Ayurveda in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka invites you into a breathtaking world of exotic spices and scented aromatic oils, life-changing retreats and pampering spas. The island boasts some divine hotel spas, designed to pamper and relax, rejuvenate and beautify. Ayurveda, one of the world’s oldest forms of healing, dates here in Sri Lanka from the 4th Century BC and its philosophy is ingrained in the psyche of the people. Nearly all hotels with spas in Sri Lanka offer Ayurveda therapies and in the luxury and boutique hotels you are also likely to find Thai, Balinese, Shiatsu, hot stones and western-style beauty treatments too. Let us arrange an Ayurveda experience in Sri Lanka.
About Ayurveda
One of the world’s oldest forms of healing, Ayurveda, meaning ‘wisdom of life’ in Sanskrit, dates back more than 5,000 years.
This ‘science of life’ is now attracting people to the island from all over the world and Ayurvedic treatments are being offered in many of the Sri Lanka’s hotels. These may range from an in-room massage from a traditional therapist to a full programme of Ayurveda therapy from qualified therapists in consultation with an Ayurvedic doctor. Many hotels have their own spa offering individual spa treatments designed to sooth, relax and pamper, using Ayurveda techniques and natural-based oils.
About Ayurveda
Ayurveda is an ancient system of healing and healthcare aimed at prevention and immunity from disease, promoting the body’s own capacity for balance and wellbeing. This holistic system works on the principle that a human’s mind, body and soul are inextricably linked and regards illness as the result of an imbalance in a person’s ‘doshas’ (make-up). Good health can be achieved through the delicate balance of the body’s five natural elements - earth, fire, water, air and ether. A perfect balance is reached by a process of ‘Panchakarma’ to cleanse, purify, pacify and nourish, involving meditation and yoga, expurgation, inhalation, massage, skin absorption and a balanced diet. Only natural ingredients are used as preventative medicines, thereby creating perfect balance without side-effects.
Brought to Sri Lanka from India in the 4th century BC, Ayurveda is still much favoured by Sri Lankans today, sitting alongside the western allopathic healthcare system and offering a more holistic approach. Its philosophy is ingrained in the psyche of the people, especially in the villages, and their deep respect for nature has meant that the forests are still blessed with indigenous medicinal plants.
A wide range of physical conditions can be treated by Ayurveda, for example backache and arthritis and also psychological conditions such as stress. From an aesthetic point of view, Ayurveda also offers beauty benefits like reducing the appearance of wrinkles, weight loss and promoting healthy hair and scalp.
Ayurveda Therapies
Treatments are personalised according to individual needs and may involve:
Vashpa Swedanam
Herbal Steam bed - Steam infused with herbs and spices rises up through the grid of the wooden cocoon-shaped bed where you lie, with only your head exposed.
Shirodhara
The third eye of the Lord Shiva – a delicate flow of warm oil is poured slowly onto the forehead, then gently massaged into the temples, creating a soothing and relaxing effect. Believed to relax the nervous system and help cure migraine headaches and insomnia.
Shirbayanga
A soothing massage treatment using essential oils on the head that is said to prevent hair loss and premature greying.
Sarvangadhara
Medicated warm herbal oil is sponged into the body by two trainers in a rhythmic way.
Herbal Mask
The body is enveloped in a nourishing mask made from a selection of natural herbs in order to promote the enzymes responsible for metabolic skin processes. The treatment is designed to improve skin structure and relieve itch, irritated skin.
Ayurvedic Health Resorts and Holistic Retreats
If you are looking for a real life-changing experience, or to treat specific ailments, it is best to commit to a serious ‘cure’ holiday of weeks, even months, at one of the four following very specialist Ayurvedic Health Resorts or a holistic retreat. These offer more of a traditional ‘health experience’ where the main focus is on health. There is no alcohol and the meals are aimed at detoxifying and nourishing. Please contact us for full details and prices of packages at each of these places.
