Prasanth Vayanakathu at COMO Shambhala in Bali’s Ubud.
In this richly insightful episode of Where2FromHere, luxury travel journalist and host Renae Leith-Manos engages in a profound conversation with Prasanth Vayanakathu, the esteemed Ayurvedic expert steering COMO Shambhala’s groundbreaking wellness ecosystem.
From the verdant climes of Bali’s COMO Shambhala Estate to urban sanctuaries redefining holistic retreats worldwide, Prasanth illuminates how timeless Ayurvedic traditions are being masterfully adapted for the discerning demands of contemporary luxury travelers.
This isn’t surface-level spa talk—it’s a masterclass in integrating 5,000-year-old Indian healing sciences with cutting-edge hospitality, offering listeners a roadmap to true renewal amid Southeast Asia’s exploding wellness renaissance.
Prasanth, whose expertise spans decades in classical Ayurveda, pulse diagnosis, and Panchakarma therapies, demystifies the dosha system—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha—as the cornerstone of personalized wellness. He explains how COMO Shambhala’s medical consultations begin with meticulous assessments: a guest’s radial pulse reveals imbalances before symptoms surface, informing bespoke regimens of herbal elixirs, pranayama breathwork, and dosha-specific nutrition.
Imagine arriving jet-lagged from Sydney, only to receive a tailored Abhyanga oil massage using sesame for Vata grounding, followed by a farm-fresh Kichari cleanse that resets digestion without deprivation. Prasanth shares real guest transformations—from executives shedding chronic stress to families harmonizing sleep cycles—proving Ayurveda’s efficacy in measurable outcomes like lowered cortisol and enhanced vitality.
The episode delves into COMO Shambhala’s flagship Bali Estate, a 30-hectare jungle haven where Ayurveda meets luxury without compromise.
Here, programs like the seven-day Detox Retreat fuse pulse reading with blood panels, yoga with metabolic tracking, and Rasayana rejuvenation herbs with sleep optimisation. Prasanth recounts pioneering “medical wellness tourism,” where Ayurvedic doctors collaborate with Western nutritionists, blending turmeric-ginger decoctions for inflammation with mindfulness modules backed by neuroplasticity research.
He highlights how the Estate’s organic farm supplies dosha-balanced meals—cooling coconut for Pitta, warming ginger for Kapha—directly from soil to plate, minimising food miles while maximising potency.
Zooming out to Southeast Asia’s luxury hotel boom, Prasanth positions Ayurveda as the ultimate competitive edge.
As Bali, Thailand, and Vietnam vie for the $1.3 trillion global wellness market (projected to hit $2 trillion by 2030), properties like COMO are leading with authenticity over appropriation. He discusses urban adaptations at COMO Metropolitan Bangkok, where harried professionals access 90-minute Marma point therapies amid skyline views, or COMO Uma Ubud’s Panchakarma lite for time-strapped couples.
Prasanth foresees AI tools profiling doshas via questionnaire apps, farm-to-table Panchakarma pop-ups in Singapore, and corporate retreats targeting C-suite burnout—trends already testing at COMO Shambhala.
What sets this interview apart is Prasanth’s philosophical depth, rooted in Ayurveda’s view of health as dynamic equilibrium between body, mind, and environment. He challenges the “quick-fix” spa mentality, advocating seasonal dinacharya (daily routines) like oil pulling for oral detox or neti pot nasal cleansing for clarity.
For hoteliers listening—Renae’s core audience—Prasanth offers actionable blueprints: train butlers in basic pulse checks, curate villa menus by dosha, or partner with Ayurvedic physicians for pre-arrival consultations. He cites COMO’s ROI: repeat guests up 40%, with wellness revenues rivaling rooms as Southeast Asia’s high-net-worth travelers prioritize “transformation over transaction.”
Renae, drawing from her reviewer lens, probes the family angle—how Ayurveda adapts for children with gentler herbal pastes or playful yoga flows—while unpacking challenges like sourcing sustainable Banyan bark or navigating Bali’s herbal regulations. Prasanth’s responses are gold: vulnerability in admitting early career skepticism from Western medicine, triumph in converting skeptics through results, and optimism for hybrid models where Ayurveda complements allopathy.
This 45-minute YouTube episode transcends trends, delivering timeless wisdom for luxury insiders. Whether plotting a COMO Shambhala escape, benchmarking your property’s wellness offerings, or simply seeking daily rituals for Sydney stress, Prasanth’s passion proves Ayurveda isn’t ancient relicry—it’s the future of elevated living.
Tune in for stories of guests rediscovering joy post-detox, insider tips on Bali’s best Panchakarma seasons (monsoon for Vata), and a clarion call: in luxury hospitality’s next era, genuine healing will define the greats.
