The Art of Surf Retreats

By Elena Eckhardt with Delphine Zebouloun

Embark on a journey with us as we delve into the world of surf culture and relaxation, guided by the expertise and passion of Delphine Zebouloun and Desi Bibayan. At Sunshine Surf Retreats, where waves aren’t just waves—they’re pathways to rejuvenation and adventure. Join us as we uncover the story behind the retreat, the philosophy driving its success, and the transformative experiences awaiting those who dare to ride the tide.

The two have been best friends since high school when Delphine taught Desi how to surf. This turned into a bond that shared an appreciation for both traveling and surfing together. Delphine had previously worked as a travel guide in different locations around the world, while Desi pursued a career path in big event production. During the pandemic, when Desi was looking for a job, she chose to give surf lessons in the Los Angeles area. It was through these clients, who showed interest in finding surf retreats where they could enjoy their hobbies in a place they might not typically find themselves, lead Desi reached out to Delphine with the idea to start their own.

At the time, Delphine was living in Costa Rica and had familiarity with the sport and potential locations, along with experience suitable for such an endeavor. Having enjoyed a similar journey together previously, they felt confident they could create a something people would enjoy. They took the time to curate what the perfect surf retreat would look like for them, and in 2022, they organized just that. This being their first one, they were delighted to have sold out! Starting with friends and friends of friends, they loved it. Describing it as going “perfectly” (of course, there were bumps in the road), but in Delphine's eight years of guiding, she had never experienced a trip going so beautifully. The vibes were amazing, and they were excited to continue the journey!

Since then, it's been two and a half years, totaling six or seven group retreats and multiple private ones. These private ones have optional guides or simply a customized itinerary where all the details are handled. Delphine uses an upcoming example of a family who does not want a personal guide but has everything planned for them, including their schedule, transportation, private chef, and all they have to do is show up and stick to the schedule to have a good time!

Learning this, I inquire, how do you creatively stand out from other retreats?

Something they noticed in their market research was that a lot of surf retreats are hosted by the typical idea of a thin, Caucasian woman, who surfs and does yoga, which there is nothing wrong with, but it didn’t feel as inclusive as they wanted their retreat to be. Delphine describes herself and Desi as not the average idea of a surfer. Sharing that they are both curvy girls, with Desi having an Iranian ethnicity, neither felt that they had a lot of representation of similar individuals in the surf retreat world.

This led to them wanting to make an accessible space for all different types of women, including non-binary individuals. They also make it a point to be different from other surf retreats where all they do is surf. Explaining that a lot of them are designed in a format of wake up, surf, eat, surf, yoga, surf, and felt that when you fly all the way to El Salvador, Mexico, Bali, or wherever else and just surf, you are not experiencing the culture and country that you are paying so much to travel to. They try to incorporate things like “a waterfall excursion, salsa dancing class, food tour, or something that showcases how beautiful the country that you’re visiting is.”

Following up about the locations. Since they are notable surf areas; are all skill levels welcome to join? If so, how do you come up with ways to help each individual get better?

Delphine answers, “Yes, all skill levels are welcome. We cater more towards beginner and intermediate or longboard surfers, but we are super open to all levels. Since we do get a lot of beginner surfers, it’s really cool to see them progress throughout the week. Although, we have had a few actual professional and sponsored surfers come on the retreats looking for more surf time or to try a different beach, and for that, we are super accommodating. If they want to hop on a boat and check out a break somewhere else in their free time, we will organize that for them. No problem. Having local instructors really helps a lot because they can give you the tiny details of ‘well, this wave actually breaks a little weird right here in this spot. If you paddle out a little more you won’t get that. These tiny, tiny tips you couldn’t get if you brought your own instructor’”

Going on to explain for bettering each individual, “We send a questionnaire to ask about the individual’s surf experience, their goals for the week, any dietary restrictions, etc. So that we can send it to the surf school with their names, weight, height, board preference vs what they need. So, our surf instructors are going to know everyone’s names and they are going to see them progress and give them tips as needed. We really want to make sure everyone is really taken care of. We also take photos and am always happy to go over what I am seeing.”

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Do you feel that allowing a space for one's exploration of their active bodies, potentially somewhere new, and immersive interactions with local people opens up a mindset shift for traveling?

