Women have always taken to the waves and surfing is no exception. If you've always dreamed about doing it but have yet to take the plunge, grab you favorite girlfriend, sister or maybe even your daughter, pack your bathing suit (preferably one that stays on) and sunblock, and enroll in one of the many women's surf schools.
Hawaii
The traditional home of surfing, Hawaii, offers a number of options for women keen to experience the joys of riding the big one. The Big Island of Hawaii is home to Big Island Girl Surf (tel. 808/326-0269; www.bigislandgirlsurf.com). This women-only retreat includes physical/spiritual work along with surfing.
Every surf camp here is unique and adventurous but apart from the obvious surf lessons, you can also experience snorkeling with dolphins, whale watching, outrigger canoe sailing, fishing, waterfalls, hikes through tropical rainforests, visits to an active volcano, hula, and storytelling. Massages available by appointment include Shiatsu, Deep Tissue, Swedish, Lomilomi, Hot Rocks, Reflexology, Aromatherapy, and Thai Yoga.
Safe, personalized instruction, with a maximum of ten girls in a class ensures that you receive a surfing education and individual attention. All camp packages are all-inclusive featuring accommodation, tasty healthy meals, yoga/stretch classes, surf lessons, local activities & excursions. Camp prices vary according to itineraries but all are tax inclusive and the cheaper discounted rates are offered for prepayment:
- Week-long camp: $1,395 -- $1,495 or five-day camp: $1,095 -- $1,195
- Nine-day Makahiki Adventure (for teens): $1,495
- Specialty camps/Retreats/Private tours: prices vary
- Five-day Retreat: $795/$895
- Two-Day Clinic (two-day two-hour morning sessions, refreshments): $139
- Two-hour group class: $79 or private one-hour lessons: $60
- B&B stay: $59 per night with breakfast and $375 per week
Guests stay at the Makahiki Bed and Breakfast with a view of Hilo Bay and the homey island style accommodation includes tropical breakfast, jacuzzi, bike use, snorkel gear, body boards etc. They will also arrange Hilo airport transfer service free of charge. Check the Big Island Girl Surf website for seasonal specials and last minute discounts.
Getting to Hilo, Hawaii from the mainland can be pricey, especially during the winter high season. Cheap Air (www.cheapair.com) has discounted mid-week flights available this winter with no advance purchase necessary from Los Angeles to Hilo from $415 plus taxes. Cheap Tickets (www.cheaptickets.com) has fares on non-direct flights from New York to Hilo starting from $756 plus taxes.
For those ladies who believe that surfing and luxury indulgence can go hand in hand, we have the Kelea Surf Spa (tel. 949/492-7263; www.keleasurfspa.com/home.html), which has two locations -- Oahu, Hawaii from February to April only and Malpais on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica from November to January only.
In Oahu, their Wahine package is priced at $1765 and includes a private room for five- nights, three meals a day, shuttle to and from Honolulu Airport, all activities, one-hour massage, surfing instruction and equipment. The Ohana Package is priced $220 cheaper and is based on dual occupancy.
Regular flights service Honolulu International Airport from the US mainland. From New York, Northwest Airlines (www.northwest.com) has discounted flights to Honolulu starting at $580 plus taxes but they involve two stops making the journey an 11-13 hour ordeal. Cheap Air (www.cheapair.com) has the lowest prices from Los Angeles starting at $259 plus taxes for mid-week departures and returns in January and February, or Travelocity (www.travelocity.com) can get you there for $264 plus taxes on select dates.
Costa Rica
In Malpais, Costa Rica the beach and reef breaks provide an excellent surfing location for all levels, without heavy rip tides. Kelea Surf Spa's Pura Vida package is $1375 and includes a magnificent private room for six-nights, three gourmet meals a day, shuttle from Tambor airport, all activities (yoga, nature hikes), surfing instruction and equipment and a one-hour massage. The Amigas package is $250 less for dual occupancy.
Kelea guests must fly into San Jose International Airport and then to Tambor domestic airport. Sessions begin on Monday morning, however, you are welcome to arrive Sunday afternoon and relax. Accommodation is provided, but meals that Sunday are not included. Tico Travel (tel. 800-493-8426; www.ticotravel.com) specializes in flights and packages to Costa Rica and has flights to San Jose from as low as $222 plus taxes of $65 round-trip from Miami or $348 from Los Angeles.
