People often use words like surf camp, surf retreat, and surf trip almost interchangeably. Fair enough — they do have a lot in common: surfing, a group of people, shared meals, and time away from normal routines.
But they are not always built around the same thing.
A surf camp is usually built around surf progression and a clear weekly rhythm. Many camps run a similar programme week after week, which works well when surfing is the main thing you want to focus on. A retreat is usually built around slowing down, resting and turning inward for a while. It can be beautiful when that is what you need.
We do something else, and it is easiest to explain by what the week is actually built around.
Surf is the anchor, not the whole week
On our trips surf shapes the week, gets us into the ocean and gives the trip its pulse. We want people to improve, feel safer in the water and spend proper time surfing. We work with local coaches, choose spots based on the conditions, film every session, and build the surf around the level of the group.
But the surf gives the week its rhythm, and the place gives it its character. We organise what needs organising — where we sleep, how we move, who we surf with, where we eat — then build the rest around what genuinely inspires us in that destination.
São Tomé should feel like São Tomé. Brazil should feel like Brazil.
A few trips a year, each one different
We run only a few trips a year, each one reflecting the place we are visiting and the people we make the trip with. The trips share the same values and the same way of hosting, but the food, the coaches, the activities, the landscape and the feeling of the week change completely with the place.
The activities change most of all, because they come from the place. In São Tomé we did a capoeira class with a local school, which is a real part of the culture there. In Brazil we did a footvolley lesson, a popular beach hobby along the coast. Most days have something alongside the surf.
So, is this your kind of trip?
Our trips are for people who want surfing to be a big part of the week, but not the only part. You might already surf, or you might be completely new to it — you do not need previous experience to join, as long as you are curious about learning. You do not need to arrive with a friend either.
It is probably a good fit if:
- You like being outside, moving your body and eating local food.
- You are happy sharing a house, a van and a table with a group of like-minded people.
- You are curious, open to new things and other people and ready for a bit of adventure.
If your perfect trip is a luxury resort, a party holiday, or a week focused only on maximum surf performance, there are other options that will fit you better. If you are looking for uncrowded warm water, nature, good food, local culture, shared experiences and getting to know a place beyond the surf breaks, our trips might make sense for you.
Here is where we are going next.