“Yeah, absolutely. When we are in a routine we start to get separated from our own bodies but when traveling your senses are so heightened since you’re in a new place with new sounds, smells, feelings, climate, and people. It's kind of like a reset. Starting a new sport can help you connect with your body. We also do yoga twice throughout the week and is restorative to help as people get sore from the amount of surfing. Coming in with a mindset of think about the last time you tried something new. How hard that is. How it doesn’t go perfectly and you don’t succeed the first time. So, really the point is to have fun, enjoy, and be super proud of what your body can do. Being grateful that your body can even do this sport. We are not looking for perfection. We are looking for happy faces of people who are enjoying trying something new or enjoying connecting with their bodies in a new way. Hopefully that will motivate them to keep doing it on their own time. Even if not that’s totally fine as long as they are enjoying the present moment”, Delphine replies.

Do you see that happening while they are on the retreat? I ask.

“Oh, absolutely! We get a little namastay-emotional sometimes. People cry and tears of joy. We’ve had some really amazing stories and connections. I think that’s a great part of having an all women’s retreat. First night you are talking about everyone’s periods and ex-boyfriends then you really start to get deeper and deeper. I remember there was one woman who told us her anxiety was so crippling she almost bailed out last minute. Then as soon as she got there she realized this was such a safe space and her anxiety just floated away a little bit. She ended up going on a trip with other travelers to Portugal! It’s such a beautiful thing to watch. We really love that part of it.” She responds.

On your website, you mention a “pride in sustainability and responsible tourism.” Could you explain your perspective on considering the land and locals when “giving back to communities that welcome you”?

Explaining she says, “In Costa Rica, I see gentrification every day. Many tourists buy properties, making it expensive for locals to live and enjoy life. While I understand it's never ill-intended, it's happening worldwide. So, I told Desi it was important to me that we don't contribute to this kind of tourism.”

“The hardest thing is finding properties owned by Costa Ricans, but we still manage. We rent a big house on the beach locally owned, employ Costa Rican chefs, surf instructors, yoga instructors, photographers, guides to the waterfall, and everyone we work with. The same goes for Mexico. It’s crucial to us. Just because they welcome us, we want to give back.”

“As for sustainability, we have recycling and compost in the house. We gift everyone a reusable water bottle or ask our guests to bring one. We travel together in one car and do our best to tread lightly on the beach. We take a moment to ask, ‘Hey everyone, let's try and pick up an extra piece of trash on our way out.’ Not necessarily because those things make an immediate change, but it's about having that mindset so when you go to your own beach, you think, ‘Oh, I’ll just pick up another piece of trash on my way home.’ It's a way to pay it forward to your community and have open conversations with travelers about the situation in Costa Rica and how tourism benefits, but also affects the local population. Most of the people we attract are conscious, smart people who already know this, and we want to be surrounded by like-minded people. But if someone can take something new from the experience that they haven’t thought about before, it’s a bonus.”

Lastly, in what ways should new or experienced travelers get immersed outside the typical idea of traveling?

“Interaction with locals goes a long way. Getting out of your comfort zone—everything I’m going to say sounds cliché, but it’s true. Trying new things, whether it’s surfing or trying tacos with an unfamiliar meat. Speaking a language you aren’t comfortable with. These things get us off our phones and into the real world. You start making connections with genuinely nice people, and while it can be scary, especially as a woman traveling alone, we curate a safe space inside an uncomfortable, crazy, new experience, which is a great balance for women. We introduce you to awesome locals you don't need to feel nervous about spending time with and get to learn about them. It's super special and doesn’t feel forced or awkward. You're spending time with these people every day, and it's nice to see those conversations happen. It’s cute, and we enjoy it”, Delphine concludes.

**What’s Coming up**

They have one last spot on their July 1-6, 2024 retreat in Costa Rica as well as one in Sayulita, Mexico happening December 1-6, 2024. They are working on Morocco, hopefully fall 2025. They would love to go to Sri Lanka or the Philippines also in 2025.

Check out their custom retreats page on the website; https://sunshinesurfretreats.com, which provides more information for those who don’t want to join a group retreat but prefer a private one. It’s nice to see a community of active people looking to try something like surfing. They welcome families, love bachelorette parties, and focus on exploring awesome places, not just drinking and partying, but doing things out of the norm.

Look out for their events and more in our Creative Collective, where you can see all the upcoming Creative Art Series. This is where we showcase not just the art but also the artist and the creative process behind the final result. A new article is posted biweekly. Thanks!

In the Flow Creative