge of what will nourish your body and soul. Every treatment is administered by skilled practitioners who have taken the trouble to understand your individual physical and emotional state and to restore balance and harmony from the inside out.The sounds of this stunning enclave, hidden away down a winding track where peacocks strut and monkeys gambol, are those that evoke both stillness and awe. The sea declares its majesty and power on a peerless beach that nesting turtles call home. The constant and gentle swish of the lagoon and rustle of the trees that bound this space in natural seclusion, soothe and transport you to a deep place of calm.This is one of nature’s sacred spaces.Respect and honour for this is the ethos that guides life in this beautiful oasis which shines from the hearts of the remarkable team. Skilled in so many arts from Ayurvedic medicine and therapy, yoga, reiki, sound healing and, with simplicity and grace, a level of hospitality and care that is humbling.The mishap or the unusual request is met with unruffled efficiency. (My glasses broke and instead of facing a week in a blur and the prospect of navigating an airport when scarcely able to read a sign, an impeccably restored pair of spectacles was returned to me in the shortest possible time - leaving me to wonder if an optician had been spirited out of a ring or a lamp!)My experience at Sen Wellness will be an abiding memory. I will carry away in my heart the echo of the sea, the voices and faces of beautiful people who made such a soulful sojourn possible with huge gratitude to everyone of them for all the skill, knowledge, compassion and care that were the key ingredients of this delightful interlude.(And on the subject of ingredients, I will also carry away the tantalising Sen Wellness cookbook, so the adventure continues…)

Sarah S.

Sen Wellness Centre is a truly magical place. I came here in need of healing and I found it. The staff are incredible. The treatments are incredible. The food is incredible. The rooms are incredible.

Chithrananda De A.

Me and my wife spent three nights at the Sen Welness sanctuaryWell managed place , both Ayurvedic doctors and therapists are excellentExcellent food and service by all teams who involvedExcellent hospitality and great support by the manager TonyBoth yoga teachers Sandya and Anna are excellent , we both enjoyed all sessions from beginning until end.We both enjoyed though out our stay,Food , yoga , excellent Ayurvedic treatment (best compare to what we had in the past in many other places and countries ) We will come backSarah and Chithrananda De Alwis

Nerea C.

Arrive to the Sen Wellness Sanctuary is like to get into a piece of heaven. It’s much more than a place to relax, it’s a truly and deep journey. It awakes your feelings, heals your emotions and takes care of you nourishing from the amazing treatments to the delicious food.Surrounded by the purest nature, you will find calm and joy in this place. The yoga classes and the meditations were such an experience, all the activities were part of the learning and all the staff is the best you can imagine: kind, warm and with such a good energy.Sometimes you have to slap yourself to check that you are not dreaming. It’s such a magical place that you won’t leave never. It’s just possible to be grateful and hope to come back again.