Body: Mind-melting massage
Kandy’s cool, hilly climes are a welcome respite from the rest of the country’s searing heat. Stay at The Kandy House, a villa wrapped in a veranda and oozing history, colourful culture and colonial luxury at every turn. In the garden’s ambalama (pavilion), you’ll find a spa bed where the hotel’s Ayurvedic therapist offers a body massage that combines energy healing, promising total relaxation and a sound night’s sleep. thekandyhouse.com
Soul: An enlightening digital detox
An hour’s drive through tiny villages takes you to Nilambe Buddhist Meditation Centre, where peace reigns, literally. Book in for five days or longer and you’re signing up for no talking, no devices. Led by a local monk or nun, you’re up with the sound of the gong at 4.45am for the first of many hours of meditation, interspersed with self-practise yoga, chores like sweeping and gardening, and meals so delicious it’s hard to eat mindfully. It feels like total freedom for the spirit. nilambe.net
