At The Travel Yogi, we choose our accommodations with intention. Where you sleep, unwind, and reflect can shape the entire rhythm of a journey. For our Sri Lanka and our Vietnam & Cambodia Yoga Adventures, two properties rise above the rest — each an immersion into local culture, heritage design, and an atmosphere that supports mindful travel.
These are not just “hotels.” They’re experiences in their own right.
Heritance Kandalama, Sri Lanka: A Masterpiece of Eco-Architecture in the Heart of the Cultural Triangle
For yogis joining us in Sri Lanka (our next trip is in March!), the Heritance Kandalama is one of the great highlights of the journey — a hotel so deeply integrated into its landscape that it feels discovered rather than constructed.
Designed by the legendary architect Geoffrey Bawa, Heritance Kandalama stretches along a jungle-covered cliffside above the Kandalama Reservoir. Construction took place between 1992 and 1995, with the hotel opening in 1995.
Guests arrive through a sloping private access road and a cave-like, tunnel-like passageway before stepping into a dramatic open-air lobby that unveils sweeping views of water, sky, forest, and, on clear days, if you’re lucky, the distant outline of Sigiriya, an ancient rock fortress and city in Sri Lanka.
Architecture and environment blur here. The building rests on slender columns that allow wildlife and natural waterways to continue their paths beneath it. Corridors open to jungle air. Walls become living gardens of vines and leaves. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the terrain like evolving paintings.
Beyond its striking design, Heritance Kandalama is also an environmental pioneer. The hotel is widely recognized as the first LEED-certified green building outside the US. It continues to run sustainability programs focusing on waste management, rainwater harvesting, biodiversity preservation, and community engagement.
For our Sri Lanka yogis, this stay becomes a grounding space between days exploring sacred temples, hiking through lush terrain, encountering wildlife, and practicing by the water. The serenity of the property enhances every moment. It’s an ideal match for an adventure t centered on rejuvenation, culture, and mindful movement.
Pilgrimage Village, Hue, Vietnam: A Countryside Sanctuary Filled with Craft, Culture, and Calm
On our Vietnam & Cambodia trip (join us in February!), guests settle into a completely different kind of sanctuary — one shaped by traditional Vietnamese design, quiet gardens, lotus ponds, and a peaceful countryside rhythm.
Pilgrimage Village began as a handicraft village founded by designer Le Van Truong, who sought to revive and celebrate Vietnam’s artisanal heritage. Over time, its success led it to evolve into a full-service boutique resort that continues to honor that heritage.
Today, the resort includes rooms, villas, bungalows, pool huts and traditional-style houses, all set among lush gardens, ponds, and tranquil pathways. The property has around 175 rooms and villas.
The resort atmosphere is gentle and grounding. Open-air dining spaces, serene pools, a spa offering treatments that blend traditional Eastern healing and modern wellness, and quiet garden corners offer abundant opportunity to slow down between cultural excursions.
Hue itself — once the imperial capital — lends historical depth to the experience, with its pagodas, royal tombs, and the scenic Perfume River only a short drive away.
For our yogis, Pilgrimage Village will provide a restorative complement to days spent exploring Hue, cruising waterways, visiting temples, or journeying deeper into Vietnam and Cambodia’s interconnected histories. It serves as a soft landing place, a daily reset, and a beautiful reminder that mindful travel is as much about where you rest as where you roam.
Why These Stays Matter
Though the Sri Lanka and Vietnam & Cambodia adventures are entirely separate journeys, Heritance Kandalama and Pilgrimage Village share something essential: they reflect their landscapes, their cultures, and their communities with authenticity and care.
Both hotels embody The Travel Yogi philosophy — meaningful travel rooted in connection, comfort, and a sense of place.
Whether you’re perched above a Sri Lankan reservoir or strolling through a Vietnamese garden, these stays enhance the yoga adventure experience in ways that linger long after the plane ride home.