Siddhalepa Ayurveda Health Resort, Sri Lanka

Surrounded by a veil of forest, Siddhalepa Ayurveda Health Resort is a secluded hideaway in Wadduwa, on the western coast of Sri Lanka

By National Geographic Traveller The Collection
Published 9 Mar 2017, 09:55 GMT

Surrounded by a veil of forest, Siddhalepa Ayurveda Health Resort is a secluded hideaway in Wadduwa, on the western coast of Sri Lanka. One side of the seven-acre resort borders a stretch of creamy sand, with just a cluster of palms framing views of the Indian Ocean.

Founded by Dr Victor Hettigoda, who hails from three generations of ayurvedic physicians, Siddhalepa offers an array of therapies and programmes designed to restore balance and health, derived from the indigenous Sri Lankan ‘Hela Osu’ and Indian holistic medical systems.

On arrival, guests receive a 60-minute consultation with a resident doctor, who devises a treatment, fitness and diet plan, according to their dosha (mind-body type), health condition and personal requirements. The varied treatment options range from piccichil, a massage involving the continuous dripping of herbal oil onto the body, to panchakarma, a three-stage cleansing treatment that aims to detoxify the body. Customised to each client, programmes draw on different ayurvedic techniques and range from immune-boosting, post-chemotherapy recovery and mobility strengthening to joint care, anti-stress and weight-loss, plus a selection of beauty and anti-ageing options. Therapies may be supported by traditional ayurvedic medicines administered by on-site doctors, who sometimes make use of healing plants and herbs from the resort’s gardens.

A holistic approach to ayurveda means guests can also expect a garden tour to learn about some of the 400 varieties of herbal plants and vines growing there as well as ayurvedic cooking sessions using some of the garden’s bounty, plus elixir- and herbal tea-tasting sessions and yoga classes. In the summer, the culinary masterclasses can be taken outside in the sunshine.

The award-winning restaurant’s menu is based on ayurvedic principles and includes fruit and vegetables grown in local villages.

The resort’s 50 rooms and suites open onto a terrace or balcony — some with an outdoor shower or stone bath, while several ocean-view bungalows give a nod to traditional Sri Lankan architecture — airy, with plenty of wood and exposed brick.

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Need to know

Key Treatments

• Ayurvedic relaxation and medical treatments
• Programmes: stress relief; detox; weight-loss; holistic beauty; rejuvenation; arthritis, depression, phlegm and digestion issues

Key Facilities

• 50 rooms, suites and bungalows
• Award-winning restaurant
• Ayurveda centre
• Herbal elixir centre
• Fitness centre
• Twice-daily yoga practice
• Weekly meditation session

Contact Information

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