Indonesia
The name alone beckons -- Surf Goddess Retreats (www.surfgoddessretreats.com). Its location on the exotic Indonesian paradise island of Bali will certainly be an added incentive. Surf Goddess's four-day/ three-night weekend retreats include airport/hotel transfers, oceanfront resort accommodation, buffet breakfasts, scrumptious surf-side lunches, daily 90-minute hour yoga sessions, daily half-day surf lessons or surfari to Bali's best surf spots, quality surf equipment (soft starters boards, rash shirts and sunscreen), Surf Goddess welcome pack (T-shirt and surfing certificate), one-hour massage, decadent welcome dinner and a fantastic farewell feast. Prices start at $395 per person based on dual occupancy with discounts of up to 30% for pre-payment. At the other end of the price scale, luxury versions of this retreat like the Tropical Princess, are available for $995. Current dates for 2005 are April 26, June 16, July 21, August 17, September 9 and September 28.
All retreats are open to single travelers, groups, and women of all levels of surf experience. Prior surf or yoga experience is not needed but guests must be over 18 (there is no maximum age limit), confident swimmers, in good health and free of injuries. Surf Goddess also runs five-day Jump Start retreats and eight-day Surf Goddess surf/wellness /cultural programs which include a variety of additional activities and excursions. Prices start at $495 and $950 respectively for these packages, which are available for various dates throughout the year. Generous prepayment discounts also apply.
Flights to Denpasar, the main airport in Bali, are quite reasonable over the winter season. Airline Consolidator (tel. 888/468-5385; www.airlineconsolidator.com) has round-trip fares from Los Angeles in January 2005 on Continental, Northwest or Japan Airlines starting as low as $788 plus taxes.
Mexico
Las Olas Surf Safaris (tel. 707/745-2261; www.surflasolas.com) promises to make girls out of women with its reverse finishing school. Located a half-hour drive from Puerto Vallarta on Mexico's beautiful Pacific coastline, Las Olas prides itself of being the world's premier surf camp for women and offers potential surfie chicks of all ages and abilities the opportunity to learn surfing in a low pressure, noncompetitive environment.
Your Las Olas surf safari includes ground transportation to and from Puerto Vallarta airport, accommodation in tropical oceanfront villas, daily surf lessons, quality surf equipment (soft starters and custom shaped performance boards), your own rash guard surf shirt and sport water-bottle, three delicious meals a day, daily yoga sessions, private sports massage, private one-on-one surf lesson with your instructor and day safaris to secret surf spots. Depending on instructor scheduling and guests' preferences, several of the following activities may also be offered: hiking, henna body art, jewelry-making, Spanish lessons, body conditioning, introduction to local cuisine, whale watching and turtle encounters (seasonal). Safari rates for seven day/six night safaris start at $2195 per person dual occupancy. Pay 90-days in advance of your safari start date and save $200.
All safaris are open to single travelers, small groups, and guests of all levels of surf experience and all ages. Prior surf experience is not required but guests must be competent swimmers, in good health and free of injuries. Girls under 18 must be accompanied by an adult and must be 14 to surf. There is no maximum age limit. Mothers, daughters and families are welcome. Dates for the 2005 season are January 13 and 20, February 10 and 17, March 3 and 10, April 7 and 14, May 5, 12 and 26 and June 2.
Once again, Airline Consolidator (tel. 888/468-5385; www.airlineconsolidator.com) can offer you some rock-bottom prices on flights to Puerto Vallarta in January. Prices start at $213 plus taxes from Los Angeles on Alaska Airlines, Aero California or United.
Florida
Saltwater Cowgirls (tel. 904/242-9380; www.saltwatercowgirls.com/mainpage.htm) is a Florida-based women's only surf camp located in Jacksonville Beach. In the summer the waves are predictably calmer and a bit smaller than they are in the winter and during the spring and summer months, average wave height is one to three feet, making it ideal for beginner through advanced level surfers.
One of the things that distinguishes this camp from others is that they start all beginners on longboards. Their weekend clinics are ideal for the beginners and intermediate surfers. Three-hour morning classes are $69 each or $99 including surfboard rental (or $89 for two days and $120 with surfboard rental). Mother/Daughter surf camps are also three-hour morning session classes that are priced at $89 per person per weekend or $120 including surfboard Rental.
Various Locations
Wahine Adventures (www.wahineadventures.com) offers surfing expeditions for women locally on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State and in the more tropical locales of Troncones, Mexico and the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Seven-day all inclusive surf camp prices start at $1000 in Washington, $1200 in Mexico and $1500 in Costa Rica. Packages include ocean front lodging, meals, equipment, professional instruction and local guides. As an affiliate of Lost Coast Adventures (tel. 360/681-2065; www.lcasurf.com), they can also arrange surfing adventures in dream locations like Tahiti and South Africa.
These are just a few of the surfing options available to adventurous women. You may however feel that you would prefer to learn the sport in a less female environment and give those men some competition. For listings of specialized surf schools in the US and throughout the world, including those that cater to women exclusively, visit www.boardfolio.com/surflinks/camps.html.
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