Nourishing yoga and sunshine retreat, Sri Lanka

About Sri Devi Villas

Situated on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, Sri Devi Villas offers access to excellent beaches for relaxing and enjoying unforgettable sunsets. There are a few tea plantations and various Buddhist temples along the coast. This luxury retreat centre has over 2.5 acres of tropical garden. The outdoor yoga platform is covered and is close to the paddy fields in amongst the wildlife. There is a large pool, a spa and both an indoor and an outdoor covered lounging area. The centre has extremely friendly and helpful staff and all modern facilities.

Rusindu, the chef is very creative with more than 15 years of experience in 5-star hotels in Dubai. In Sri Devi Retreat Rusindu cooks amazing locally-inspired dishes using nothing but locally sourced products. Guests who want to join Rusindu on his daily trips to the local vegetable and fish markets, are more than welcome. He’ll show you fruits and vegetables, which most guests will have never seen before and show you how to prepare them. Salads are made with snake gourd, gotukola or mukunuwenna - a light curry with jack fruit. General cooking techniques of the Sri Lankan cuisine include curries, fish and poultry in banana leaves, sambals and a few more special secrets.

There are many excursions on offer during the week and trips to explore on your day off.

The daily programme

There will be two yoga sessions each day, including yoga, pranayama, mindfulness and meditation. The mornings will begin with meditation and pranayama for those early risers, followed by a dynamic yet meditative hatha flow yoga practice.

After the morning session, there will be an abundance of fruits and a healthy and filling breakfast. There will be several hours in the day to please yourself, whether it be a walk to the nearby white sandy beaches, taking a treatment with the in-house Ayurvedic masseuse, taking a ride to the nearby shops, cafes and restaurants on the beach or simply chilling by the pool.

The group will meet again in the late afternoon for a more gentle practice dedicated to nourishing yourself, including restorative postures, meditation, visualisations and yoga nidra.

The retreat starts on the Saturday at 7pm with a welcome meal. The last class is on the Friday evening with a farewell meal. Five evening meals are included, leaving 2 nights free for eating out.

Things to do

There will be several optional activities to choose from during the week for those interested in seeing the sights of Sri Lanka. There will be one free day during the week when you can explore further on the island or take one of the excursions offered.

The villa is very luxurious and spacious, tucked away near a village and surrounded by wildlife. There are many different areas to have time to yourself undisturbed to simply relax. It is about a 15 minute walk along the paddy fields or five minute tuk-tuk (the local three-wheeler) to the ocean and sandy beach.

There are several beaches to choose from, some lively with music and entertainment, some quieter and expansive. There are many varied restaurants along the coastline for watching stunning sunsets and evening entertainment if you wish to experience Sri Lanka's unique and friendly social-life.

Excursions & activities:-
- Yala - a safari to see the wild elephants in Yala National Park
- Kataragama - a pilgrimage town in Sri Lanka for Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Veddas
- Sunrise boat trip to see blue whales
- Touring the most famous 19th Century tea estate
- Booking a magnificent boat trip to Cinnamon Island to see how cinnamon is produced
- Visiting and walking around Galle Fort
- Experiencing the flavours of Sri Lanka with a top chef
- Ayurvedic massage

Treatments available

The spa offers Ayurvedic floral / herbal baths, the shirodhara drip and a wide variety of massages. There is also the use of the stream box. An Ayurvedic diagnosis is available with one of the best practitioners and Umesha, the Ayurvedic therapist, has over 10 years of experience in different kinds of Ayurvedic massages and treatments. Her specialties are chakra massages, shirodhara (the slow oil stream on the forehead) and relaxing body massages, reducing tension and stress.

Accommodation & food at Sri Devi Villas

Sri Devi Villas has several villas that have clean and spacious twin beds. Each villa has its own tea/coffee making facilities, a fridge and counter with a sink, a large bathroom and private terrace. In addition there is a fully equipped and staffed kitchen, and for no additional cost the staff can prepare your own food for you.

There is a limited single occupancy available for an additional cost.