Layback Retreats

What Layback Retreats does

Layback Retreats (legal entity: Layback (Private) Limited) is a boutique surf and yoga camp founded in late 2017 in Weligama, Sri Lanka, by Thilina Dananjaya — a Weligama local whose father Raja opened the town's first guesthouse in the early 1980s — together with Linda, a Dutch co-operator who joined in 2017. The company serves international travelers seeking week-long surf and yoga immersions, with package tiers at €349 (Basic dorm), €399–€999 (Standard), and €699–€1,499 (Premium), spanning beginner through intermediate and longboarding instruction delivered by ISA-certified coaches with low student-to-coach ratios (3:1 for beginners) and frame-by-frame video analysis using DSLR equipment and water housings. The property comprises a main building (5 private rooms, two female dorms and one mixed dorm) plus the separately-located Layback Swim Club (6 deluxe private rooms, saltwater pool, rooftop), which opened as a capacity expansion adjacent to the main site.

The business runs a direct-to-consumer model with no third-party resellers: bookings are processed via the company's website (layback.lk) with 25% deposits, balance due four weeks before arrival, and payments accepted by card (with 2.9% surcharge), bank transfer, Wise, or Revolut. Ancillary revenue comes from a rooftop café (opened 2022, open to walk-ins), an e-commerce shop (gift cards €25–€500, surf prints from €11, reef-safe sunscreen from €16.49 with worldwide shipping), and Swim Club upgrade fees of €100–€200 per week. Acquisition runs almost entirely through organic Instagram (@laybackweligama) and blog content, with the site noting the retreat is normally fully booked from October through May. The company employs 7 people, has no external funding, no parent entity, and operates as a privately held Sri Lankan company.

Underlying technology is modest and operations-focused rather than platform-driven: an online booking/availability calendar integrated with payment processing, proprietary video-analysis workflows for surf coaching, and structured theory/curriculum programs. The company has no app, no API, no disclosed AI/ML systems, and no patents. It co-founded the registered non-profit Weligama Surfers Club (Ministry of Sports–approved, member of the Sri Lanka Surfing Federation) and integrates local supply (batik workshop run by the founder's aunt, local board rental partners, female surf instructors sourced via community programs).

Name

Layback Retreats

Legal name

Layback (Private) Limited

Website

https://layback.lk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Layback Retreats is a founder-owned boutique surf and yoga camp in Weligama, Sri Lanka, offering week-long packages for international travelers — from backpackers to digital nomads — with ISA-certified surf instruction, dorms and private rooms, a rooftop café, and a Swim Club expansion.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Surf and Yoga Retreat Hospitality

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Other Traveler Accommodation (72119)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Wellness Retreats & Immersions (Multi-day, Digital Detox, Mind-Body Programs) (THAJAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wellness Retreat Centers (Yoga, Meditation & Mindfulness) (THAGAMAB), Yoga & Meditation Experiences (Studio Classes, Guided Meditation, Mindfulness) (THAJAHAA), Wellness & Retreat Stays (Yoga, Spa, Detox) (THAMADAJ)

Keywords

• Surf camp services
• Yoga retreat packages
• Beachfront accommodation
• Surf instruction
• Wellness hospitality

Headquarters

HQ city

Weligama

HQ country

Sri Lanka

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Surf & Yoga Retreat Packages: Weekly all-inclusive packages (Sunday to Sunday) offering accommodation combined with surf lessons, yoga classes, meals, and activities. Three tiers: Basic (€349 dorm), Standard (€399-€999 depending on room type), and Premium (€699-€1,499 depending on room type).
2. Café & Restaurant: Rooftop café and restaurant opened in 2022 offering Sri Lankan fusion cuisine, coffee, cocktails, with ocean views. Open to both guests and walk-in customers. Premium package members receive meals included; others can order from menu or add meal packages.
3. E-commerce Shop: Online store selling surf art prints, beach supplies (reef-safe sunscreen), postcards, and Layback merchandise. Offers worldwide shipping. Gift cards available in €25-€500 denominations.
4. Swim Club Access: Premium accommodation upgrade at adjacent Swim Club facility featuring saltwater pool, 6 deluxe private rooms, rooftop, and sunbeds. Upgrade fees of €100-€200 per week depending on package tier.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Layback Retreats operates a boutique surf and yoga camp in Weligama, Sri Lanka, selling week-long (Sunday-to-Sunday) all-inclusive retreat packages that combine ISA-certified surf instruction, daily yoga classes, accommodation in dorms or private rooms, meals, and cultural activities. The business also runs a rooftop café and restaurant open to walk-in guests and an online shop selling surf art, reef-safe sunscreen, merchandise, and gift cards worldwide.

