Surf & Yoga Retreat in Barbados

Rise Up Costa Rica was incredible! This was, without a doubt, one of the best trips I have been on in my life. If you are wondering whether or not to book a trip with Rise Up, I wholeheartedly urge you to do so - you won't regret it. We went to Costa Rica with Rise Up, and the surfing there is phenomenal; when Rise Up says you'll get to surf clean, long, right hand point breaks with more macaws in the lineup than people, they aren't exaggerating. I live in Santa Cruz, CA, and am used to surfing pretty amazing spots, under pretty amazing conditions, and the Osa Peninsula completely blew me away. So, from a strictly surfing standpoint alone, this trip was incredible, but solely focusing on the waves would be missing the part of the trip that I actually enjoyed most: the people. Adele, Matt, Laura, Fran, Aaron, Austin, Greg, and Corina are all such fun and interesting people to hang out with, and they are so good at what they do, whether it’s teaching yoga, teaching surfing, taking photos, or running the camp, they’re the ones who will make your time there extra, extra special. They become a lot more than staff, they become your friends and family, and it was so hard saying goodbye at the end of the trip (although this was made a little easier by the fact that I’m already looking into booking another trip with them for next year). From a surf coaching standpoint, Matt, Laura, Fran and Aaron are top-notch. We had a very diverse spectrum of surfing abilities in our group, and every single person felt catered to, and experienced significant improvements in their surfing throughout the week we spent with these awesome people. From a traveling perspective, all of the difficult decisions and logistics have been figured out for you, and you get to benefit from local knowledge and understandings, so you just get to learn and have fun! From a “what about the times when you’re not surfing?” perspective, we did yoga, went on horseback rides on the beach and learned about local flora and fauna, went on a hike to a waterfall and were wowed by Fran’s knowledge of trees, we got surf theory classes where we learned more about reading beaches and breaks, and surfboard and fin design, and birdwatched and monkey-watched from our decks. But, yeah, you also get to surf a ton! Go have the time of your life in an amazing place with amazing people, get better at surfing, grow and expand as a human being - just book the trip with Rise Up already!

Rise Up is the best team out there on the water... I don't usually do repeat visits, but will always be down to follow the Rise Up team wherever they are going. Waves, food, and all the fun are a given, but can't beat the chill fun team that have a great respect for the ocean and the communities they visit as they travel the world. Solid A+, ten stars, etc 🙂

Such an amazing time! Rise Up was such an incredible experience. It completely exceeded my expectations which were already high, based on feedback that I had received from a friend who attended a few weeks earlier. I learned to surf, galloped down the beach on horseback, hiked to waterfalls, and met the most amazing group of people. I highly recommend this trip to anyone looking to be challenged and experience one of the most beautiful places on earth. Thank you Rise Up Fam!

Amazing Experience! If you’re on the fence about going to Rise Up, do it!! The whole experience was even better than I imagined and one of the best weeks of vacation I’ve ever taken. The instructors are fun, kind, and very knowledgeable. As a beginner, they helped me feel comfortable in the water and fall in love with surfing!!

Rise Up does it AGAIN!!! Already planning my 3rd trip.... I mean... Where do I begin?? My week with Rise Up was the best experience ever! This was my 2nd surf camp with them and honestly, I wasn't sure this trip could beat my first experience. I was so wrong. From the moment I arrived it felt like coming home. Loved the spot they picked in Costa Rica. Encanta La Vida is this lovely hotel tucked away in a remote part of Osa. The food was amazing, the staff was very accommodating and friendly, and the Rise Up team created the best vibe for the week. They're doing smaller groups, which gave the week more of a family style feel. We ate all of our meals together and spent a lot of quality time together, and I do mean quality. I'm very much an introvert and couldn't get enough of my new friends. I may have shed a tear or several when I had to say goodbye at the end of my glorious week. The surf instruction was phenomenal. I had Francisco, who was the best! But the other guys would weigh in if they were in the water with me. They work well as a team. I am very much a beginner but really stepped up my skills in the week that I was there. Francisco is super patient, very encouraging, and loves to see us do well. I pushed harder because of it. The yoga was fantastic! I've been practicing for years and with Adele I actually learned a new way to approach some of the poses, which at this stage of my journey isn't common for me. Adele is just that good! She adjusted the flows to what we needed given our surf days, and her energy is the best combination of yogi zen and and spirited fun girl. She's great! They had so many fun activities planned for us. Hikes, Climbing trees, horseback riding along the ocean... I had a blast! Covid testing and other measures put a bit of a wrench into things, but Corina and Phil help walk you through all you need to know so that you're not stressing. Honestly I just can't say enough great things about Rise Up. I cannot wait to book my next week with them.

