A Caribbean Surf & Yoga Retreat for Adults — 8 Rooms, Since 2009

None at all — this is the question we get most, and the answer is a firm no. The majority of our guests arrive having never stood on a surfboard, and plenty have never set foot on a yoga mat either. Our surf coaching follows a structured, step-by-step method that starts on the sand and moves into whitewater at your pace, so you’re never thrown into conditions you’re not ready for. The yoga classes are taught to mixed levels: our instructor offers easier and deeper variations of every pose, which means a complete beginner and a seasoned practitioner can share the same class and both get what they need. If you can walk up a flight of stairs, you’re fit enough to start. And if you’re already surfing or practicing yoga, the coaching and classes adapt upward just as easily — nobody is held back by the group

There’s no bad season — that’s a big part of why we chose Cabarete. The water sits around 27°C (81°F) all year, so wetsuits are never needed, and our surf beach works in every month. Winter (December to March) brings slightly bigger swells and is peak season for North American travelers escaping the cold; summer runs smaller and cleaner, which many beginners actually prefer for learning. Rain, when it comes, tends to arrive in short bursts rather than washed-out days. The honest answer is that the best time to come is whenever your calendar allows — the conditions will meet you where you are. If you’re weighing specific dates, send us an enquiry and we’ll tell you straight what to expect that time of year.

If you want a holiday where you surf in the morning and do yoga in the afternoon, that’s exactly how a day at Swell is built — and it isn’t a lifestyle choice, it’s the weather. The trade winds in Cabarete arrive after midday, so the ocean at Playa Encuentro is at its cleanest early. We surf when the waves are best and stretch when they’re not.

7:00 — Breakfast at the retreat. Fresh fruit, eggs, good coffee. Nobody surfs well on an empty stomach.

8:00 — Morning surf session at Playa Encuentro. Glassy, clean conditions before the wind picks up. Small groups of 4–6 students per ISA-certified coach, grouped by level.

11:00 — Back to the retreat. Rinse off, swap wave stories by the pool, grab a snack.

12:30 — Lunch and downtime. The wind is now blowing at the beach — perfect time to nap in a hammock, book a massage, or wander into Cabarete town.

16:30 — Yoga session. (Mon, Wed & Fri) A flow designed around what surfing asks of your body: hips, shoulders, lower back. It loosens what the morning tightened and makes tomorrow’s pop-up easier.

19:00 — Dinner together. With a maximum of 16 guests, you eat with the same faces all week — by Wednesday it feels like a table of friends.

Cabarete has a rare combination that surf coaches dream about: a dedicated beginner-friendly beach with mellow, consistent waves, no rips or strong currents, warm 27°C water year-round, and surfable conditions in every month of the year. That consistency matters more than most first-timers realize — in many famous surf destinations, you can fly in and find the ocean flat or dangerous for your entire stay. Here, we’ve run two coaching sessions a day since 2009 without needing to build our schedule around luck. Add short flight times (nonstop from New York, Miami, Boston and Toronto to Puerto Plata, then 25 minutes to our door), no wetsuit ever, and a lively little beach town two minutes’ walk away, and you can see why Cabarete has quietly become the Caribbean’s watersports capital.

Yes. Swell is an adults-only surf and wingfoil retreat, which keeps the pace and the atmosphere geared to grown-ups on a real holiday. Solo travellers fit in easily thanks to shared sessions and communal meals.

Fly into Puerto Plata (POP), which takes direct and short connecting flights from much of the East Coast. Swell is about 20 minutes from the airport, so you’re in the water quickly. Details are on our getting here page.

Our classes are a relaxed blend of vinyasa flow and deeper, longer-held stretching — designed with surfers in mind rather than yoga purists. That means the sequences focus on the areas surfing loads most: shoulders and upper back from paddling, hips from the pop-up and stance, and the lower back from time spent on the board. You won’t find competitive posturing or confusing Sanskrit-only instruction here; classes are welcoming, clearly guided, and small enough that the instructor can give individual attention and adjustments. If you’re stiff from years at a desk, you’re exactly who these classes were built for — many guests touch their toes for the first time in a decade during their week with us. Sessions are held in the calm of the late afternoon, and mats and props are all provided, so there’s nothing extra to pack.

A surf & yoga week covers the essentials so you can book flights and not think much further. You’ll have your accommodation at the retreat — a private ensuite room or a bed in a shared room, depending on the package — along with daily breakfast and several communal dinners during the week. The surf side includes a full coaching program in small groups, with surfboards, rash guards and all equipment provided, so there’s no gear to buy or haul through airports. Yoga sessions run throughout the week and are included, not an add-on. Airport transfers from Puerto Plata can be arranged, and our staff are on hand to help organize extras like massages or excursions on your free afternoons. For current rates and exactly what’s in each package, head to our pricing page — and if you’re unsure about dates or travel logistics, send us an enquiry and we’ll talk you through it.