For over ten years, Sen Wellness Sanctuary has been a beacon for authentic healing and transformation in Tangalle, Sri Lanka. Founded in 2014 by Sam Kankanamge, Sen Wellness has welcomed practitioners, teachers, and seekers from around the world—each arriving with their own intention, each leaving changed.
But something else has been quietly growing alongside the retreats. Year after year, yoga teachers, facilitators, and wellness practitioners have reached out with a specific request: Can we bring our own groups here? Can we rent the space?
The answer, for years, was reluctantly no. Sen Wellness operates as a curated wellness sanctuary with its own signature programs, and opening the space to external groups would fundamentally alter that intention. Yet the requests kept coming. Teachers who had experienced Sen Wellness firsthand wanted to offer their students the same environment—the pristine beaches, the tropical forest, the quality of care, the authentic connection to Sri Lankan healing traditions.
Rekawa Wellness Resort is the answer to those years of requests.
A Sister Property With The Same Standards
Created as a sister property to Sen Wellness Sanctuary, Rekawa Wellness Resort was designed specifically for yoga teachers, facilitators, and wellness practitioners who want to organize their own group retreats or teacher training programs in a space that holds the same values: authenticity, eco-consciousness, connection to nature, and uncompromising quality.
Informed by a decade of hosting some of the world’s most discerning practitioners, this is a space built by people who understand what makes a retreat transformative. Rekawa Wellness Resort offers you the infrastructure, the setting, and the support to bring your own transformative retreat to life—whether you’re leading a 7-day yoga retreat, a 10-day silent meditation immersion, a 14-day wellness program, or a 21-day teacher training certification.
Rekawa Wellness Resort offers clean, eco-friendly accommodation that balances simplicity with comfort. Each room is equipped with air conditioning—while maintaining a minimalist aesthetic that encourages rest and inward focus. The architecture honors the landscape rather than dominating it, using locally sourced materials and design principles that allow natural light and airflow to move through the space.
Accommodations are configured to support group cohesion. Whether your participants prefer shared rooms that foster community or private rooms that honor individual needs, Rekawa Wellness Resort can accommodate both. Beds are comfortable, linens are high quality, and each space is cleaned daily by a staff trained to maintain the retreat environment with care and discretion.
A Space Designed For Transformation
Yoga Sala
The heart of Rekawa Wellness Resort is the yoga sala—an open-air structure surrounded by tropical greenery, designed to hold the energy of practice. The space is large enough to accommodate groups comfortably, with natural ventilation that keeps the room cool even in the heat of midday. The floor is smooth and level, suitable for both dynamic vinyasa flows and gentle restorative sessions. Light filters through at dawn, creating the ideal atmosphere for morning practice.
Ceremonial Space
Beyond the yoga sala lies a dedicated ceremonial space for rituals, cacao ceremonies, breathwork sessions, group meditation, and other transformative modalities. This space was designed with intention—a layout that allows participants to sit in circle, and a sense of enclosure that creates safety for vulnerable work.
Restaurant
Nourishment is not separate from healing. Rekawa Wellness Resort’s restaurant serves organic Sri Lankan cuisine prepared by a team that understands food as medicine. Meals are vegetarian, designed according to Ayurvedic principles to balance the body and support digestion. Ingredients are sourced locally wherever possible—fresh vegetables, tropical fruits, coconut, rice, lentils, and spices that reflect the island’s abundant agricultural heritage.
The dining space itself encourages connection. Long communal tables invite conversation, while smaller seating areas allow for quieter reflection. Meals can be adapted to accommodate dietary restrictions, and the kitchen team works directly with retreat leaders to customize menus for their groups.
Coworking Space
For facilitators running longer programs or teacher trainings, Rekawa Wellness Resort offers a coworking space equipped with reliable Wi-Fi, comfortable seating, and the quiet necessary for lesson planning, one-on-one consultations, or administrative work. This separates the operational needs of teaching from the sacred space of practice.
Pool
An infinity pool provides an additional space for cooling down after practice, for gentle aquatic movement, or simply for rest. Surrounded by tropical plants, the pool area becomes its own sanctuary within the sanctuary.
Beach Access
Rekawa Wellness Resort sits within walking distance of pristine beaches—untouched stretches of sand where sea turtles nest and the sound of waves become a constant companion. Early morning walks along the shore, sunset meditations, or simply the psychological benefit of proximity to the ocean all contribute to the retreat experience.
Logistic and Services
Airport Transfer
Rekawa Wellness Resort arranges comfortable, reliable airport transfers from Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport to Tangalle. The journey takes approximately three hours, and transportation can be configured for individuals or groups depending on arrival times.