Product overview

Layback Retreats operates as a boutique surf and yoga camp offering a modular package-based experience centered around week-long retreats (Sunday to Sunday) in Weligama, Sri Lanka. The core offering consists of surf lessons at multiple skill levels (beginner, intermediate, longboarding) combined with daily yoga classes. Accommodation is available through private rooms or dorms, with a Swim Club upgrade option featuring a saltwater pool. Add-on services include video analysis, professional photography, and a rooftop cafe. The business also maintains a retail shop selling gift cards and surf-themed merchandise, plus educational resources covering surf conditions and etiquette. All packages are structured as tiered programs (Basic, Standard, Premium) combining accommodation, lessons, meals, and activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Surf & Yoga Retreat Packages
• Beginner Surf Lessons
• Intermediate Surf Lessons
• Longboarding Lessons
• Yoga Classes
• Dorm Accommodation
• Private Rooms
• Swim Club
• Photo Package

Quantifiable outcome

• Most beginners confidently paddling into waves and standing up by end of week
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Weligama Surfers ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2019Layback founder Thilina co-founded Weligama Surfers Club with Dinal and Kopi - a duly registered non-profit organization approved by the Ministry of Sports and official member of Sri Lanka Surfing Federation. The club's mission is to support youth of Weligama for a brighter future, promoting surfing, education value, ocean/beach preservation, and increased involvement of girls and women.
• Sea SistersminorOthersSea Sisters is a community organization that introduced Sanu (Sri Lanka's first female surf instructor) to surfing. Layback supports and employs surfers who came through such community programs.
• Sri Lanka Surfing FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeligama Surfers Club, co-founded by Layback's founder, is an official member of the Sri Lanka Surfing Federation, the governing body for surfing in Sri Lanka.
• Thilina's Aunt (Batik Centre)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBatik workshop run by Thilina's aunt offers traditional batik making experience to Layback guests. Premium package includes this workshop as part of cultural immersion activities. Workshop takes 2-4 hours and can create custom designs.
• Local Board Rental PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLayback has local partners at Weligama beach for surfboard rental. Standard and Premium package guests receive complimentary board rentals outside lesson times. This provides income to local surf businesses.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hostelworld: Hostelworld is the dominant online booking platform for backpacker and dorm-led accommodation globally, including surf destinations across Sri Lanka. Relevant as a distribution channel competitor and aggregator that influences how budget-conscious solo travelers (Layback's dorm segment) discover and book surf-and-stay products.
• Selina Surf Camp: Selina operates a network of hostels and surf-yoga-retreat-style properties across Latin America, with structured surf programming, dorms and private rooms, and nomad-friendly amenities. Comparable to Layback on the integrated surf/yoga/accommodation proposition, but at a much larger chain scale.

Direct peers

• Lapoint Surf Camp: Lapoint runs surf and yoga camps in multiple destinations (Bali, Morocco, Portugal, Nicaragua) with weekly package pricing, dorm and private rooms, ISA-certified instructors, and add-on yoga. Comparable on service offering, customer (beginner-intermediate international surfers), and product catalog, though larger scale.
• Wavelength Surf Camp: Wavelength is a surf camp in Weligama offering weekly beginner-intermediate surf packages with accommodation, video coaching, and yoga add-ons. Operates in the same beach town as Layback with overlapping customer base and similar product structure, making it the closest single-site direct head-to-head.
• Surf Simply: Surf Simply is a boutique surf coaching retreat in Nosara, Costa Rica offering video-analysis-led surf instruction for adults, an all-inclusive weekly package format, and yoga complementing surf sessions. Closely comparable to Layback on customer (learner-intermediate adult surfers), coaching methodology (video analysis, small ratios), and weekly package structure.
• Surf Maroc: Surf Maroc operates boutique surf and yoga retreats in Taghazout, Morocco with weekly packages, accommodation tiers, rooftop café, and a strong focus on beginner-intermediate surfers. Direct competitor in the boutique surf-and-yoga retreat category with similar product architecture and target customer.
• Kima Surf Bali: Kima Surf runs surf and yoga retreats in Canggu, Bali with weekly packages, dorms and private rooms, ISA-certified coaches, and a rooftop dining/social concept. Mirrors Layback on the integrated surf-yoga-accommodation-cuisine model for international beginner-intermediate travelers.
• Driftwood Surf Camp Sri Lanka: Driftwood is a small surf camp located in southern Sri Lanka offering weekly packages with surf lessons, yoga, and accommodation. Direct competitor to Layback in customer, geography, and product, with similar boutique positioning targeting international surfers.

Regional players

• Arugam Bay Surf Camp: Surf camp brand based in Arugam Bay on Sri Lanka's east coast, offering weekly surf packages with accommodation and coaching. Direct geographic competitor to Layback for Sri Lanka surf tourism; offers a different surf season (May–September) which is complementary rather than identical to Layback's south-coast season.

Emerging players

• Outsite: Outsite is a coliving and coworking network with surf-adjacent locations (e.g., Ericeira, Bali) targeting remote workers and digital nomads. Comparable to Layback's digital nomad segment and a complement to its Swim Club/high-speed WiFi positioning, though it de-emphasizes structured surf instruction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/laybackweligama
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/laybacksrilanka

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Layback Retreats