a math formula is the secret behind this transformative retreat

You know that feeling when you arrive. Sometimes a place can immediately alleviate stress and force a decompress. It’s that state of mind often sought but rarely delivered, the one that makes the transit worthwhile. Sri Lanka’s new luxury eco retreat does just that.

It could be the overwhelming nature, the expansive space and meandering paths, the hospitality. But it turns out there is something more esoteric behind the scenes. You see, the retreat is configured in the perfect alignment of a spiral, based on the Fibonacci sequence.

The meandering paths around the property are in a golden ratio, as are the placement of the villas. The accommodation also adheres to the Fibonacci sequence, with three elevated suites in the water tower and eight villas unraveling around the perimeter like a snail shell. In fact, you’ll find much occurring in three’s here: from the name to the steps to the elevations within the villa.

The pre-Tri you would have wanted to take a shortcut for a more expedient route; the Tri you will have you mindfully clocking the birds and trees along the perfect spiral path. There’s no rushing to be had here.

“People come here with a list and then they throw it out. Everything here can be arranged at short notice,” Tri general manager Oliver James says. It’s preferable to do nothing but languor in the pristine surrounds. There’s no need to leave.

This is Sri Lanka’s first environmentally sustainable hotel, and overlooks Lake Koggala in the country’s south, sidestepping nearby Galle for a more remote experience. The low impact development began by surveying the wild population. No trees were cut down and field researchers found that there were 50 bird species, 17 butterflies, and five mammals, including a striped palm squirrel. There’s a 200-year old Banyan tree atop the former cinnamon plantation’s highest point. There’s cashew nut trees in early stages of bloom and jackfruit with its ludicrously oversized dangles.

These very trees are the materials that feature in the villas – there’s jackfruit wood beams, the Sri Lankan equivalent to oak. The patch of cinnamon plants is the material used on the exterior of some buildings.

The same goes for the food – what you see on the land of Tri, you’ll end up consuming. The open-air dining area serves up multi-course meals featuring all local and sustainable ingredients – from red millet to buffalo curd as flowers from the garden adorn most dishes. The food makes creative use of coconut, and coked in the oil, the flavours are light. There’s cumin butter to match the coconut roti’s, skewers of steaming lemongrass, jackfruit nut curry, which is a boon for vegans with its nutty texture. You don’t even realise how healthy you are being. Superfood ingredients are utilized in both the food and the cocktail menu – the guilt is alleviated by drinks such as a beetroot martini. Being a former cinnamon plantation, there’s also plenty of it used in porridge, jams and desserts.

There is an infinity edged pool that is framed by a sole tall palm tree. Nature reigns here, you’re likely to pass lizards and birds on the walk between villas. A former cinnamon plantation, at it’s heart sits a water tower at the highest part of the land, which has been clad in cinnamon bark. It looks like a project from TV show Grand Designs. From here you can stand and survey the scene – forest and water clads the topography.

The architecture does not detract from the scenery, it integrates. The villas are camouflaged; there are grass and reeds on the roof that smudge into the many colours of green all around the property. Even the library is see-through glass, making the most of the landscape.

“We tried to be clever and plant specific ferns. But they died. Nature took over and started self-seeding the roofs,” Oliver says.

The yoga shala above is an open-air, wooded pavilion that captures the breeze. Mathematics permeates Tri. It is owned by husband and wife team Rob Drummond and Lara Baumann, the latter spearheaded the Quantum Yoga movement. Even the yoga here follows scientific principles of quantum physics and Lara infuses ayurvedic philosophy into her teachings.

Lara is accessible even to beginners though, as she takes a student who has never practiced before through various moves. During the class, she pauses to point out the full-plume peacock that sits on a branch to the side of the yoga shala.

Sri Lanka is a sensual, many-splendoured destination. It’s the ideal bookend for travellers – for those arriving, who need to get on island time, and for those departing, who need to withdraw back to the real world in a soft spiraling whirl.