Ayurveda & Yoga Retreat at a Clifftop Kerala Resort: 7 Days of Treatments, Yoga and Sea Views

The resort sits on a cliff edge at Vizhinjam, just south of Kovalam's main beaches, with direct views over the Arabian Sea. The architecture is the first thing people notice: the property is dotted with traditional Keralite heritage cottages, some of them reconstructions of buildings 100 or 300 years old, with carved pillars, ornate doors and terracotta roofs. Rooms come with open-to-sky rain showers and private sit-outs, and range from 500 to 700 square feet. The Rock Garden Rooms sit among the coconut groves; the Heritage Superior Cottages get partial sea views; the Octagon is a stone house with a private sun deck looking straight out at the water.

The wellness side is run by the Niraamaya Spa, which has its own Ayurvedic doctors on site along with trained therapists and yoga instructors. Before treatment begins there's a consultation to work out what you actually need — this isn't a fixed menu of massages. Programmes combine Ayurvedic therapies with yoga, meditation and pranayama sessions held in different spots depending on the time of day: on the beach at sunrise, on the cliff at sunset, or in one of the pavilions. There are also modern wellness therapies on offer alongside the traditional Ayurveda.

Food is a bigger part of this than you might expect. Café Samsara serves Kerala, Pan-Indian and global dishes all day, and the kitchen can work around Ayurvedic dietary requirements and most common diets. Madira, the poolside bar, has wine, beer and mocktails and is the obvious place to end the day. Kerala's coastal cuisine — fish, coconut, curry leaf, banana chips — shows up regularly on the menu.

There's more to do than sit by the pool, though plenty of people do exactly that. The resort arranges cultural evenings with Kathakali performances, temple visits and cooking sessions featuring coastal Keralan dishes, plus backwater cruises and nature walks. Vellayani Lake, the Vizhinjam lighthouse and the Poovar estuary are all close, and Trivandrum's airport and central railway station are a short drive away.

The retreat is designed to be flexed rather than followed rigidly. Length of stay, treatment intensity and daily schedule are all set after you arrive and speak to the doctors — the aim being that someone with a bad back and someone who just wants to decompress get genuinely different programmes.

What's included

- Accommodation in your chosen room or cottage - Ayurvedic meals as prescribed - Daily Ayurveda treatments at Niraamaya Spa - Initial and ongoing consultations with resident Ayurvedic doctors - Daily yoga, meditation and pranayama sessions - Access to the pool, gardens and clifftop grounds - Use of the resort's wellness and spa facilities

What's not included

- International and domestic flights - Airport transfers (available at extra cost) - Travel insurance - Alcohol and drinks at Madira bar - Optional excursions such as backwater cruises and temple visits - Additional spa treatments beyond your programme - Personal expenses and gratuities