3 Reasons Why You Might Fall In Love With Nicaragua

on April 29, 2024April 29, 2024 By Emma Roggenkamp

Nicaragua, nestled in the heart of Central America, enchants travelers with its unique blend of natural beauty, vibrant culture, and warm hospitality. From the peaks of its volcanic landscape to the sun-kissed shores of its pristine beaches, Nicaragua offers an array of experiences sure to capture the hearts of adventurous souls. Whether you’re drawn to Nicaragua to surf, explore quaint local villages, or eat fresh food, Nicaragua offers plenty to fill your cup with on your next surf adventure. Here are three reasons why you might find yourself falling head over heels for this captivating country.

The People

You’ll love the people of Nicaragua because they are humble, down to earth, kind, and approach difficulties with the saying, “aqui resolvemos.” This saying, meaning “here, we resolve,” emphasizes Nicaraguan’s can-do attitude, resilience and determination. As Nicaragua was our inaugural retreat location, we are deeply embedded within the communities where we work, and that is reflected within most of our retreat activities. Whether it is playing kickball, riding on horseback down the beach or learning to dance with local women, we love interacting with the beautiful people of Nicaragua and learning more from their culture. Our local partners that play an integral role in SWA retreats in Nicaragua include surf instructors, taxi drivers, boat operators, videographers, chefs, and many more.

The Food

You’ll love Nicaraguan food for its vibrant flavors, blending influences from indigenous, Spanish, African, and Caribbean culinary traditions into a rich tapestry of taste. The cuisine is characterized by its generous use of fresh, locally-sourced ingredients like plantains, beans, maize, and tropical fruits, resulting in dishes that burst with color and freshness. From classic Central American favorites like gallo pinto, (a hearty mix of rice and beans) to flavorful repochetas (fried tortillas often served with beans and/or eggs), and fresh fish (caught right down the street from local fishermen at our retreat location), Nicaraguan cuisine offers a delightful array of flavors and textures sure to tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving more.

The Waves

You’ll fall in love with the waves in Nicaragua for their pristine beauty and thrilling surf opportunities. Nestled along the Pacific coastline, Nicaragua boasts a diverse range of surf breaks catering to surfers of all skill levels. Whether you’re a seasoned pro searching for the tube ride of your life or a beginner eager to catch your first wave, Nicaragua’s beaches offer something for everyone. Not to mention, the presence of Lake Managua, about 50 miles inland from the coast, helps funnel wind across the country to provide 300+ days of offshore winds. At our Nicaraguan retreat location, you’ll find consistent swell, lots of fun beach breaks (point breaks are an option with bigger swell), warm water and breathtaking scenery, the ultimate combination for an unforgettable surf trip.

JOIN AMIGAS FOR A RETREAT AT THE NORTHERN NICARAGUA ECO-RESORT!

Surf Completely – Coco Chanel Paddle

on January 13, 2018January 13, 2018 By hollybeck27

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How to Catch more waves with the Coco Chanel Paddle

Everyone knows the Coco Chanel logo right? The two interlocking Cs are not just a sign of luxury, but also a great way to paddle. If you want to have the most efficient paddle technique you need to increase the length of your stroke. Paddling in the shape of a C achieves that. If you use the Coco Chanel Paddle you’ll be covering more distance faster. That means more waves and fewer turtle rolls! This video will take you through some things to do and others to avoid to improve your paddle skills and have you catching more waves!

Why it’s best to learn to surf from women

At Surf With Amigas, we take a humorous approach to teaching surf skills. You’ll learn to turn with your boobs and to avoid paddling like a T-Rex. You’ll also hear that you should paddle like the Coco Chanel logo. Come learn and laugh with us! That’s the difference of a surf camp run by women!

For more instructional videos, check out our Surf Completely page!

Longboard Surf Coaching Retreat in Nicaragua

on January 7, 2018April 10, 2018 By hollybeck27

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The spot we surf in Northern Nicaragua for our women’s surf yoga retreats is ideal for improving your longboarding skills. This particular week in mid December 2017 had awesome super long lefts and rights that were great for all surfing levels. Some ladies were working on just standing up for the first time, while others were working on cross-stepping and trying to nose ride. No matter your current ability, we will individualize our coaching to make sure you get the help you need to achieve your goals.

