7-Day Small Group Yoga & Meditation Retreat by the Beach in Bentota, Sri Lanka

The retreat runs for seven days from Dharga Town, Sri Lanka, a small town on the Bentota River about ten minutes from Bentota Beach. The two daily yoga and meditation sessions take place in an open-air shala, and the group is limited to eight guests. The rest of the day is genuinely free — you can walk to the beach, sit in the garden, or stay in your room.

Meals are cooked on site and are proper Sri Lankan home cooking rather than retreat food adapted for visitors. Dietary requirements are confirmed with the leader before you arrive, so tell them what you need when booking. One Ayurveda-inspired massage is included in the week; more treatments can usually be arranged at extra cost. The complimentary morning shuttle to Bentota Beach and the sun loungers there are the two practical perks of the location — you get the beach without having to negotiate a tuk-tuk each time.

The accommodation is at the YogaBee property in Dharga Town, and guests choose between a private luxury double room for one person or a private double or twin room for two. Both are confirmed per booking, so if you want a specific room, ask when you send your request. Because the group is small, the schedule can shift a little depending on what the group wants — some weeks the morning session runs longer, others the beach trip happens on a different day.

What separates this from the many Sri Lanka yoga weeks is the group size and the location. Eight people maximum means the teacher can actually correct your posture rather than watching from the front. And Dharga Town is the working end of the Bentota coast — you're near the beach and the river without being in a resort strip. You also have the option of extending past seven days, which is unusual for a fixed-week programme.

The retreat is led by YogaBee Retreats, who run four retreats in Sri Lanka — this seven-day week, a six-day relaxation and adventure retreat in Bentota, a ten-day wellness programme, and a seven-day yoga immersion. The team guiding each week is confirmed before your stay, so ask who'll be teaching when you enquire. YogaBee Retreats is based in Sri Lanka and has been running these programmes on the southwest coast.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation at the YogaBee retreat property in Dharga Town - Two guided yoga and meditation sessions daily - Three homemade Sri Lankan meals per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner) - One Ayurveda-inspired massage - Complimentary morning shuttle to Bentota Beach - Sun loungers at the beach - Use of the open-air shala

What's not included

- International and domestic flights - Airport transfers - Travel insurance - Visa fees - Additional spa and Ayurveda treatments beyond the one included - Personal expenses and drinks outside meals