Loading boards on the tuk tuks at dawn and cruising the coastal road to glassy tropical breaks. Catching waves in your swimsuit guided by your coaches, relaxing by the turquoise pool under shady palms, and snacking on fresh fruit and roti. Good times with kindred spirits; reconnecting with your own body and mind through your daily Yoga practice.
Sri Lanka is known for its mellow waves and reef breaks, making it the perfect place for beginner and improver surfers to progress with their surfing in a tropical paradise. All you need to do is book your spot and a flight & we’ll take care of everything else … island life is calling!
Join us this February for our Island Surf & Yoga Retreat. For 2026 we have two retreat options, choose between a 9 night, two location retreat, or a 7 night one location retreat.
On our 7 night Surf & Yoga Retreat we’ll be surfing dawn to dusk in the wave mecca of Ahangama for a jam packed week. Perfect if you want a surf focused trip.
Our 9 night Surf & Yoga Retreat has all the same inclusions as our 7 night retreat but we’ll also be heading further south to the hidden gem of Hiriketiya for 2 nights unwinding by one of Sri Lanka’s most beautiful surfing beaches. Perfect if you want to extend your surfing time with us and end with some exploration and relaxation time.
Location
South Coast, Sri Lanka
Upcoming Dates
31st January – 9th February 2026 (9 Nights) (3 Spaces remaining)
14th – 21st February 2026 (7 Nights) (Spaces remaining)
Highlights
- Surf a range of progression friendly waves (beachies and reefs)
- Benefit from a 1:4 coaching ratio, with expert Surf Sistas coaches offering bespoke guidance and support.
- Hone your skills in the water and replay your waves on land in our video analysis sessions, allowing you to visualise, refine and improve your surfing technique for the next session.
- Daily Yoga classes tailored to your surfing experience will improve flexibility and mindfulness.
- Immerse yourself in the local culture with curated excursions and optional workshops. Love Sri Lankan food? A cookery class will send you home with the skills to replicate your favourite dishes.
- Enjoy the breathtaking landscapes, lush greenery and pristine beaches of this beautiful island
- Forge lasting connections with a new community of like-minded women.
Your Surfing
Expect to wake up at sunrise and surf a mix of friendly reef set-ups, points and beach breaks. Sri Lanka is known for it’s mellow waves, making it the ideal place for beginners and for improver/intermediates who are keen to start consistently catching green waves. If you have never surfed a reef break before then this is the perfect place to try!
With our 1:4 ratio coaching, video analysis and expert tuition from our female coaches, you’ll get the support and tools you need to really fast track your surfing and have lots of fun doing so!
Here’s an example of what we may cover with you during your Surf Sistas trip. We’ll be helping you to achieve your personal surfing goals during the week so will tailor our coaching accordingly. Including the use of video analysis through the week.
What you might learn:
- Surf safety
- Confidence building and managing fear
- Pop-up techniques and progression
- Trimming and turning technique
- How to catch and ride green waves
- Paddling technique and methods to paddle out back
- Positioning in the water to catch green waves
- Bottom turns, cutbacks, closeout turn
- Longboard technique: Cross Stepping, different take-offs to set up your wave, hanging 5 and nose-riding
Theory Sessions might include:
- Surf forecasting
- Understanding Reef Breaks
- Etiquette
- Surfboard science
- Wave formation and understanding different types of waves
Yoga
Our daily Yoga sessions are organised around our surf schedule. We practice asanas to enhance your surfing, improve your balance and flexibility and stretch out tight muscles. The classes will be suitable for all levels so don’t worry if you are new to Yoga.
Mats and props are provided you just need to wear comfortable clothing.
Accommodation & Meals
Your accommodation for the first 7 nights is a beautiful boutique villa on the beachfront in Ahangama. We have a mixture of solo and twin rooms. If you are coming solo but would like to pick the twin room option, that’s great, we will match you with another solo Sista on the retreat.
Here we are a short tuk tuk ride from the bustle of central Ahangama, the cafes, shops and insanely good local eateries. Our mouths are watering thinking about the food! We have included all of your breakfasts and some evening meals at the villa, but we have deliberately left opportunities in our itinerary for us all to explore all the best local cafes and restaurants.
