In search of an alternative holiday Abu Dhabi Week headed for the Barberyn Reef Ayurveda Resort
A round patchwork quilt-like table takes pride of place in the reception area of Barberyn Reef Ayurveda Resort. Odd pieces of wood of varying shades and shapes have been seamlessly fused together in this centerpiece.
Almost nine years ago, in December 2004, a tsunami swept through Sri Lanka and the Barberyn Reef Ayurveda Resort destroying whatever lay in its path.
Later the owners returned to rebuild the hotel. Remnants of furniture that had been spat out by the sea, battered and bruised, were restored and given a new lease of life as a beautiful table, which perfectly symbolises Barberyn’s aim: to heal your mind, body and spirit.
While many people visit this resort to simply relax and de-stress, many more come here because they are ill and want to avail of the Ayurveda treatments on offer, including full-body and head massage, acupuncture, herbal baths and more.
Guests who just want to clear their mind can attend daily sunrise or sunset yoga sessions and meditation seminars.
Beautiful Barberyn
Choose between garden or beach-front rooms. Barberyn is set on a long strip of beach, with a natural reef running the length of the resort, forming a swimming lagoon.
We opted for a beach-front room and felt pretty lucky waking up every morning being able to admire the striking scenery from our bed, with the sound of waves crashing on the golden sandy strip, as fishermen reeled in their catch.
The resort has its own swimming pool, arts and crafts shop, jewellery shop, library, beauty salon, health centre and reading room. Activities on offer include free cooking workshops, seminars and cultural events within the resort, in addition to organised.
If you decide to explore the local area, we recommend visiting the Warakagoda Temple cave temple located among tea plantations, the Induruwa turtle hatcheries, and doing a boat cruise along the Galle river. If you do the boat trip through the rainforest see if you can spot the Chameleon lizard; this reptile changes its colour so that it blends in with the environment. You will have no trouble spotting the Water Monitor lizard, a common sight in Sri Lanka – as one of the largest lizards in the world they are pretty inconspicuous!
Even whizzing through the street in a tuk tuk is an adventure in itself as the locals go about their business and you take in unfamiliar sights of cows lazily meandering down the middle of the road, tractor bumpers brightly decorated with colourful flowers, monks in vibrant orange robes and people brushing the footpaths with coconut fibre brooms.
Why go?
Sri Lanka is only a hop, skip and jump away from the capital – well a four-and-a-half-hour flight, but still close enough to go for a long weekend.
When we stayed we noticed a lot of guests seemed to be travelling solo, so if you don’t have a holiday partner then this place is perfect for going-it-alone.
If you enjoy action-packed party-filled holidays, then this resort is not the one for you. If you like the idea of getting away from it all, lie by pool or stroll on the beach, eat delicious healthy food, see some of Sri Lanka’s sights, with the option of taking treatments then we can’t recommend this place enough.
Catriona Doherty
Fact file
Location: On Sri Lanka’s southwest coast, 85km south from Colombo International Airport
Cost: Daily rates vary depending on the season but start from AED 360; this includes all meals, drinks, classes and workshops. Contact: Email [email protected]
How to get there: Etihad Airways operate flights daily from Abu Dhabi to Colombo
