Kerala, yoga between the Ghats and the sea

Why come here for yoga

Kerala's place in the yoga traveller's map rests on one ashram and one medicine.

The Sivananda ashram at Neyyar Dam

The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram was founded in 1978 by Swami Vishnudevananda and named in honour of his teacher, Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh. According to its official website, it is part of the non-profit Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres and Ashrams, India, which has ashrams in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and it states that it has "trained many thousands of yoga teachers worldwide". Its teaching rests on Swami Sivananda's four paths of yoga and on Swami Vishnudevananda's Five Points of Yoga: proper exercise, proper breathing, proper relaxation, proper diet, and positive thinking with meditation.

The ashram publishes its programmes: the Yoga Vacation, a Teachers' Training Course, an Advanced Teachers' Training, an Ayurveda wellness yoga course, a sādhana intensive and others. Its published Yoga Vacation day begins like this:

The rules are part of the experience, and they are strict. The ashram's guidelines and information pages state, among other things: no smoking, alcohol or drugs, inside or outside the premises; phones only in designated areas; no photography or recording in classes and ceremonies without the director's permission; separate dormitories for men and women; silence from 10.30 pm to 6 am; guests stay within the grounds and may go out on Fridays between 7.30 am and 5.30 pm; swimming in the dam reservoir is illegal. From 16 October 2026, check-in is only possible between 8 am and 7.30 pm. A minimum, non-refundable payment for three nights is required on arrival. Foreign nationals must bring their original passport and a valid visa.

Ayurveda

Kerala is the Indian state most associated with Ayurveda. Kerala Tourism presents the monsoon as the season the tradition prefers for its rejuvenation therapies. We report the tradition; we do not promise any health result. For an introduction to Ayurveda itself, written with the same care for sources, see our sister site Guide Ayurveda.

Sacred places

• Varkala, about 50 km from Thiruvananthapuram: the Janardana Swami Temple, dedicated to Viṣṇu and, according to local tradition, some 2,000 years old; Papanasam beach, where bathing is said to wash away sins and known for vāvu bali, the rites families perform for their ancestors; and the red cliffs along 7.5 km of coast, declared a National Geological Monument by the Geological Survey of India (Wikipedia, Varkala).
• Kovalam, about 12.6 km south-east of central Thiruvananthapuram: three beaches separated by rocky outcrops, the southernmost being Lighthouse Beach (Wikipedia, Kovalam). More a seaside resort than a sacred place, but a base for many Ayurveda centres.
• Neyyar Dam itself, at the foot of the Western Ghats, where the ashram sits among old trees.

When to go

Kerala has two rainy seasons. The southwest monsoon arrives in June (Edavappathy in the Malayalam calendar), and the northeast monsoon arrives in mid-October (Thulavarsham). Kerala Tourism notes that it does not rain all day: usually a few hours, with sunny interludes. In the 1991–2020 climate table for Thiruvananthapuram, January to March are the driest months (about 18 to 31 mm of rain each), while June and October are the wettest (about 308 and 297 mm) (Wikipedia, Thiruvananthapuram). France Diplomatie adds that India's cyclone season runs from April to December, with a peak from May to November, and lists Kerala among the exposed coasts.

Getting there

• By air: Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) International Airport. The Sivananda ashram is about 35 km away, about one hour by taxi, and a prepaid taxi booth is at the arrivals exit (ashram's travel page).
• By train: Trivandrum Central is linked to all main Indian cities; the ashram notes that train e-tickets can be booked on IRCTC up to three months ahead.
• By bus: buses to Neyyar Dam run irregularly from Thiruvananthapuram and stop at the bottom of the hill, then a ten-minute steep walk (ashram's travel page).

Before you go, read our page on the India e-Visa: the official text covers short yoga programmes that do not issue a qualifying certificate; a teacher training may need a different answer.

Budget

The Sivananda ashram states that its daily rates include classes, food and accommodation, that rates may change without notice, and that the Indian concessional rate does not apply to non-resident Indians, OCI holders or foreigners living in India. Ask for the current rate in writing before you travel. For Ayurveda centres, ask for a written, itemised quote: number of days, treatments, consultations, food and room.

Etiquette

• At the ashram: punctuality, participation in satsang, no public displays of affection, modest dress; the guidelines say guests may be asked to leave if their behaviour breaks the code of conduct.
• At Varkala and Janardana Swami temple: dress modestly when leaving the beach for the town or the temple, and respect rituals on Papanasam beach.
• Ayurveda treatments involve oil massage: you may ask for a therapist of your own gender.

Health and safety

• The sea: the FCDO notes strong currents off many coasts and that most beaches have no warning signs, flags or lifesaving equipment; France Diplomatie warns of strong offshore currents during the monsoon. Swim only where lifeguards are present, and never during a red-flag or storm warning.
• Mosquitoes: France Diplomatie reports chikungunya in Kerala and dengue in India; protect yourself day and night, especially in the rainy months.
• Ayurveda: tell the practitioner about your health conditions and medicines, and keep your doctor informed.
• Emergency number: 112.

Choosing a retreat or a training here

• Read the ashram's own rules before booking, and ask yourself honestly whether you want that discipline for two weeks.
• For a teacher training on the coast: who teaches, which lineage, how many contact hours, what certificate and who recognises it? Compare with what Yoga Alliance does and does not certify, and with our page on the 200-hour teacher training.
• For Ayurveda: who is the doctor, what is their qualification, and what exactly is included?
• Red flags: health promises, "detox" claims, prices only in cash with no receipt.

Swami Sivananda's own ashram is in the Himalaya: see Rishikesh.

Questions people ask

Sources

1. Who We Are — Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram, Neyyar Dam (official site) checked October 16, 2026
2. Yoga Vacation and daily schedule — Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram (official site) checked October 16, 2026
3. Ashram Guidelines — Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram (official site) checked October 16, 2026
4. Ashram Information — Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram (official site) checked October 16, 2026
5. Travel Information — Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram (official site) checked October 16, 2026
6. Monsoon in Kerala — Kerala Tourism, Government of Kerala (official site) checked October 16, 2026
7. Thiruvananthapuram — Wikipedia (climate table 1991–2020) checked October 16, 2026
8. Varkala — Wikipedia (cliffs, Janardana Swami temple, Papanasam beach) checked October 16, 2026
9. Kovalam — Wikipedia (location and beaches) checked October 16, 2026
10. India travel advice: safety and security — UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office checked October 16, 2026

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