Sri Lanka, a Healing Island of Wonders

Sri Lanka goes by many names, perhaps most beautifully, the teardrop of India. Formerly Ceylon, this island nation offers an unforgettable experience with its Hindu and Buddhist temples, pristine beaches, and hillside tea plantations. It is also here that the traditional medicine of Ayurveda has been practiced for more than 5,000 years.

BY VINCENT FEUILLET AND CHRISTIE MCCOLLUM

Gracefully rising from the warm Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka feels like paradise. Between its golden beaches fringed by immense coconut groves, its ancient cities blanketed with vegetation, its mountains and lush jungles, and its fields of spices and tea plantations, everything here is enchanted landscapes and cultural richness. Despite 30 years of civil war and this century’s devastating tsunami, Sri Lanka has managed to conserve its treasures and all its magic.

CSE Treatment Pavillion massage.

This island welcomes visitors from all over the world to experience stunning landscapes and personal well-being. Sri Lanka has been heavily influenced by Buddhism and Hinduism, as evidenced by the popular practice of Ayurveda. Documented for 5,000 years in Sanskrit texts and recognized by the World Health Organization, this traditional medicine from India aims to help anyone who wants to balance body and mind: “ayur” means life in Sanskrit and “veda” means knowledge or science. By harmonizing these two engines of the human body, well-being can be achieved.

Ayurvedic massage is one of the oldest regenerative therapies to heal the body. Herbal medicinal oils possess multiple healing properties: toning muscle, improving circulation, regenerating tissue, and more. The practice also fine-tunes specific massages to treat different ailments, from rheumatism and arthritis to hypertension, migraines, nervousness, and depression. Even today, the island has three times as many Ayurvedic practitioners, called vederalas, than those of general medicine.

Many Ayurvedic establishments offer an afternoon of care, or for those wanting an intensive healing therapy, a course of treatment lasting several weeks. Chief among them is the Jetwing Ayurveda Pavilions in Negombo. The peaceful hotel is nestled under the foliage of a tropical park, away from the bustling hum of the city. This address offers 12 villas, each with a personal care room and a private garden. On the program, aromatic saunas and steam baths (vashpa swedanam).

In the nearby seaside city of Galle, housed in the walls of a magnificent white building where Dutch and British troops once stayed, the Amangalla Resort offers the full range of Ayurvedic treatments in addition to hydrotherapy pools, saunas, and a yoga pavilion.

A massive reclining stone Buddha in Polonnaruwa.

Sri Lanka’s breathtaking landscapes inspire feelings of peace and well-being, even outside the spa. Galle, originally built as a military fort, is an architectural masterpiece in its own right. A relic of the Dutch era, it’s the largest European-built fortress in Asia. Cobbled streets bisect rows of colonial buildings painted vibrant colors, and lush tropical vegetation and moist sea air abound.

Pristine beaches encircle the island. Idyllic Mirissa, vibrant, colorful Hikkaduwa, and Uppuveli, flecked with golden sand, are not to be missed. These are long stretches of sand suitable for lazing around, or vessels can be chartered for sport or whale watching.

Visitors relish in the beauty of Yala National Park. Tropical rainforest, dry evergreen forest, meadows, mangroves—several ecosystems coexist here in perfect harmony. The Sri Lankan elephant makes its home in the park, as does the majestic leopard and families of sloth bears. In the air 250 species of birds thrive in these diverse environments, including the Sri Lanka grey hornbill, the black-headed bulbul, and the Lafayette junglefowl.

Hidden in the hills sits the city of Nuwara Eliya and its rolling landscape of tea plantations. Nicknamed "Little England," Nuwara Eliya attracted many British settlers and became home to their cultural proclivities. Horse racing, hunting, and colonial architecture abound. The post office is a town hallmark with its pink facade and red-shingled eaves, and this charming village is a preferred vacation spot for locals and tourists alike. Even today tea factories pepper the region, where visitors can discover the production process, walk in a plantation to meet the gatherers, and enjoy varieties of fine teas.

Further north, royal gardens encircle the foot of the Sigiriya rock fortress. Man-made ponds and streams irrigate the gardens, an idyllic scene in the middle of the countryside. Looking upwards, Lion Rock, a massive 660-foot stone emerges from the landscape. Visitors ascend 1,200 steps as they pass through the paws of the imposing lion carved into the rock. The trek is worth it. Colorful frescoes decorate the rocks, and the summit houses the ruins of the ancient palace built by King Kasyapa. And then the view.

Lion Rock, centerpiece of the Sigiriya royal gardens.

Sri Lankan curried crab.

A verdant hillside tea plantation.

Finally, just a short distance away sits the city of Polonnaruwa, classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Arranged like giant chess pieces in a vast grassy courtyard, a collection of ancient temples and sculptures marks the center of the Sinhalese kingdom. The Gal Vihara stands frozen in time among the vestiges, with its ancient Buddhas carved into rock for all to see.

With the richness of its landscapes and its never-ending curiosities, Sri Lanka remains a key destination in the Indian Ocean. It’s a country full of culture and stories, whose inhabitants celebrate their traditions and retain a quality of life that exemplifies Ayurvedic wellness.

JETWING AYURVEDA PAVILIONS Porutota Road, Ethukale, Negombo jetwinghotels.com/jetwingayurvedapavilions

AMANGALLA RESORT 10 Church Street, Galle aman.com/resorts/amangalla