Longboard Surf Coaching, learn to surf, surf with amigas, surf camp, surf retreat, nicaragua, central america, holly beck, jackie george, fun, adventure, travel, women, all women, girls, sun, the best, value, surfing, yoga, horseback riding, beach, coaching, womens surf lessons, womens surf camp, womens surf retreat, womens surf and yoga retreat, give back, volunteer, meaningful, advanced, intermediate, classroom, learn to read a surf forecast, surf yoga retreat, womens surf camp, learn to surf nicaragua, holiday — Practicing paddle techniques in the pool during Paddle School!

Other Activities

Of course it’s not all about surfing. We also offered daily restorative yoga sessions, played kickball with local ladies, hiked and then boarded down a volcano, and enjoyed the gorgeous scenery of Nicaragua.

Check out the video highlights from the week!

Come and join us on our next retreat!

All our available dates are listed on the schedule page. We will be adding more for winter next year very soon.

Starting Oct 2018 – Our New Home Base in North Nicaragua

on January 5, 2018January 5, 2018 By hollybeck27

surf camp nicaragua, surf yoga retreat, surf with amigas, new home base, boutique hotel, learn to surf — The view walking down to surf.

Beginning October 2018 Surf With Amigas will be taking over a gorgeous ocean-front hotel in Northern Nicaragua as our new home base.

Stay with us for a surf yoga retreat in Nicaragua at our new retreat base and watch the waves at “the Bay” all day! The Bay is a sand bottom break that features great waves for experienced surfers and also super fun user-friendly waves for beginners. This is the very best spot to learn to stand up for the first time. It is also a great spot to work on nose riding, cutbacks, generating your own speed, and doing turns. This is the spot to surf twice a day.

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surf camp nicaragua, surf yoga retreat, surf with amigas, new home base, boutique hotel, learn to surf, la bahia — The view walking up to the boutique hotel space.

Of course we’ll also do some driving and boating missions to surf other spots depending on conditions and desires of the group. There are lots of other surf options nearby. We are very excited about the ability to be in tune with the ocean, easily surf multiple times per day, and be on it whenever it’s good!

A Boutique Resort in Northern Nicaragua

The resort features four stylish ocean-view, thatch-roof cabanas. Each cabana has its own ensuite open-air bathroom, relaxing hammocks and lounge spaces. There’s a refreshing swimming pool for midday cooling dips. There’s a brand new ocean-view yoga studio, and stylish bar and restaurant space to enjoy healthy delicious meals.

We are excited to have the opportunity to curate the entire Surf Yoga Retreat experience from the vibe at the resort to the meals.

In the past we have partnered with resorts on a week by week basis using their restaurant and staff. This new situation will be all Surf With Amigas from the delicious healthy menu to the music playlist.

Fewer cabanas mean smaller groups and more retreat dates per year beginning mid October 2018. We’ll be updating the schedule and uploading more photos and videos soon!

Surf Camp in Costa Rica – The best surf coaching program

on December 30, 2017December 30, 2017 By hollybeck27

Surf coaching retreats for women and men in Costa Rica

If you’re looking for high level surf coaching open to primarily women but also sometimes men, Surf With Amigas is the place! This particular video highlights a co-ed week that was open to women and their boyfriend, husband, brother, or best guy friend.

Uncrowded surf

Surf With Amigas focuses on locations where we can take over the lineups and get a ton of waves. It’s true that Costa Rica can be crowded, but not every surf spot is full of people. We will find empty waves! The area we’ll stay is further off the beaten path of tourists. We will stay surrounded by jungle, watching monkeys jump from tree to tree. We’ll surf with sea turtles. We’ll watch scarlet macaws fly overhead.

For more information on our Costa Rican Retreats, click here!

The Best Women’s Surf Coaching Program in Costa Rica

on December 30, 2017August 11, 2023 By hollybeck27

Surf With Amigas is the best women’s-only surf coaching program in Costa Rica.

SWA Women’s Surf & Yoga Retreats are beneficial for surfers of ALL ability levels who want to improve their surfing- from those who are learning how to pop up to those who are practicing maneuvers like cutbacks and noserides. We tactfully choose our retreat locations in places with awesome waves that are great for practicing, plus we have the best female instructors on hand to watch what you are doing and offer tips. They will surf alongside you to inspire you, but also be right by your side as you paddle out and sit in the lineup. At SWA retreats one can expect to meet Amigas of all ages, sizes, backgrounds, and surf abilities.

