7 Day Sukacita
Surf & Yoga Retreat
Sintra, Portugal
Imagine this. A week out in nature, along the Portugese coast. You wake up with the first rays of sunlight to practice yoga and nourish yourself with delicious breakfast, made with love from local produce. A full week with lots of ocean time during which you learn to surf (perhaps for the first time) or you work on improving your surf skills. You soak up spring’s sunshine in the afternoons and dip in the swimming pool. Maybe you’ll take a nap or read your book. Then you drift off into an early evening yin yoga session, meditation or you let yourself be guided through a beautiful breathwork journey. You enjoy a glass of wine with one of your fellow retreaters or have a quiet evening and fall asleep early, feeling content and fulfilled. 💜
We are staying at an absolute gorgeous location close to Lisbon: Dream Sea Surf House. The villa is completely surrounded by nature, has its own private pool, sauna and is only a 10 min. drive from the beach. The house has a beautiful yoga studio that overlooks the landscape. Lots of options to go for a short stroll or longer walk, if you wish, or visit the small villages close by for a coffee. The villa has several sleeping options, such as spacious shared rooms, double rooms or luxurious glamping tents with a private outdoor deck.
This is for you, if you;
Are looking for a solo holiday, but don’t necessarily want to be alone
Are ready to learn something new and step out of your comfort zone, whether by learning to surf, diving deeper into the practice of yoga or doing inner work
Are perhaps feeling a little run down from work/life and want to take care of your body and mind
Are open to gaining some insights about yourself and the way you live your life
Are looking for inspiration
Are looking for a retreat with more depth than your average surf camp
Are open and excited to meet new people and potentially make new friends for life
Want to connect to that place of calm within you, but also want to feel more alive and vibrant
Are looking for a week with depth, but also want to have a good time, with great folks and good laughs!
“The retreat did not only meet my expectations, it superseded my expectations. The love, expertise and never ending guidance of the entire team involved created an experience, for all I spoke with and me included, that brought depth and insights. Heart opening experiences, guided to bring everyone in an open state. Absolutely the best classes I have ever received and by far the most expertise.”
Rahima
This is not for you, if you;
Are looking for a very zen retreat week only; we combine inward practices with being physically active
Are not open to learning something new, or learn about yourself (or perhaps not right now)
Aren’t willing to invest (financially, time-wise, with dedication and curiosity) in your personal wellbeing and development
Would rather continue living life the way you do right now, without reflecting or checking in with the signals of your body
Don’t want to have a good time or don’t enjoy being out in nature!
A typical day
07:00 | You get up early, the morning still crisp. You meet your fellow retreaters for a powerful morning yoga class that makes you feel vibrant, with clarity of mind to start the day with intention. You learn one or two things that help evolve your yoga practice.
08:30 | Followed by absolute delicious, healthy breakfast that is a feast for the eye as well as the taste buds, you start your day well. Every other day this breakfast is in silence.
09:30 | You grab your wetsuit, sunscreen and join our local Portugese surf instructors for a morning of surf lessons at one of Portugal’s stunning and raw beaches. It might be your first surfing lesson ever! Get ready to dive into the interesting, fun and challenging process of learning to surf ;)
12:30 | All surfed out and rosy, you return to the villa with for a delicious lunch to be ready. Followed by a few hours relax time to hang by the pool, read a book, go for a walk or have a little nap.
17:00 | At the end of the day you get ready for one of our magical sessions. You dive into the world of breath work, meditation, yoga nidra, yin yoga or soak up nature during a hike. You take time to reflect, create space and to dive deeper into yourself and the wisdom of your body. You might gain some new insights.
19:00 | As the week progresses, you start to get to know your little Sukacita family better, feeling more and more connected. Dinner is served, another delicious three course meal by our amazing chefs, some big laughs with your new friends, and you go to bed feeling content, connected, inspired and ready to do the exact same the next day.
