Lantern Retreats
Sri Lanka - Yoga Retreat - Adventure - Splits Therapy - Ayurveda - Beach - Safari - Culture
Next Retreat 24 May - 2 June 2025
Yoga Retreat on the Beach
Discover the treasures of the Northern beaches of Sri Lanka and their ancient secrets. Our home for the retreat, where the pearl white sand and turquoise sea reach to infinity.
Imagine practising yoga in a land where time holds its breath and the hustle and bustle of modern life seems aeons away. When you first see Sri Lanka’s Northern beaches, all eyes are drawn to its highlight – the white sand, lined with swaying coconut palms and huge banyan trees, where whales cruise the clear turquoise waters just a few miles offshore.
From snorkelling above coral nurseries recovering from the Tsunami to learning about this fascinating part of the world, your trip will help to support the local community.
Pronounced “Nilāveli”, “Nilā” extolls the night’s moon-shine over the “vèli”, a Sri Lankan Tamil language term for land or open-space.
Join us to stop, get involved, relax and catch your breath, and fall in love.
Our 10 day yoga retreats will be available to book soon through the form at the bottom of the page.
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Your Teacher
The CEO and founder of London Dance Academy, Melissa is a yoga teacher with well over 2 decades of knowledge in anatomy and various dance disciplines. Born in Sri Lanka, she is a proud 9th generation islander and Londoner.
Over the years Melissa has helped complete beginners, professional dancers and yogis to improve their flexibility and strength safely with her signature classes – Splits Therapy, Headstands & Handstands and Gentle Backbends.
During your retreat, she will craft a one-of-a-kind experience suitable for your level. You will see an improvement in your splits and inversions and a boost in your confidence. Relax to one of her guided meditations whilst enjoying the laid-back Sri Lanka beach lifestyle.
“She is honestly so lovely. So encouraging and the best coach for the splits EVER.”
“Melissa’s classes are fantastic! Perfect balance between professional and fun atmosphere”
What to Expect on the Retreat
The first class we will explore together is Headstands & Handstands.
Perfect after a long flight, it will assist your circulation, digestion and help you to arrive. Shirshasana the yoga Headstand position is referred to as the ‘king of asanas’ due to its wonderful benefits to the body and the mind.
Some of the benefits are: Helping to manage mental fatigue, depression, and anxiety, strength and balance, improving the functioning of the central nervous system.
If you want to explore before you leave, head over to our timetable to book a class with Melissa in the studio or online.
During the retreat Melissa, will design a unique experience tailored to your level. Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned yogi, she will help you improve your flexibility, strength, and confidence through her signature classes with gentle yoga, Splits Therapy, Headstands and Handstands and Backbends. With a mix of classes and workshops every day, and extra time to explore and practise right on the beach.
You can also enjoy the serene Sri Lanka beach lifestyle while melting into one of her guided meditations.
Accomodation
Ayurvedic Spa Resort
Beach Villa
Safari Adventure
On your first and last day we will take you to an Ayurvedic Spa Resort where you can get treatments as soon as you land.
Our yoga shala, rooms and cabanas are right on the beach. Why not meet us on the beach for sunrise or have a quick swim before class
On our last day we will organise a Safari, where we are hoping to see families of wild elephants playing, bathing, and socializing in their natural habitat
Yoga Retreat Itinerary
Activities
2 hrs Ayurvedic treatments.
Market and Temple visits
Snorkelling over mature and baby coral thriving after the Tsunami.
There is so much to do and see. We will provide a list of exciting options and even suggest some local authors and conservation projects you might like to check out.
The 10 day retreat also includes a visit to the Cultural Heart of Sri Lanka and Wild Elephant Safari
Classes
A typical day will begin and end with a class or workshop taught by Melissa.
Traditional and intuitive yoga, with emphasis on her signature classes to improve your splits and inversions.
Your retreat will also include interesting adventures, Ayurveda, or time to explore or just chill on the beach.
All classes will be taught in a shala steps from the sea.
Food
Breakfast, Dinner and Light Lunch is included, on excursion days lunch and dinner can be enjoyed at local restaurants.
You’ll get to explore the fresh and exciting local cuisine.