Cultural Excursions
Sri Lanka’s cultural richness extends far beyond the beach. Rekawa can arrange guided excursions to ancient Buddhist temples, wildlife safaris in nearby national parks, traditional cooking classes, and other experiences that deepen participants’ connection to the island. These are offered at an additional charge and can be customized based on your group’s interests.
On-Site Support
The team at Rekawa understands that retreat leaders need support, not interference. Staff are trained to handle accommodation, meals, and logistics seamlessly in the background, allowing you to focus entirely on your teaching and your group. If issues arise, they are handled quickly and quietly.
Why Sri Lanka: The Undiscovered Alternative
For years, Bali and Thailand have dominated the yoga retreat landscape. Teachers organize yoga retreats in Bali, Ayurveda programs in Thailand, and meditation immersions across Southeast Asia because these destinations are well-known, well-marketed, and—most importantly—familiar.
But familiarity comes at a cost.
Bali, once a quiet island of rice terraces and spiritual authenticity, has become oversaturated. Traffic chokes the roads between Ubud and Canggu. Overcrowded retreat centers compete for the same participants. The authentic Balinese culture that originally drew practitioners has been diluted by mass tourism. A yoga retreat in Bali today often means navigating crowds, noise, and an infrastructure stretched beyond its capacity.
Thailand faces similar pressures. While yoga in Thailand and Ayurveda retreats in Thailand remain popular, many destinations have shifted toward catering to large-scale tourism rather than intimate transformative work. Finding a truly quiet, undisturbed space has become increasingly difficult.
Sri Lanka offers something different—something that Bali and Thailand offered twenty years ago, before they were discovered by the masses.
The Old Bali & Thailand
Sri Lanka remains largely undiscovered by the international wellness community. While yoga in Sri Lanka has deep historical roots—Buddhism arrived here over two millennia ago, and the island has preserved contemplative traditions with remarkable continuity—it has not been commodified in the way other destinations have.
When you organize a retreat in Sri Lanka, you are offering your participants something genuinely different. They are not arriving at a place they have seen replicated across hundreds of Instagram posts. They are stepping into a space that still feels alive with its own culture, rhythm, and authenticity.
The beaches in southern Sri Lanka—particularly around Tangalle and the Rekawa Nature Reserve—are pristine. Sea turtles nest here. Tropical forests remain intact. The pace of life is slower. Local communities have not yet been overwhelmed by tourism, which means interactions with Sri Lankan culture remain genuine rather than performative.
The Practical Advantages
Beyond cultural authenticity, Sri Lanka offers practical advantages over Bali and Thailand:
Visa Accessibility: Most international visitors receive visa-free entry or visa-on-arrival for stays up to 30 days, making logistics simpler for group travel.
Cost Efficiency: Accommodation, food, and services in Sri Lanka remain significantly more affordable than comparable offerings in Bali or Thailand, allowing you to offer high-quality retreats at more accessible price points.
English Proficiency: Sri Lanka’s colonial history means English is widely spoken, eliminating many of the communication barriers that can complicate retreat logistics in other countries.
Flight Connectivity: Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport connects to major hubs across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, making Sri Lanka accessible from virtually anywhere in the world.
Safety and Stability: Sri Lanka is a safe destination for international travelers, with low crime rates and a welcoming attitude toward visitors.
Emerging Destination Appeal: Because Sri Lanka remains relatively undiscovered, your participants will feel they are part of something special—discovering a destination before it becomes mainstream. This adds to the appeal of your offering.
Let Us Help You Host Your Retreat
Bringing your retreat to Rekawa Wellness Resort begins with a conversation. We want to understand your vision, your teaching style, the experience you want to offer your participants. From there, we can customize accommodation, meals, scheduling, and support to match your needs.
Whether you are an established teacher looking for a new destination or a facilitator planning your first group retreat, Rekawa Wellness Resort offers a partnership—a space built by people who understandtransformative retreat work, designed to support your success, and located in one of the world’s most beautiful and authentic wellness destinations.
Sri Lanka is waiting. Your participants are waiting. The space is ready.
Contact Rekawa Wellness Resort to schedule a site visit or to discuss your upcoming retreat.
About Sen Wellness Sanctuary
Founded in 2014 by Dr Sam Kankanamge, Sen Wellness Sanctuary sits within Tangalle’s Rekawa Nature Reserve on Sri Lanka’s southern coast. We offer transformative yoga, Ayurveda, breathwork, and meditation retreats within an environment designed for genuine practice—tropical forest, pristine beach, and the kind of stillness that allows deeper listening.
