Operator

Rise up Surf Retreats

Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica

surfingCosta RicaNicaragua

About

Rise Up Surf Retreats runs all-inclusive surf and yoga weeks on the Pacific coasts of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. The company grew out of a 2009 surf trip through Nicaragua by founder Phil, a Barbados native who was drawn to the country's uncrowded waves, coastal communities, and wild landscapes. In 2014 he met Corina, and together they built Rise Up into the multi-location retreat company it is today. They have been operating in their host communities for more than a decade. Coaching is the center of every Rise Up week. They keep a strict ratio of 2 guests per coach, so surfers get constant, in-the-moment feedback in the water. That's backed up on land with surf theory and regular video analysis sessions that break down each surfer's technique. The program works for complete first-timers, who start with land-based fundamentals before moving into the whitewater. It works just as well for intermediates stuck on a plateau, which Rise Up names as a particular focus. Coaches choose each day's break based on conditions and the group's ability. Each retreat runs 7 nights, Saturday to Saturday, with 6 days of coaching. Daily yoga, breathwork and mobility sessions, a weekly ice bath, and a guided meditation evening round out the week. Four chef-prepared meals a day are served family-style, built around fresh local ingredients. Excursions vary by location and include horseback riding, waterfall hikes, boat trips, and community visits. Groups are capped at 11 or 12 guests depending on the location, and Rise Up says most of their guests arrive solo. Rise Up currently runs four retreat locations. In Nicaragua, Tranquil Escape is an intimate beachfront farm on the northern coast, and Luxury Escape is an air-conditioned beachfront property on the central coast. In Costa Rica, Luxury Villas is a pair of private villas in the Dominical region, and Jungle Escape is a rustic eco-lodge on the edge of the rainforest with a point break out front. The company also runs Rise Up Kids, an NGO supporting education and wellbeing in Northern Nicaraguan communities, and retreat guests can visit its projects during their week.

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Locations

Where Rise up Surf Retreats runs trips from — open any pin in Google Maps.

Jungle Escape (Costa Rica)
Jungle Escape is a small eco-lodge on the edge of Costa Rica's rainforest, with a point break just steps from the property. Accommodation is handcrafted cabanas built from local materials, each with a private patio, hammock, fans, and screening against insects. There's also a hardwood-floored yoga shala with ocean views. Wildlife sightings are common, including monkeys, toucans, and scarlet macaws. Groups are capped at 12 guests. The lodge is deliberately more rustic and off-grid than Rise Up's other locations. Travelers reach it by a final transfer from a local airstrip, which Rise Up arranges. Guests stay here for the full retreat, surfing the gentle right-hand point out front and nearby points with more power when the swell picks up.
Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica
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Luxury Escape (Nicaragua)
Luxury Escape sits right on the beach on Nicaragua's rugged Central Coast, about 1.5 hours from Managua's international airport. The property was built in 2019 and has 8 rooms, 3 of them with ocean views. Every room has a private bathroom and A/C. Multi-level common spaces look out over the water, and there's a beachfront pool with a swim-up bar. Groups are capped at 12 guests. It's Rise Up's most polished Nicaraguan location and a good fit for couples where only one partner surfs. Guests stay here for the full 7-night retreat, and coaches take them to a range of beach and point breaks in the region based on each day's conditions.
Manzano Nº 1, El Viejo, Nicaragua
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Luxury Villas (Costa Rica)
Luxury Villas is Rise Up's most upscale Costa Rica retreat. It's located in the Dominical region, about 3 hours from San José's international airport. The property is made up of 2 designed villas set in coastal rainforest, with elevated rooms, a private pool, and a private yoga shala. A surf spot is a short walk away, and coaches also lead daily trips to nearby beach breaks. Groups are capped at 12 guests. Guests stay here for the full retreat, and the week includes daily yoga and a waterfall excursion. Rise Up also points families and non-surfing partners toward this location because it offers more space and privacy.
Quepos, Playa Matapalo, Costa Rica
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Tranquil Escape (Nicaragua)
Tranquil Escape is Rise Up's most intimate Nicaraguan retreat, set on a 19-acre beachfront farm on Northern Nicaragua's coast. Accommodation is 4 beachfront cabanas hand-built from local teak and stone. Each cabana has a private patio and hammock, fans, and WiFi. The grounds also include a pool, a retreat space, and an open-air dining area where meals are served family-style. Groups are capped at 11 guests. Surfers can walk down to the local beach for a first-light session, and a mix of beach breaks, point breaks, and rivermouth waves sits within walking distance or a short drive. Tranquil Escape is where guests stay for the full 7-night retreat, and it's the base for daily surf sessions, yoga, and excursions like horseback riding, fishing, and mangrove boat trips.
Manzano Nº 1, El Viejo, Nicaragua
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