Ulpotha
Embogama, Galgiriyawa
Cultural Triangle
Ulpotha has been a pilgrimage site for thousands of years and remains an oasis of tranquility in the heart of Sri Lanka. It is a beautiful private holistic retreat open to guests during certain times of the year; a place of total peace, where you can experience the warm and gentle hospitality that Sri Lankans love to offer. Ulpotha is a traditional working village cradled on the one side by low mountains and a lotus ringed lake, and on the other by emerald green paddy fields. The bio-diversity of Ulpotha is extraordinary, with flora, fauna and bird life of dazzling variety. Wild (but gentle) elephants visit from time to time. Its focus, at present, is on the restoration of an ageless agricultural way of life including bio-diverse organic farming and reforestation of the land. The main activity is simply relaxing in this atmosphere of peace and calm and enjoying the tasty organic, vegetarian cuisine. There are Yoga classes led by some of the world's leading Yoga teachers and Ayurveda administered by an acclaimed practitioner. This is very simple living with nature – you are sleeping on a mattress (albeit comfy and complete with mosquito net) on the floor of a beautifully created mud hut that is loved by all nature’s little creatures. You share washing facilities and open-air cold showers and there is no electricity or any mod-cons. So, leave your smart clothes at home and live life the Ulpotha way.
When to go
Ulpotha only takes guests for 11 weeks in June - August and for another 18 weeks from November to March. The weather varies little and groups are timed to coincide with the end of the rainy season. More of the owners' friends come at Christmas - so it's very lively, and there may be more children. That could make it less restful than usual, but it's very popular, so you need to book Christmas early. To ensure a community atmosphere, and to get the most from Ulpotha, we recommend you stay for two weeks. Note: Yoga courses normally start on a Sunday, so it is best to arrive on a Sunday, although your arrival day can be flexible.
Facilities at Ulpotha
Dining pavilion (vegetarian cooking), Ayurveda treatment centre, Yoga Pavilion, Therapy huts, Lake with small raft and rowing boat, Extensive grounds of farmland, paddy fields and forest
Services included in our price
All yoga and meditation classes, Use of yoga mats, wooden blocks, belts, small flat cushions & bolsters in the yoga shala, One massage per week from visiting therapist, One excursion per week , 3 vegetarian meals per day plus snacks, A cool and comfortable sarong on arrival
Accommodation In a basic mud hut, with twin or double mattress and Ulpotha accepts a maximum of 19 guests at one time
All huts have: Mattress with bed linen and mosquito net, cupboard, kerosene lamps, mat. Two huts share one open-air shower enclosure and one wc hut (toilet and washbasin).
NOTE: there is no electricity at Ulpotha except in the main house which has limited solar power (sufficient to charge a mobile phone).
Ayurveda Pavilions
Ethukale, Negombo
Western Sri Lanka
Ayurveda Pavilions is a small hotel designed for guests wanting in-house Ayurveda therapy to balance and rejuvenate mind, body and soul. Located at Negombo on the west coast of Sri Lanka, Ayurveda Pavilions is made up of 12 well-appointed villas built to blend in with their peaceful natural surroundings, each with its own garden and treatment room ensuring maximum privacy. The hotel is 100 metres from the sea front. The designs are taken from an ancestral ‘Midula’ house, with a traditional veranda, courtyards and medicinal plants. Focussing on Ayurveda therapies, there are a number of signature treatments that guests can experience at Ayurveda Pavilions, including the Sincro Massage, where two therapists massage the skin at the same time, and a Herbal Mask treatment designed to improve the skin structure. A team of experienced doctors is available and in keeping with Ayurvedic principles, meals and beverages are prepared by specially trained chefs. Sri Lankan breakfasts and individually created menus are served following the Ayurveda concept, using fresh herbs, vegetables, fruits and seafood and according to each guest’s body type. Guests can also enjoy yoga and meditation, and swimming in the pool. The more active can visit the Ayurveda Pavilions resort’s sister hotel The Beach for beach activities, squash, a gym and tennis courts. Although you can walk across the road to the beachfront from Ayurveda Pavilions, it is in a street location and does not have any views of the sea.
Facilities at the Hotel
Restaurant offering Ayurvedic cuisine, Swimming pool, Ayurvedic treatments in your own Pavilion or in the Ayurveda therapy centre, Experienced Professional Ayurveda doctors and consultants, Ayurveda boutique, Ayurveda cookery demonstrations, Yoga and meditation, Music therapy, Lectures by Ayurveda Specialists, Laundry service
Complimentary Services
For guests staying at Ayurveda Pavilions there is a free shuttle service to Jetwing’s sister hotels in Negombo
Accommodation 12 Pavilions all with air-conditioning and ceiling fan, Treatment room, King-size bed, Private walled courtyard garden, Bathroom with shower and open-air bath, IDD telephone, Mini-bar, Hairdryer, In-room safe, TV and radio, Room service
Barberyn Ayurveda Resorts
Barberyn are the pioneers of the resort concept of Ayurveda in Sri Lanka and now have two Ayurveda Resorts in picturesque beach settings. These are serious Ayurvedic health resorts offering authentic Ayurveda, extensive Ayurveda facilities and Ayurvedic (vegetarian and white fish) meals. Their complete programme of Ayurveda therapy aims to strengthen your immunity, revitalise and rejuvenate, creating an uplifting sense of wellbeing. You can learn how to prepare Ayurvedic food from the chefs and excursions are provided to local sites of interest such as temples, plantations and markets. No alcohol is served and the hotel is only available to guests taking Ayurveda treatment.
