Seaside Ayurveda & Yoga Retreat on Nattika Beach, Kerala

The resort is in Nattika, on the Kerala coast between Thrissur and the backwaters. It's a small property — villas spread through gardens that run down to the sand — and once you're in, you mostly don't leave. Guests fly into Kochi (Cochin) and are driven up, roughly an hour and a half.

The treatment side is run properly. Dr Leshma Vijay, a consultant physician, assesses each guest and sets out a programme, which typically includes abhyanga (warm herbal oil massage), shirodhara (a steady stream of oil poured over the forehead), steam, and herbal decoctions taken internally. Sessions are scheduled across the week, usually in the morning, and change as the programme progresses.

Yoga is built into the daily routine, led on-site, and suited to whatever level you turn up at — plenty of guests here have never done it before. There's also a doctor's consultation at the start and a review towards the end, so you leave with some idea of what to keep doing at home.

Food is a genuine part of the treatment, not a side note. Meals are vegetarian, cooked to Ayurvedic principles, and portioned according to your programme — lighter, warmer food in the early days, more variety later. Kerala staples appear: sambar, avial, thoran, red rice, rasam, fresh coconut, and fruit in season.

What makes it different from a standard wellness hotel is that it's medical as well as relaxing. People come here for joint problems, skin conditions, stress, post-illness recovery and general resetting, and the schedule is built around that rather than around keeping you entertained. If you want a party or a busy excursion list, this isn't it. If you want to sleep well, eat well, be treated by people who know what they're doing, and swim in the sea in the late afternoon, it is.

What's included

- Villa accommodation in the resort gardens - Full Ayurvedic treatment programme as prescribed - Initial and closing consultation with the consultant physician - Daily yoga sessions - Three vegetarian meals daily (breakfast, lunch, dinner) - Herbal drinks and teas - Use of the swimming pool and gardens - Direct access to Nattika beach - Daily housekeeping

What's not included

- International and domestic flights - Airport transfers (arranged on request, at extra cost) - Travel insurance - Visa fees - Additional treatments outside the prescribed programme - Personal expenses and tips - Alcohol (not served on the property)