The Best Surf & Yoga Retreats
Central America Has To Offer

My time at the Rise Up retreat in Costa Rica was incredible to say the absolute least! What stood out most were the people. You really feel like you're apart of a little family with Rise Up - welcomed, looked out for and celebrated. The instruction is top notch, the activities were a blast and well coordinated (horseback riding on the beach, tree climbing, waterfall hiking, etc), the food was delicious and the location itself is breathtaking. This place is magical and I truly don't have words for how special this trip was to me. Thank you Rise Up team for such a lifechanging experience!

Rise Up provided an incredible experience! From the surf lessons to the delicious food and other activities planned, it really felt like you were a part of something and got to learn a new skill in a safe and positive environment at the location on the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica. Could not recommend more highly. It seemed as though all levels of surfers gained from the experience (as a beginner I most certainly did!).

Exactly what the I was hoping for... do I have to leave?

When I signed up for RiseUp, I created the intention to finish the week with the confidence to go out on my own, rent a board and know what I was doing in the waves off the coast of California or anywhere I traveled. I had only surfed a few times and never had instruction. After a week with the RiseUp crew, I'm already talking with friends to plan another surf trip. The coaches/instructors were awesome. They worked with you 1:1 to make sure you not only were having a great time, but that you were learning. They were patient and knowledgeable and fun! Outside of surfing, everything was great. The whole crew did everything perfectly to make sure the rest of the week felt like heaven. The staff, the food, the games, the activities...everything was perfect. I'd recommend RiseUp anyone looking to have a good time, connect with fun people and learn to surf.

I don't think any words can do justice as to how incredible my Rise Up experience was! I was continually impressed more, each day, with everything. Top five reasons to book a Rise Up getaway.. in no particular order: 1. VALUE. I can't believe it was so inexpensive.. accommodations that were so beautiful on a property with so much wildlife, a pool, hammocks, a bar, yoga every day in a beautiful tranquil location, transportation both to and from the airport and to and from surf locations and excursions, three super fun excursions, video of surf followed up with analysis and tips for improvement, surf boards provided the whole week and the ability and ease to level up to the next board each day, the team transporting the boards to and from the beach, surf lessons with dedicated and incredible instructors, lessons on pop ups, paddling, and surf theory, delicious and healthy meals and snacks all day and night.. I kept doing the math in my head and wondered HOW it was so affordable?!? 2. PEOPLE. All of the people are amazing and I already miss the Rise Up fam and those in my specific group so much! We had a group of 17 people the week I went, and making connections with those individuals and learning to surf with them was so fulfilling. And everyone on the Rise Up staff as well as the hotel staff where our retreat was held was freaking incredible. It truly felt like one big happy family the entire time. 3. SURFING. Obviously! I went into the week never having surfed at all, and was shocked that I left the week feeling comfortable surfing, knew what to do and how to do it, knew what I still need to focus on to improve.. the information, skills, and knowledge I walked away with after just one week is remarkable. Rise Up is doing it right when it comes to teaching and encouraging people to achieve their goals. Also so stoked to get professional surf photos at the end of the week.. I was thrilled to be able to see what I looked like out there! 4. LOCATION. This was my fourth time to Costa Rica but my first time attending an organised retreat. I feel like I gained so much from doing it this way, because I was able to get more out of the location thanks to the knowledge shared. They showed us all the cool local spots, took us to the best waves at the best times, told us about the plants and wildlife, the history of the area.. it was so rad to really get the most out of my surroundings thanks to the Rise Up crew. They know what's up! 5. FUN. Dude.. I had a smile on my face the entire time. I knew a surf trip would be a good time, but the amount of fun had was immeasurable. Sun up to sun down and beyond, our schedule was packed with a good time. And honestly it felt like I was there for longer than a week because it was so full of awesome events and activities. I felt like a kid again, being able to unplug and just play all day! If you are considering booking a Rise Up retreat.. DO IT! You will be super stoked!

It was an incredible experience! Such an amazing place nestled in the jungle, with so much wildlife to see and beauty in the plants + flowers. The staff was sweet and fun to hangout with! They were so helpful with their coaching, I feel like I learned so much in one week. Definitely recommend doing one of Rise Up Retreats to anyone!

Have taken multiple trips with Rise Up now and they were simply amazing. Wonderful surf instruction, beautiful facilities, delicious food, fun group activities, and we all felt well taken care of. Highly recommend for surfers at any level!

This is one of the best holidays I have ever been on. The location was beautiful, I could not get enough of the jungle life, I even grew to embrace the bugs 🙂 The surf team were incredible, massive thanks to Fran, Aaron, Liam and Lance for all their surfing knowledge and expertise and their paddling encouragement. Supported by the beautiful soul that is Maria and her fabulous yoga in the best yoga setting ever, getting into all those aching surf muscles and helping us really stretch out. As well as the surfing and yoga the day trips were so much fun, from visiting the waterfall, horse riding and tree climbing and learning all about the Jungle with Andy. I think what made the trip even more special was the amazing people in the group, we had so much fun together, laughed a lot and really embraced the unknowns together. Doing all the activities would not have been possible without the incredible food and delicious cocktails. I was so sad to leave, I am already planning my next trip and can’t wait to return to my new Rise Up familia.

I spent a week recently with Rise Up in Nicaragua. Where we stayed near El Tránsito beach The views were out of this world and the property was right on the sand. The rooms were spacious and beautifully decorated with a stunning bathroom and outdoor shower. The whole property is beautifully decorated and there are plenty of places to sit and relax as well as use the lovely pool to cool down. The surf coaches were amazing and extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic – Kim and Novin you guys rock!!! There was a lot of attention paid to taking good footage to analyse which I found particularly helpful. The food was out of this world and deserves a five star rating thanks to Veronica and Teddy for amazing meals. Also a massive thank you to Jenna for the daily yoga sessions which really helped with staying limber and injury free from surfing. The yoga classes were held overlooking the beach with stunning views. Rise Up also organised activities including volcano boarding (I was such a wuss and there was nothing to worry about please go fast!! – You will regret it otherwise), as well as Wakeboarding which was such fun. We also went horseriding on the beach watching the sunset which was on a bucket list of mine for a long time. We also learnt to make tortillas with a local lady and that was again a fantastic experience. Philip the owner of Rise Up has created an amazing space and truly cares about his guests having a good time. I would highly recommend this place even if you are not a beginner like me there is plenty of good waves for intermediate surfers. Thank you also to Rory for his great stories and wonderful energy (please stay injury free!!) And Matt for taking amazing photographs and Elton for taking brilliant videos. Also a massive thank you to Anna who is another instructor who although didn’t instruct me was a key reason for a fantastic Wakeboarding session. She is an absolute star. Also there are lots of people in the background working in the kitchen as well as keeping the rooms spotless to thank. I’ve already started saving for my next trip! X

Phil and the Rise Up Team planned an amazing week of surfing, exploring, and fun based out of the Mandla Resort in El Transito... will definitely be back!