Treatment information at Barberyn
On arrival at the resort, each guest is given a private consultation with a doctor who will assess their medical condition according to Ayurveda diagnosis. Individual treatments will be prescribed including acupuncture and massage, together with diet, decoctions and medicines according to the condition. The doctor will also assess your Ayurvedic body type and give you a recommended diet to follow. Some guests stay at Barberyn simply to unwind and relax, restoring the balance in body, mind and soul. Others come to treat ailments such as shoulder pain, sciatica, insomnia, gastric ulcers, skin disorders, psoriasis, allergies, arthritis, to name just a few. Each person is given a daily routine of acupuncture, head and shoulder massage, facial massage, synchronized body massage, the application of herbs from Barberyn’s own herb garden, herbal baths and steam baths as well as tailor-made treatments and detoxes that vary from patient to patient depending on specific needs. Guests can also practise yoga each morning and evening and learn to meditate from a Buddhist Monk.
Barberyn Reef Ayurveda Resort
Beruwela, South Sri Lanka – Coast
Barberyn Reef is in the tourist resort of Beruwela, on the south west coat. It was the first Ayurveda Resort in Sri Lanka and has been welcoming guests for 40 years. Its 75 rooms, restaurant, lounge and Ayurveda centre are set in a tropical garden of mature trees and medicinal plants, adjacent to the ocean. A natural reef forms a calm lagoon for swimming in the sea in front of the resort and there is also a swimming pool in the grounds. Each bedroom has an en-suite shower room and is simply furnished with either air-conditioning or a ceiling fan. Some have balconies or ground floor patios facing the sea. Barberyn Reef has a warm, sociable feel and welcomes many repeat guests. After spending the days experiencing the benefits of your Ayurvedic treatments, you will be sure to enjoy the beautiful sunsets over the ocean.
Barberyn Beach Ayurveda Resort
Weligama, South Sri Lanka – Coast
Barberyn Beach Ayurveda Resort is set on a hillside with stunning views of the ocean on the south coast of Sri Lanka, close to the seaside town of Weligama. Completed in 2003, the resort is modern, light and spacious in design, built on stilts against the valley to leave the terrain undisturbed. There are smart, well-equipped treatment facilities, a restaurant, lounges and a swimming pool. Each of the en-suite bedrooms has a ceiling fan and mosquito net; some have four-poster beds. With 15 acres of naturally landscaped grounds, there is plenty of space to relax and feel at peace. Guests can ramble around the Ayurveda trail observing medicinal plants and trees and listen to music in the pavilion under the huge night skies. A path leads down to the beach where you can frequently see the stilt fishermen in action. The huge garden and architecture allow for more privacy than at Barberyn Reef.
Other Ayurveda hotels
The following hotels also have specialist Ayurveda treatment centres with Ayurvedic doctors.
Amangalla, Galle
The Baths Spa offers Special Ayurveda 3, 7 and 14-night Treatment Programmes. An Ayurvedic physician will give you a consultation and design a personalised treatment plan. This will include daily Ayurvedic treatments, a prepared herbal bath and a vegetarian Ayurvedic diet.
Amaya Hills, Kandy area
The Ayurveda Spa offers comprehensive Special Ayurveda Treatment programmes of 3 days, 5 days, 7 days, 14 days and 21 days. A typical 3-day Suwasadana Ayurvedic Programme will involve two herbal baths, body and lower limb massage, a herbal oil head treatment, a herbal facial and a steam bath, together with advice on healthy living.
Jetwing Vil Uyana, Cultural Triangle
The Ayurveda Centre offers 3, 5 and 7 day Ayurveda programmes in a separate Ayurveda centre within the hotel grounds. Aiming to promote positive health and keep you young, the programmes include an Ayurveda Doctor’s consultation and 90 minutes of Ayurveda treatment daily, tailored to your own bio-energetic constitutions.
Expressions Holidays will put together tailor-made stays for you at any of these Ayurveda centres and include flights from the UK to Colombo and a private transfer. If you want to combine an Ayurvedic stay with more of an exploration of Sri Lanka, then let us put together a tailor-made tour for you.
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