10 Day Trip Only: After our stay in Ahangama, we head to Hiriketiya, a beautiful palm lined cove, to spend the last days of our retreat at a slower pace. In Hiri, we have chosen accommodation a stones throw from the beach, ideal for dawn surfs, with spacious rooms and a pool to relax by, fresh coconut in hand ..
If you have any special dietary needs please let us know when you book.
AHANGAMA:
HIRIKETIYA
Is this retreat for me?
We’ve chosen these spots for their beautiful locations and accessible waves. We feel this retreat offers a great progressive experience for all level of surfer from complete beginners to more experienced surfers and longboarders.
We have a maximum of 8 spaces on the retreat with multiple coaches alongside local guides, ensuring that we can tailor our coaching to your needs and progression from beginners through to improvers/intermediates and experienced surfers.
We are always happy to chat through any questions or concerns about choosing the right destination and retreat for you, so do drop us a line if you have any queries
Whats included?
INCLUSIONS: 7 NIGHT RETREAT
- Anytime airport transfers from Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo (CMB)
- 7 Nights accommodation in a beachfront Villa in Ahangama
- Daily Breakfasts
- Arrival and Departure evening meals
- 6 Full days of surf coaching (we aim to surf twice daily where conditions allow)
- Transport to all included activities
- Daily Yoga classes
- Surf theory
- Video Analysis
- Afternoon Trip to Galle
- Take home the videos and photos of you surfing
- Surf Sistas exclusive tote Bag packed with goodies
- Surf Sistas Host on hand to help you make the most of your time in Sri Lanka
OPTIONAL EXTRAS:
- Surfboard Rental
- Massage & spa treatments
- Optional cultural excursions eg. Sri Lankan cookery class, cinnamon plantation trip, whale watching tour
INCLUSIONS: 9 NIGHT RETREAT
All the inclusions listed in our 7 Night Retreat plus:
- Transportation from Ahangama to Hiriketiya
- 2 nights accommodation in the beautiful bay of Hiriketiya, 1 minute walk to the beach
- Daily breakfasts
- Guided morning surf sessions in Hiriketiya
- Transport to activities in Hiriketiya
- Additional Theory & Video Analysis sessions
- 2 Additional Yoga Sessions
- Final evening meal
How to Book
Bookings are open for 2026!
Please use the paypal links below to book your 2026 Surf & Yoga island retreat with us in Sri Lanka. You can choose to book with the full amount or pay a £500 deposit to reserve your space with the remainder due by November 22nd.
Monthly instalment plans are available to spread the cost, just ask when you book.
Rooming on this retreat consists of 8 spaces; 2 solo rooms and 3 twin rooms. If you are coming solo but would like to choose the room share option just book a space in a twin room and we will match you with a fellow solo travelling Surf Sista.
If the retreat of your choice is full please drop us a line to be added to the waitlist in case of cancellations.
Prices in Gbp British Pounds. Use www.xe.com to check the exchange rate with your currency
9 Night Retreat (31 Jan – 9 Feb 2026)
| Room Type | Early Bird Price per person * | Standard Price (per person) |
| Shared twin room | £ 2200 | £ 2400 |
| Solo occupancy room | £ 2750 | £ 2950 |
7 Night Retreat (14th – 21st Feb 2026)
| Room Type | Early Bird Price (per person) * | Standard Price (per person) |
| Shared twin room | £ 1850 | £ 2050 |
| Solo occupancy room | £ 2350 | £ 2550 |
If you have any questions at all please do drop us a line here
Can’t make these dates?
Look out for more overseas trips in 2026 and a full programme of courses, weekends and retreats in Cornwall, UK. We run courses and weekends between April and October in beautiful Cornwall, catering for all abilities. Find out more here
FAQs
I can no longer attend, what are my options?
