Set along the rice fields and riverbanks of western Bhutan, andBeyond Punakha River Lodge occupies a space where the land itself seems to exhale. The design, as well as the tempo, of this elegant lodge and its setting is intentional, inviting guests to inhabit the stillness between things. It is here, in this valley shaped by water, prayer and centuries of transformation, that a renewed and expanded wellness journey unfolds in 2026.
From 01–31 May and again from 01–31 December 2026, the lodge will welcome Vijaya, a respected practitioner of holistic healing, whose presence will mark the unfolding of the lodge’s growing suite of well-being offerings. Neither a set itinerary nor retreat, the residency is part of andBeyond’s Wellness Masters in Residence programme a quiet evolution in the brand’s wellness philosophy. “We aim to enhance our wellness offering by bringing in experts who will ensure that guests enhance their wellness experience even further,” explains Rishi Sarma, General Manager of andBeyond Punakha River Lodge, highlighting the intent to gently introduce internationally renowned facilitators as a discreet and meaningful extension of the existing guest journey. Guests staying at Punakha River Lodge during either residency period may engage with Vijaya through complimentary 30-minute group sessions hosted at the lodge every alternate day (3 to 4 times a week) or may choose to delve deeper into the person wellness journey by booking a private healing appointment at an additional cost. Flexible and fully integrated into the rhythm of daily life at the lodge, the personalised treatments offer a transformative experience delivered at the guest’s preferred pace.
Vijaya’s work is shaped by more than 2 decades of immersion in both traditional and integrative therapies. Beginning her career in law, she answered a deeper calling in wellness, consulting, guiding and training at some of Asia’s most revered wellness destinations, including Aman, Six Senses, Soneva and Kamalaya. Her approach is neither clinical nor prescriptive but attuned. She combines intuitive guidance with energy work and body-based modalities, including cranio sacral stillness, reiki, energetic facelift, access bars, rebirthing breathwork and sound healing. Each treatment is completed personalised and selected in response to the guest’s needs and requirements.
Vijaya’s upcoming residence is just one facet of a broader wellness programme at Punakha River Lodge in which “Wellness forms an essential part of the guest journey into Bhutan’s biodiverse Himalayan landscapes,” says Sarma, “where mineral-rich rivers and indigenous herbs work together to offer profound health benefits.” Guests already indulge in daily yoga and meditation sessions led by in-house instructors in the lodge’s open-air studio or in peaceful natural surroundings, offering space to reconnect through breath and movement which Vijaya’s sessions will enhance.
In addition to the wellness offerings, the spa presents a personalised menu of treatments that blend Bhutanese healing with global techniques, including massages, facials and foot rituals. One of the lodge’s most distinctive offerings is the traditional Dotsho hot stone bath conducted in a private riverside bathhouse, where fire-heated stones are dropped into herbal-infused water to release minerals that support physical restoration.
Once the ancient capital of Bhutan, Punakha remains a sacred region where wellness moves fluidly between the physical and the symbolic. In this context, Vijaya’s work is not an offering apart, but a quiet continuation of something already unfolding.
For reservations, visit andBeyond.com or contact your preferred travel specialist with spaces limited for the May and December 2026 residency periods.