SUPPORTIVE. INSPIRING. KNOWLEDGABLE.

Our diverse team of female surf coaches aim to ensure that every Amiga, in and out of the water, feels supported, encouraged, and well equipped with the tools they need to reach their personal surf goals. Aside from in-water coaching + guiding, we have daily post-surf video coaching and daily Yin style yoga classes to rest and recover. At all retreats we also provide a variety of classroom sessions where we’ll cover topics like surf etiquette, paddling techniques, cross stepping, how to read a surf forecast, and more.

SWA believes in doing good. With a conscious effort to positively impact the communities around us at all of our retreat locations, rest assured that when you travel with Amigas you’re bound to connect with the local communities and experience much more than just surfing and yoga.

Our retreat roster is always expanding. From Nicaragua and Costa Rica, to Panama, Morocco, and Indonesia, you can surf with Amigas all over the world.

Find the right retreat for you by checking out our current locations.

Surf Retreats for All Levels Beginner and Advanced

on December 28, 2017December 28, 2017 By hollybeck27

Surf Retreats for all levels Beginner and Advanced.

Our Northern Nicaragua location retreats are great for surfers of all levels, beginner to advanced. We typically have mixed level groups including ladies who have never surfed before and ladies who have been surfing for years. The more advanced surfers come to take their skills to the next level or just make new surfing friends. This week was a great mix of both.

Late November is also one of the nicest times of the year in Central America with really clean medium sized waves, sunny skies, and great weather.

These retreats are all about empowerment, bonding, adventure, pushing yourself, and reviving your energy so that you go home ready to take on the world.

As you can see in the video, aside from surfing there will be other adventures. Want to gallop down the beach at sunset? This is the spot for you. We’ll also explore the old town of Leon, go volcano boarding, and learn to salsa dance. We’ll interact with the local community. We’ll eat amazing food. We’ll enjoy sunset cocktails. We’ll help you improve your surfing with one on one video analysis and targeted classroom sessions.

Since our team is made up of all women, we will support you in and out of the water. We’ll be happy to hear your stories and listen to what you’re going through. We will encourage you to achieve your goals whatever they are.

For more info on retreats like these check out our North Nicaragua Retreat Page!

Nov 19-25 Highlight Video North Nicaragua Surf Yoga Retreat is LIVE!

on December 11, 2017December 11, 2017 By hollybeck27

Thanksgiving week in Nicaragua is always a good one for a surf yoga retreat. November is one of the best months of the year in Nicaragua. We have awesome weather, perfectly groomed waves, and plenty of sunshine.

This week we had a saucy fun group of ladies who were loving the surf yoga retreat dance parties. They enjoyed pool parties, volcano boarding, horseback riding on the beach, and all the other adventures that pop up during the week.

Many of our guests this week were returning Amigas. It’s always fun to reconnect and see improvement in their surfing. Not all of our retreats feature a lot partying, but this particular group was happy to put away a few rum shots here and there. Who can resist some rum-fueled synchronized swimming at sunset in such a gorgeous environment?

These retreats are all about empowerment, bonding, adventure, pushing yourself, and reviving your energy so that you go home ready to take on the world.

For more info on retreats like these check out our North Nicaragua Retreat Page!

Halloween Week Adventure

on November 19, 2017November 17, 2017 By hollybeck27

This video sums up all of the adventures that we offer during one of our womens surf yoga adventure weeks. We never seem to capture any footage of yoga since everyone is just enjoying and relaxing, but trust me there’s plenty of yoga too! This week included Halloween in case you were wondering about the face paint and costumes.
Always a good time!

Nov 4-11 Highlight Video – Surf Yoga Adventure Baby Turtles in North Nicaragua

on November 17, 2017November 17, 2017 By hollybeck27

At Surf With Amigas Surf Yoga Adventure Retreat for Women, we focus heavily on creating a culture of support and encouragement. When you get a great ride, or your first ride, or a big wipeout, the first thing you’ll hear is enthusiastic cheering from all your new Amigas! No matter what we are here to support you in achieving your goals. We’ll also give back to the local community, participate in a sea turtle protection program, do yoga, and have other awesome adventures.
This is the highlight video from the first week of November.