A typical day starts whenever you want it to. The timetable opens at 6:30 and the last class finishes at 18:30, so you can train early before the heat builds, or surf in the morning and lift in the afternoon. Sessions are 45 to 90 minutes. Conditioning classes like TEAM WOD, HIIT Circuit and WOD are 45 to 60 minutes of hard work with minimal rest. Strength sessions split into push, pull, lower and full body, built around compound lifts with accessory work. Combat covers boxing fundamentals, kickboxing combinations, Brazilian jiu-jitsu fundamentals and sparring, and BoxHIIT, which mixes punches with circuit work.

There is more variety than a standard gym timetable. Calisthenics Strength and Calisthenics Skill focus on bodyweight training and the mechanics behind the movements. Handstands is a dedicated hand-balancing class. Hybrid Endurance and Hybrid Performance build stamina and technique for mixed training. LOKA RUN CLUB is free and takes a 5km route through the rice paddies. Hip Hop Dance and House Dance are also free, and both are about the feel of the music rather than fitness.

What separates Loka from other gyms on the south coast is the setting and the coaching. The gym sits deep in the jungle, surrounded by nature, with full weights, kettlebells, showers, lockers, Wi-Fi, a pool and Loka Café on site serving smoothies, coffee and healthy food. Nick Carpenter founded it to combine serious coaching with Ahangama's surf lifestyle. He adapts sessions to your level, whether you have never boxed or you are training for competition. Boxing sparring is intermediate to advanced only, gumshield required, and the gym provides 14-16oz gloves. The rule is stated plainly: no ego, no hard sparring, and anyone who breaks the rules is asked to leave.

Ahangama itself is a surf town on Sri Lanka's south coast, about 5 minutes from the gym to the beach. The area has breaks for different levels, cafés, and a steady flow of travelling surfers, remote workers and locals who train side by side. The gym is a short walk from the private accommodation units, so you can train, swim, eat and sleep without needing a tuk-tuk.

What's included

- Access to the gym and its class timetable, according to the pass you buy - Open gym sessions (Loka Access and above) - Pool access (included in all monthly passes and with the private units) - Unlimited classes (Loka Performance and Loka Lifestyle) - Recovery sessions with ice bath and sauna (Loka Lifestyle) - Free LOKA RUN CLUB 5km sessions - Free Hip Hop and House Dance classes - Loka Café on site (food and drinks priced separately) - Member app for booking and QR check-in

What's not included

- Accommodation, unless booked separately (from LKR 7,500 per night) - Flights and airport transfers - Travel insurance - Food and drinks at Loka Café - Personal training sessions - Boxing gloves and gumshield (gloves can be provided for sparring) - Personal expenses