Yoga in Dikwella, classes at our oceanfront shala

We hold yoga classes in an oceanfront shala at Turtle Beach in Dikwella, less than five minutes by road from Hiriketiya. A regular class costs 4,000 LKR. Nat teaches our yoga, and the days are being set anew, so what is on, and when, is on our events page.

What is the shala?

Shala is a Sanskrit word for a house or home, and a yoga shala is simply the place where people come together to practise. Ours is the Ohana Shala, the open upper floor of the restaurant at Ohana, with nothing on it but the mats and the ocean in front.

Mats are provided. Bring clothes you can move in. Filtered water is on the house. Classes do not run in heavy rain.

Which class is which?

The names on a yoga schedule can look like a secret language. They are not. Here is what each one means with us, in plain words.

• Vinyasa Flow. You move from one pose to the next with your breath, without long stops. It is usually the most active class on the schedule, and it warms you up. If you have never done yoga, it is fine to come, go slowly and rest when you need to.
• Hatha Yoga. Slower. You come into a pose, stay for several breaths, and come out. There is time to understand where your hands and feet go. A good first class.
• Slow Flow Yoga. The movement of vinyasa at a gentler speed. Good for mornings and for stiff bodies.
• Yin Yoga and Sound. Yin is done on the floor. You take a simple shape, relax the muscles and stay in it for a few minutes. It is quiet and it asks for patience more than strength. In this class sound is added while you rest, for example the long tones of singing bowls.
• Yin Yang Yoga. Two halves in one class. The yang part is active and builds some heat. The yin part is the long, still holds. It suits people who want both to move and to rest.
• Somatic Yin and Sound. Somatic means "of the body". The movements are small and slow, and the attention goes to what you feel inside, not to how the pose looks from outside. Then come long yin holds, and sound. It is a very soft class.

If you are new, start with hatha, slow flow or yin. Tell the teacher before class about an injury, a pregnancy or anything that worries you.

What do classes cost?

• Regular classes: 4,000 LKR. Residents join regular classes for 3,000 LKR: anyone who lives in Sri Lanka, locals and expats, and our regulars. Just tell us.
• Workshops: 5,000 LKR.
• Specials: 6,000 LKR.

When you join any activity, you get 10% off the whole restaurant menu. After a morning class, breakfast is served until 11:00.

What else happens at the shala?

• Vinyasa for the Street Dogs. Our charity class. All of the contributions, 100%, go to two charities that work for street dogs in the south of the island, WECare Worldwide and The Dziko Project. Five beach dogs live at Ohana, so this one is close to our heart.
• The Ocean Treasures Workshop. With Anaïs as your guide, you make jewellery from shells and natural materials, and you leave with a piece you made.
• The Mindful Painting Workshop. Painting as a way to slow down and pay attention, also with Anaïs.
• Women's Circle and Cacao. One of our specials, held by Kristina. Women sit together in a circle with a cup of cacao.
• A bonfire on the sand. On request, when there are enough people, any evening as the sun goes down. Feet in the sand, a fire, and a moment to look back, share, set intentions and practise gratitude. Come as you are.

At times there are also sessions of breathwork with Kristina, sound healing with Nat, ecstatic dance and qigong. A cold plunge, an ice bath for four to six people at once, starts in the middle of November 2026, and massages are coming soon.

How do you find what is on?

While the shala is being reorganised, we do not print days or times here. On this website, start from the shala page for the classes and from events for the days, the workshops and the circles. The shala also posts on Instagram, as @theohanashala.

For questions about the shala and the activities, write to us on WhatsApp, +94 76 016 4768. It is the one number for everything at Ohana.

Good to know

• The shala is at Ohana, Turtle Beach, Dikwella, less than five minutes by road from Hiriketiya. Directions are on Find us.
• Regular classes cost 4,000 LKR, workshops 5,000 LKR, specials 6,000 LKR.
• What is on, and when, is on our events page. Mats are provided.
• Join any activity and you get 10% off the whole restaurant menu.
• Breakfast is served from 08:00 to 11:00, lunch and dinner from 11:00 to 21:00.