We tailor for vegan, vegetarian, or local fish and meat options. Includes coffee, tea and filtered water and an extraordinary Beach BBQ.
We take your dietary choices very seriously and you will have no worries when it comes to enjoying the famous local cuisine.
Your Retreat
10 Day Retreat
10 days 24 May – 2 June 2025
- Your first and last night we will be at an Ayurvedic spa resort in a shared room
- 7 nights you will have right on the beach in your own room with super king size beds
- 3 meals a day, tailored for vegan & vegetarian. Includes snacks & healthy drinks, meals in local restaurants & a spectacular Beach BBQ
- Our Yoga shala overlooks the sea
- Classes & workshops with Melissa in Splits Therapy, Headstands & Handstands, Backbends and Beach Yoga
- 2 Hours of Ayurvedic massage treatments is included
- Partner massage & bedtime story of Hanuman’s leap to Sri Lanka
- A day of snorkelling above coral nurseries
- Local excursions, and ancient temple visits
- Airport transfers and transport are included
Pricing Options
- We need a £250 deposit when you book
- We offer an early bird full payment discount at £1650 if you pay in full when you book
- You can choose to pay in monthly installments for 7 months (Deposit +6 months) for £250 a month. Full price is then £1750
- You can also pay deposit now, and the rest (£1500) in full no later than 24 March
- We also have an option to share a room at the Villa.
- Pick your option when you book!.
Important info
Please note that flights are not included, prices range from £500 if you book yours early. You can fly direct from London with Sri Lankan Airways, or with one stop with Ethiad, Quatar or Emirates
Please note that full payment is needed no less than 2 months before we arrive 24 March 2025.
Please note that there is space and opportunity to work remotely if you need to!
Why Sri Lanka?
Because it moves me.
Sri Lanka is recovering from a challenging past, but it cannot move forward alone. During the good times and the bad we stand with this resilient country, and we would love to invite you to see why.
Ceylon, they called it the last Paradise on Earth.
Halcyon days on never ending white sandy beaches, warm turquoise seas, and adventures in this ancient, mysterious land.
Explore the first Buddhist stupa in the world, wander through over grown ancient ruins home to monkeys and an abundance of wildlife. Explore cave temples, snorkelling with turtles and jungle safaris.
Practice yoga every day in the stunning landscapes, let the sound of the waves lull you to sleep and share nights with new friends where you can’t tell the stars from the fireflies.
Explore a culture, where you can stop, relax and catch your breath, before the beauty takes it away again.
Meet Your Hosts
Melissa
Melissa is the CEO of London Dance Academy, co-Director of Lantern Retreats, Support Independent Art CIC and creator of Splits Therapy.
Born in Sri Lanka, Melissa moved to the UK during the war.
A professional physical performer and producer of live shows, she’s spent her life studying then teaching a wide variety of music, dance and fitness-based disciplines. Her career has taken her all over the world, but her heart belongs to Nilaveli beach, where her father used to dive and she developed her lifelong love affair with the sea.
Melissa is actively building an authentic network to help her country heal and regularly returns to Sri Lanka. She invites you to come home with her on an adventure to explore the island of Serendipity. Embark on a journey of self-discovery, forge meaningful connections and experience a profound sense of fulfilment.
Karen
Karen, the co-Director of Lantern Retreats and Support Independent Art CIC has been exploring the vibrant country of Sri Lanka for the past seven years, and her love for the country’s breathtaking landscapes, and compassion for the brutal history, continues to grow.
With her extensive background working in international charities, Sri Lanka stands out with a particularly troubled past. She has witnessed personal stories, immense needs and the difference that can be made.
Karen has a degree in the Science of Religions and Politics, from Norway and India, and will excitedly reveal to you the symbolism in the local temples and the rich cultural history of Ceylon.
Join us on a journey of discovery as we unveil the country’s hidden gems, including the local cuisine, organic farming and a brand new travel book club in the last paradise on earth.
We work closely with local Sri Lankan businesses, freelancers and conservationists to provide support for the local economy and sustainable development. We want to provide you with the most authentic and memorable experiences so that you can see for yourself that your visit is actually making a difference.
