SwaSwara offers Ayurveda and Yoga from a beautiful hotel immersed in nature and overlooking breathtaking Om Beach, close to the temple town of Gorkana. This is a high-quality, holistic wellness experience, enhanced by a beautiful and peaceful setting, a world away from the distractions and stresses of city life.
Health and wellbeing are at the heart of the SwaSwara experience. Transformational programmes between 5 and 21 days are tailored to each individual’s needs and hopes for their healing retreat. Choose from: Swa-Wellbeing, Ayurveda Rejuvenation or Ayurveda Detox & Panchakarma.
Swa-Wellbeing is an all-rounded retreat including Ayurveda relaxing body treatments, Yoga, meditation, art therapies and a healthier diet. It’s particularly great for those who want to enjoy a flexible schedule, or for beginners keen to learn the basics of Ayurveda and Yoga and how to forge a healthy lifestyle in a sustainable way - consultations with the Ayurveda doctors are included.
Ayurveda Rejuvenation uses traditional Ayurveda principles to de-stress & revitalize. This programme is the perfect introduction for how to set healthier food habits and activity patterns that you can maintain in your day to day life.
Ayurveda Detox & Panchkarma is the most intense experience on offer at SwaSwara. This holistic programme is focussed around cleansing and detoxing, and is personalised, following a detailed consultation with an Ayurveda doctor. The programme starts with the Ayurvedic detox procedure of ingesting medicated ghee for a few days, then a day of purging to eliminate accumulated toxins, before starting therapeutic body treatments and following a Dosha-specific vegetarian diet. Massages, light yoga and meditation complement the programme. N.B. To undergo a full Panchakarma procedure with its five-fold therapy, 21 nights is required at SwaSwara.
From the variety of wellness experiences available at SwaSwara, I would recommend trying out as many as you can as the level of teaching is to such a high standard, and all classes and sessions are run by qualified practitioners. Take a morning stroll along the beach, start the day with sunrise guided Meditation from a thatched hillside platform overlooking the ocean, laze in the swimming pool and enjoy daily strengthening Hatha Yoga classes in the tranquillity of nature. We can also arrange private Yoga sessions at an additional cost.
Aside from SwaSwara wellness activities, guests can take boat rides to secluded beaches, visit local fishing villages, and explore the temple town of Gorkana. Guided birdwatching walks around the 30-acre grounds take in a great variety of species, and the surrounding area is perfect for hiking, whether flat along Om Beach, or up the cliffs through scrub jungle and acacia plantations to reach stunning lookout points.
A particularly lovely feature at SwaSwara is the art studio, a place of serenity and no judgement. The SwaSwara team believe in the ability to heal through artistic expression. Guests are free to explore their artistic creativity and encouraged to free their imagination; to take a journey of self-discovery, expressing themselves through clay moulding, working with bare hands on the pottery wheel, and ‘therapeautic doodling’.
Guests are made to feel entirely at home staying in Konkan Villas, which are made from natural materials with thatched roofs, and are open to nature (the bedrooms are enclosed and include A/C), with spacious living areas, inner courtyards and plenty of greenery.
Fresh ingredients, mostly produced in the SwaSwara organic garden, are used for delicious recipes that change with the seasons, making the most of locally-grown tropical fruits, vegetables and fresh catch of the day, and meals are customised to specific conditions. Guests can dine in the garden, on the beach or on a platform immersed in trees.
SwaSwara encourage guests to visit the kitchen and gardens and to learn the art of healthy cooking from the chefs. There is also a bar serving delicious wine for those who aren’t on a strict diet (those on the Swa Wellbeing Progamme). 7-14 night Ayurveda programmes follow the satvic diet, where your doctor prescribes a personalised diet based on your Doshas.
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Every time I explore a new destination, whether it’s on an adventure holiday in Peru or a luxury beach escape in the Indian Ocean, I return home full of excitement to share the amazing sights I have seen. Through my own experiences I have developed a love of helping others experience the great wonders of the world; truly getting under the skin of the extraordinary destinations that are at your fingertips. Getting the details right, from which hotel is perfectly located for exploring away from the crowds, to which local guide is most knowledgeable on history or culture or art, is of paramount importance to me. I am constantly seeking out new and exciting experiences and exploring off the beaten track to ensure my clients are receiving the best and most honest first-hand advice.
Take a look at my travel diaries for food for thought on your next trip...