Pura Vida!! Recently came back from the Rise Up Surf and Yoga Retreat in Costa Rica, and I have nothing but good things to say! They truly make you feel like you are part of the family, even meals are shared family style! Whether you are a novice or experienced surfer, everything about this retreat will help you get to where you want to be in terms of your surfing goals. They have video analysis to tell you where perhaps you may have went wrong and things you may need to work on. The surf instructors are pros in their field and get you to have fun while learning! Melqui our surf instructor went above and beyond and became more of a brother while on our trip! If you are looking to disconnect in beautiful scenery with amazing people, then this retreat is definitely a must!!

Thank you Rise Up for an amazing week! Riseup's hospitality started with the correspondence before we arrived to Costa Rica. Corina and Phil are very welcoming and are devoted to making the week as enjoyable as possible! The Riseup family quickly welcomed us into theirs. Melqui, our surf instructor for the week, made it his mission for us to ride as many waves as possible. His instructions were clear and he encouraged me to ride waves I thought were daunting. His jovial attitude was contagious and he made sure we were having as much fun possible in and out of the water! The yoga was a perfect compliment to surfing and Miriam, our yoga instructor, was excellent. The rest of the family, Fran and Matt, also made it their goals to ensure that our week was enjoyable! I look forward to the next time we can join the Riseup familia once again!

Rise Up Surf Retreat Was Amazing! I attended my first Rise Up trip in Costa Rica in May 2021 and it was nothing short of amazing. The staff at Rise Up took wonderful care of us and ensured we felt safe in and out of the water. I booked this surf retreat as a person who had never been on a surf board and can say I was a bit nervous. If you are in the same situation have no fear! The instructors at Rise Up will teach you everything you need to know from surf basics, water safety, to surf etiquette. Everyone was so nice and you can tell they operate with passion. It’s true you will feel that the Rise Up community will become your surf familia. I can’t wait to join another Rise Up trip in another beautiful location around the world.

Rise Up Surf Costa Rica JD This is my 4th trip with Rise Up and maybe my favorite. I can't believe that a place this beautiful actually exists. Ojo Del Mar where we stayed is so special with some of the best meals I can remember having (all home cooked by lovely people). The surf breaks are breathtaking and surfable on big and small days. The coaching always steps my surf game up by leaps and bounds. The coaches are so fun to be around. The Rise up Familia does such an amazing job bringing strangers together so that they feel like family by the end of the week. Too much beauty to describe in a review....just go join them. (Solo female surfer)

Can't recommend Rise Up enough!! I had the absolute best week in Costa Rica with the Rise Up family! And family is the best way to describe this incredible crew, they are so happy and so stoked on what they do which instantly makes you feel at home. They do an amazing job cultivating a wonderful experience, every part of it feels communal from the surfing, to the yoga and all the activities, to the family meals, which were my favorite <3 I cannot recommend Rise Up enough! I am still living on cloud 9 and dreaming about going back. I am a beginner surfer and the waves in Costa Rica were perfect to learn on, they were very soft and forgiving 🙂 and our instructors were so helpful and encouraging which made learning all the more fun. Shoutout to Francisco and Aaron!! The video analysis took it to the next level being able to see yourself surf and talk through what you need to work on and correct. And then to add to it all we climbed trees, hiked to waterfalls, rode horses through the jungle!! We had so much fun, so many laughs, so many memories! I truly made forever friends, endless thanks to the Rise Up familia <3 <3 See you in Nica next!