Surfer Girls, Unite!
21-08-2008 : Published in girlgetaways.com
by Summar Ghias
Costa Rica may be a hot spot for surf safaris, but you can also learn
how to ride the waves at these five camps scattered across the globe.
Seminyak, Bali: Surf Goddess Retreats
At Surf
Goddess Retreats on Bali's southwest coast, the mantra is eat, play,
surf. Two-hour surf lessons on Legian Beach and gourmet meals make up
the daily routine, with the added perk of a soothing Goddess Glow
treatment: a massage, a scrub and polish, a facial, and time in the
sauna. Participants stay in private villas with handcrafted teak
furniture and paintings by Balinese artists. A day trip to Ubud, the
island's cultural heart, includes visits to a sacred bathing temple and
a monkey forest, and the chance to meet the spiritual healer befriended
by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love. Skilled surfers, take note: Weeklong focus retreats will take you to more-advanced surf breaks around Bali.
Oahu, Hawaii: Kelea Surf Spa
As far as the legend goes, the ancient Hawaiian chiefess Kelea gave up
her title to surf and live by the ocean. A week at the Kelea Surf Spa,
which promises a stress-free surfing experience, may tempt you to do
the same. Your base is a five-room beachfront home with a small garden
and a private lanai overlooking the famed North Shore, where Blue Crush
was filmed. The spa is only open from February to April, when the surf
is best for beginners and intermediates, and instruction covers
everything from wave selection to surf etiquette.
Punta Mita, Mexico: Las Olas Surf Safaris for Women
Bev Sanders, a snowboarder who took up surfing at the age of 44, says
she founded Las Olas because she wanted to make girls out of women. The
return to youth spans seven days, with beachside lessons in Punta Mita,
an easygoing village north of Puerto Vallarta on Mexico's Pacific
coast. A reef breaks to the shore, and the beginner-friendly waves
average 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Yoga instruction, salsa dancing,
and Huichol jewelry making round out the experience. Surfers stay in 30
cabana-style villas designed by local craftsmen, and breakfast daily
and some meals are included. The safaris run from November through
June; if you sign up for a session in January, you'll even get to go
whale watching.
Peniche, Portugal: Estrelas do Mar
The waves break consistently all year long on the Peniche peninsula off
Portugal's western coast, making it ideal for surf enthusiasts. At
Estrelas do Mar's camp on the beach of Consolação—about an hour north
of Lisbon—20 surf spots are within a 15-minute reach. The camp puts an
emphasis on small-group instruction; there are six students per
instructor and two sessions a day for five days. If you're a beginner,
but want to try out waves almost as powerful as those at epic surf spot
Supertubos, you can get your feet (and board) wet at nearby Banana
beach.
Rincón, Puerto Rico: Best of Both Adventures for Women
Best of Both Adventures' yoga and surfing package, one of many
women-centric combinations, focuses on stretches that will strengthen
and detoxify a surfer's body. A snorkeling excursion takes you to Tres
Palmas Marine Reserve—one of the Caribbean's best coral reefs—where you
can still find endangered elkhorn coral. Work up an appetite after all
that time in the water? The tour operator sources locally produced,
organic food for five-course meals that might include warm lobster
medallions sautéed in spinach or mahimahi with eggplant caviar. Some of
the oceanfront villas are equipped with plasma TVs at the five-acre
estate at Tres Palmas, just five minutes from downtown Rincón.
From $1,900 for five days/four nights, 787/823-0610, bestofbothadventures.com.
Note
that all of these camps include surf equipment in the pricing and work
with limited numbers of women at a time; book several months in
advance, particularly for the popular and well-known Las Olas.
Source: http://www.girlgetaways.com/articles/2008fall/surf_camps_101.html
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