At Lotus, growth comes naturally: in the surf, on the mat and within yourself. We built Lotus to share what we love most: surfing, slow living, good food, wellness and the feeling of being connected. Along the way it became a home to so many of the people who pass through. We never expected that, but it’s become our favourite part of what we do.
Our Story
Coming together
Lotus is what happens when two journeys meet. Mum has spent more than 30 years in holistic health and wellness all over the world. I’ve been surfing since I was 12 and coaching for most of my life since. We stopped keeping those two worlds apart and brought them under one roof. Surf, yoga, Soul Spa, home cooked meals and slow days by the pool: these are the things we love, and we get to share them every day.
We never wanted to just run a camp. We wanted to make a place where people can find their way, whether that’s their first wave, their first quiet morning in months, or a bit of space to work out what’s next. Sometimes a week away is all it takes to change course. If that’s what you need, we’ll be right here, cheering you on.
It started with an X-box out the window
From co-founder Liam
My journey with surfing began when I was a kid, but it really began the day Mum had enough of me wasting my life glued to an x-box. I was on it every single day for three years. One day, when I ignored her for the millionth time, she grabbed it and, in one swift movement, launched it out the window. There was no getting it back.
Bored without it, I picked my surfboard up again, took myself down to the beach and paddled out. From that moment, I was hooked. That one action from Mum is the reason I got back into surfing, and the reason Lotus exists. I owe it all to her.
One last wave
Growing up on the Gold Coast meant I was always late to school because I needed “one last wave”. Every morning I’d spend hours in the water with the grown ups, learning my craft and growing my respect for the ocean and the people I shared it with. Mum would stand on the shore yelling at me to come in. It’s not easy to listen when your next wave might be your best one yet.
I started teaching others to surf at just 12. Seeing the pure stoke that one good wave can bring someone, I knew that’s what I wanted to do with my life. That was the moment the dream of Lotus began.
Sri Lanka pulled us in
Mum first came to Sri Lanka in 2006, when I was seven. She was working as a massage therapist and yoga teacher at an Ayurvedic retreat, while I ran around with the kids from the village. Sri Lanka has a way of pulling you in, so don’t be surprised if you come over and never want to leave.
Mum made the move official in 2016, joining a lifestyle retreat in the mountains of Kandy, the first of its kind in Sri Lanka. I followed in 2017 and will forever be glad I did. Since then I’ve worked with two of the top surf companies here, learning how things really run in Sri Lanka, while Mum built and ran boutique guesthouses. Between us, that’s Mum’s 30+ years in wellness and my 15+ years of surf coaching. Together, we make the perfect team.
Meet Mum
Life is funny, isn’t it? I never thought I’d be running a surf camp with my mum, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Mum has spent over thirty years in health and wellness: massage, hands-on healing, yoga and meditation. She’s worked as a chef and massage therapist at four of the biggest health retreats in Australia, and ran her own yoga adventure tour business for over a decade. Her Soul Spa has been looking after guests in Sri Lanka for more than seven years, and her new dream spa, tucked under the trees at Lotus, opens this November.
Most of all, she’s an incredible mother, not just to me, but to everyone who walks through our doors. There’s a reason I’ve barely used her name: you’ll soon know her as “Mum” too. She meets you exactly where you’re at. You might arrive feeling a bit lost or nervous, but you’ll leave feeling loved, understood and looked after.
How we do things
Small groups, two coaches. You’re never just a face in the line-up.
Real progress. One solid surf a day in the best conditions, filmed and broken down together afterwards.
Surf and wellness, side by side. Yoga in our jungle shala, Soul Spa, and home-cooked meals made from real, whole ingredients.
Giving back. We look after this coast and the community that shares it with us, from river plastic traps to helping feed local families.
Your Lotus family
Lotus started as a dream I had at 12. Now it’s our reality: a place born from our passion for surfing and wellness, where you can find calm in a world of chaos. You might not know it yet, but Lotus is your home and we’re your Lotus family. Arrive as a guest, leave as family.
We can’t wait to see you here.
Liam & Mum