good to know
Planning a yoga & surf retreat in Sri Lanka.
Everything worth knowing before you come to Madiha — the season, the journey, the visa, and why we chose this quiet stretch of the south coast.
The best time to visit — and surf.
Southern Sri Lanka's dry season runs roughly November to April — sunny mornings, calm seas, and the exact window when we run our weekly retreats, Sunday to Sunday. The Indian Ocean stays warm all year (around 27–28°C / 81–82°F), so you surf in boardshorts, not a wetsuit. The nearby beginner breaks are gentle and forgiving, which is why the surf lesson in every Kelani Week is built for first-timers.
Getting to Madiha from Colombo.
Fly into Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), just north of Colombo. Madiha sits about 160 km south — roughly 2.5 to 3 hours away. You have three easy options: a private taxi (about €55, door to door), the coastal train to Matara (scenic and cheap, about €10), or the bus. We connect arriving guests so you can share a transfer and split the cost. The week starts on Sunday, so if you land earlier, spend your first night in Colombo and travel down rested.
Visa, money & practicalities.
Good news: since 25 May 2026, Sri Lanka's tourist ETA is free for visitors from 40 countries — including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the UK, the US and most of the EU — for a 30-day, double-entry stay. You still apply online before you fly (it is simply free now); travellers from outside the exempt list pay a small US$35 fee. Either way, make sure your passport stays valid for at least six months. The currency is the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR); cards work in towns and cafés, but keep some cash for local spots and tuk-tuks. Grab a local SIM at the airport for cheap data. Tap water is not for drinking — we keep filtered water flowing at the house.
Why Madiha, not Weligama.
Madiha — part of Polhena — sits just east of Weligama, the south coast's busy surf hub. It is quieter and more local: a calm, reef-protected lagoon that is safe to swim in, with sea turtles gliding through the shallows. But you are still only 10–15 minutes from Weligama's beginner waves, cafés and nightlife. You get the reset without the crowds, and the action whenever you want it.
What a week at Kelani includes.
One all-inclusive package, Sunday to Sunday. You get a room in our family home (16 beds across twin, double and a four-bed room), daily yoga for every level, a beginner surf lesson, and guided excursions — a temple visit, a day in Galle, a cooking class with the local Sambol Foundation. Add home-cooked vegetarian meals, plus full use of the 80 m² shala, the pool and the ice bath. From €1250 for the week. Everything is planned; nothing is required.
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