The experience begins well before passing through the gates of this Ayurvedic centre in Sri Lanka: you leave the hustle and bustle of Kandy to join a pretty wooded road, surrounded by lush vegetation.

Locals cross your path, becoming fewer and fewer as you move further. As you approach the centre, you can hear the discreet sound of the river running alongside the property.

Along the roadside: a massive Kandyan-style door. This is  the entrance, where you are warmly welcomed by the owner and  taken to your room inside an old building overlooking the river. The room, decorated with antique objects, is full of charm. It is extended by a large patio, simple and uncluttered, where a pretty hammock awaits you, ideal for reading. Below, small stairs lead to the river. Armed with a bathing suit and a towel, you can be in the tumultuous waters of the Hulu Ganga river in a few minutes.

On the agenda for the day: no need to do anything, you can enjoy everything at your own pace! Various activities are available to you: swimming in the river, walking around, and taking a nap in the shade of the patio. For the sportier, a nice hike among the tea plantations is possible on the nearby hill. For yogis of all levels, Yumi, the owner’s Japanese wife, holds Hatha yoga sessions in a “shala,” which opens up to nature. After lunch, you will wander along the alleys of the centre. Authentic Kandyan art pieces and Sinhalese artifacts punctuate your path, making every corner a discovery.

In the late afternoon, it is time for your appointment with the Ayurvedic doctor at the centre. At the end of an interview, the doctor determines your doshic composition and sends a list of recommendations to your masseur. Then you join the intimate and atypical massage room, where you will receive a series of personalized treatments:

traditional massage, steam bath (steam treatment), flower bath, etc. You end the session with a Shirodasha (continuous pouring of a warm oil on the forehead). The fragrant oil spreads onto your skull, throughout your hair, and a deep feeling of lightness surrounds you.

At nightfall, you reach the restaurant from your room. A beautifully set table awaits you, illuminated by an oil lamp. The vegetarian dinner is mainly composed of organic and local products: manioc, grated coconut, egg curry, pumpkin, sambol, papaya, and guava. The rice is grown in one of the rice fields on the other side of the river and the water comes directly from a nearby mountain source. This is the end of a timeless day, full of exoticism and spirituality…