Meet Natalia Wiechowski: a renaissance woman in Dubai and founder of Think Natalia. The German born beauty is a former competitive athlete and social scientist who decided to chuck in her corporate career as a marketing expert and follow her passion: encouraging people to become the best versions of themselves. These days, you’ll find the award-winning writer and speaker giving talks at key conferences and acting as a mentor in the local startup community. So when this busy bee wants some downtime, where can she find it? The answer: Sen Wellness Sanctuary in Sri Lanka.

 

This zen hub is part medical luxury spa and part five star hotel located in a pristine national park in Sri Lanka. There’s even a protected turtle beach on the premises. With a busy lifestyle that involves spending a lot of time networking, speaking at conferences, and writing away on a laptop, getting in touch with nature in serene surroundings is very important to help Natalia feel rejuvenated.

 

Natalia says: “Why I loved this resort? Because of the concept itself. When you google “yoga retreat + Sri Lanka”, you will find a lot of yoga places. I have not found another resort that does Ayurveda (and yoga) as well, while being directly in nature. AND on the beach. AND having clean food and highly qualified staff.” It’s actually listed as one of the top 20 yoga resorts in the world.

Sweet Suite

Set amidst a stunning landscape of mangroves, lagoons and the sprawling beach, this resort focuses on the healing energy of nature. Suspended walkways lead to the thatched roof cabanas, so you can actually see wildlife scurrying along beneath you as you walk. The luxury cabanas are simple and designed by a Brazilian-American architect who paid special attention to how the thatched roofs would complement the surrounding nature.

 

There is no air conditioning needed as the nearby sea breeze keeps the rooms naturally cool. The rooms are designed with wood elements and clean white sheets.

 

The bathrooms are open to nature so you can gaze at the stars while taking a shower. It’s an out-of-this-world experience.

 

Beach + Yoga Time

Beautiful and full of calming energy, the draw of this resort is the nature. The beaches are sprawling and are ideal for a dip or a tanning session in between sunrise and sunset yoga.

This resort is known as one of the best yoga retreats in the world for a reason.

 

 

Aside from yoga and swimming, walking around the grounds is a great way to stay in shape and explore a landscape very different from the highways and conference rooms back home.

 

Food-tastic

The food is all wholesome and drawn from the surroundings: think fresh fish caught that morning, salads made with vegetables from nearby gardens and plantains sweeter than chocolate.

The food was a perfect complement to a relaxed energy in the hotel.

Natalia says: “I experienced the Sen Wellness sanctuary as a place of silence, wellness, detox and relaxation. The world seems to turn a bit slower there.”

 

#WhatToPack

Love beautiful Natalia’s breezy style? Here’s some inspiration perfect for a zen yoga retreat!