We understand that things happen that mean you can no longer join us. You can cancel your holiday at any time provided the cancellation is communicated to us in writing. We will retain your deposit and cancellation charges to the maximum as follows:
- Cancellations made 49 days or more before the retreat 20% of total cost
- Cancellations made 30-49 days before the retreat 50% of total cost
- Cancellations made 21 – 30 days before the retreat 70% of total cost
- Cancellations made 20 days or fewer before the retreat – 100% of total cost
Please check our full terms and conditions before you book.
Should I book the 9 night or 7 night Retreat? What’s the difference?
For both trips we will be offering our intensive surf instruction for the first 7 days of the trip. So for both trips you can expect the usual Surf Sistas Coaching magic. For our 10 day retreat the last two days in Hiriketiya will include a guided morning surf session but there will be an emphasis on soaking up the relaxed vibes of Hiriketiya and Dickwella, with a balance between surfing, relaxing and exploring the local area.
The longer retreat with two locations offers a chance to experience a little more of Sri Lanka. Depending on the time you have available for your trip we hope one of these options will be the perfect fit!
How ‘good’ do I need to be?
This retreat is for all ability levels so if you are completely new to surfing or not that experienced that is no problem, Sri Lanka is a great place to learn! Improver/intermediate surfers will benefit from an introduction to reef breaks and some approachable waves that are great for progression. Experienced surfers will enjoy mellow reefs in an incredible location with video analysis and guidance from the Surf Sistas team.
Who can attend your retreats?
We welcome all age groups from 18 + on our Surf Sistas retreats so whatever age you are you will fit in just fine! We want to make our retreats and courses as inclusive as possible, if you have any concerns or specific needs please drop us a line
How physically fit do I need to be?
A good level of physical fitness is very beneficial for surfing. However don’t let your fitness be a barrier to learning to surf or getting back into surfing if its something you loved previously. You can take the retreat at your own pace and there is no better incentive and starting point for boosting your overall fitness level than a surf trip!
We will be surfing 2 x 2 hour sessions a day and carrying boards to and from the beach car park, so expect to sleep amazingly well each night! We are not a boot camp and if you just want to surf one session per day or take a day off and explore or lie by the pool then we encourage you to do so, its your holiday and we should all listen to our bodies and minds!
If you’re new to surfing and would like to try it out before committing to a full retreat away you could try one of our 2 Day Surf and Yoga weekends in Cornwall. Warning, it could be a new addiction!
Do you include accommodation?
Yes! Accommodation is included in beautiful boutique villas with a pool. In Ahangama our accommodation is beachfront and in Hiriketiya a 1-2 minute walk from the beach.
Is it ok to come on my own?
Absolutely! What we love about our retreats is the opportunity to bring women together in a shared, empowering and sociable space. You’ll be welcomed into a very supportive and fun environment. In our experience nothing is more bonding than a day enjoying the ocean together! Fun fact – the majority of our guests are solo travellers!
I don’t feel very confident in the sea, will this be a problem?
We understand the sea can be a daunting place but we don’t want this to put you off. Our Surf Sistas coaches are all qualified Surf Lifesavers and we operate in Sri Lanka with a local guide who has an in depth knowledge of local conditions. You’ll be in safe hands during your time with us. If you are a little nervous, do let us know and we can talk through your concerns and ensure that we are adapting our coaching appropriately to your needs.
What should I bring?
- Surfboard & equipment (protective surfboard bag/sock, leash, fins, surf wax). If you don’t have one you can rent one with us, either tell us what you need or we can choose a suitable board for you.
- At least two sets of swimwear – check out our blog post on swimwear for tropical surfing
- A changing robe or beach sarong/towel
- A reusable water bottle
- Clothes: light comfortable clothing, bring modest clothing for visiting temples (Cover shoulders and knees)
- Lightweight Waterproof jacket
- Clothing for Yoga and activities
- Sun protection – ideally waterproof sunblock or zinc
- Sunhat (A surf hat is ideal to wear in the water)
- Sunglasses
- Mosquito Repellant
- Any personal medication or medical items (we will take a first aid kit + dry bag with us to the beach so you can store anything you need with you at the beach eg. an inhaler)
- A travel adapter for firing up your gadgets
- Passport!