What this week will bring you;
Inspiration and clarity
A deeper connection to yourself and your body
A sense of calm, whilst feeling vibrant and alive at the same time
A sense of confidence and empowerment by trying new things (a.k.a. surfing)
Insights and momentum on how you’d like to live your life moving forward
Connection to nature
A realllll damn good time with good folks :)
What you will get/is included
The presence and attention of 2 facilitators - Ruby & Thijs - who enjoy sharing their lifestyle, experiences and life lessons with others
6 nights accomodation at the stunning Dream Sea Surf House, Sintra, Portugal
Healthy breakfast, lunch & dinner all days made with local produce
A guided program including individual and group reflection time, for you to gain some insights
6x morning Vinyasa Yoga classes
5x surf lessons by highly experienced and certified local coaches
1x surf theory basics workshop
Board hire & wetsuit
Multiple breathwork sessions
Meditations
Yoga Nidra
Yin Yoga
Silent Hours/breakfasts
A nature hike along the Portugese coast
Not included
Flights
Travel insurance
Transfer from and to Lisbon airport (but we can arrange this for you)
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Ruben
“Man, what a super interesting and inspiring experience. Even as an amateur, I felt at ease and was able to learn a lot and very quickly. Respect for all teachers, their lessons and their personal attention. The location and facilities have been tremendous. Staff are super friendly and great, healthy food with a lot of variety. Would definitely come back.”
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Robin
“I found this to be such a unique and beautiful experience and it was more than I ever hoped for. Lovely people, a lot of love and fun. Thank you for everything. I would recommend this to anyone that is looking for an experience to do by yourself, but also together with others!”
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Jasper
“This retreat exceeded expectations. Wonderful blend of opposites: quiet and loud, active and restful, being introverted and extraverted. Beautiful location, exceptional food and lovely people. Would highly recommend it! Ruby and Thijs have created a magical experience.”
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Eline
“This was amazing. I felt renewed and reenergized. Yoga and meditation brings you in touch with your body and soul. The surfing brings playfulness and brings you in touch with nature. The self reflection questions bring you in touch with yourself again. I need this every year! The perfect week for reflection, clarity, calmness and inspiration.”
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Bas
“A full week of beautiful people, AMAZING food, great breathwork, yoga and surf sessions at a beautiful place with great staff and created full of love by Thijs & Ruby. Almost too good to be true ;).”
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Geri
“Ruby and Thijs created a beautiful retreat. It was a wonderful balance between physical, mental and emotional connection. They are so calm, kind and welcoming which created a great vibe. I would definitely come back again.”
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Lotte-Maria
“What a beautiful, fun, intense week full of love, light and growth. The workshops were very special to me. I enjoyed all of them and loved that we went deeper all the time, exploring the layers. Thank you Ruby and Thijs for holding space and creating such a thoughtful journey. Till next year!”
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Clara
“It was an absolutely amazing experience. I would not miss any of Sukacita's retreats, given the personal benefits I gained and the amazing people and connections I made. A week felt like a lifetime; I reconnected with myself, enjoyed personal time, stayed active, and pushed myself to try new things. I highly recommend this retreat to anyone who resonates with these experiences. I can't wait to return.”
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Annely
“The retreat was above expectations! The program and setting were so well thought through. An amazing journey physically and mentally. I loved it!”
What binds us is definitely our massive love for the outdoor lifestyle, the ocean, the simple life and living a life with meaning. Sukacita really is nothing more than a passion projects that brings us closer together as a couple and reminds us of the things we value so much in life.
Ruby has been teaching & studying yoga in Sydney, Byron Bay & Amsterdam for 7+ years and coaches teams and leaders as part of culture change programs in organisations. She is a learning addict, has completed 450+ hours of study and still continues to learn daily.
Thijs has a big love for water sports like kitesurfing and surfing and is a certified breath coach. After having experienced the powerful effects of breathwork himself, he feels committed to personal growth and facilitating positive change in the lives of those around him.
About us
FAQ
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No. Most of our guests are beginners surfers. We always work with local surf schools that know the area and local breaks and know how to safely guide beginners in the ocean. You just need an open mind, a willingness to learn and be ready to get out of your comfort zone!
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Nope :) all levels are welcome. Just let us know if you are working with specific injuries or learning goals.
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It varies, but we have a lot of people booking this retreat solo. We absolutely encourage this, as we see something really special unfolding when we surround ourselves with new people and making new connections. Guests generally love this and some of them are still friends now, after some of our previous retreats.
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Every other day we have breakfast in silence, so you can start the day in quietude. You can have your breakfast anywhere in the villa. Guests usually love these moments, to start the day slow or to take some time to reflect instead of rushing into their next conversation.
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This is a question that we get a lot. We mostly work with and attract working professionals in between the age of 25 and 45, that perhaps have been working a little too much and deep down know there is something more. They simply need time to slow down and reconnect. This is the group we identify with most ourselves.
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We have carefully designed the program as a personal inner journey, day to day. This means you will benefit from this process by joining it all. Of course, there is always the option to opt-out for one or two sessions if you feel tired or need some alone time.
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We will give a final go or no-go at least 3 months in advance, depending on developments within the country, with the location or group size. We are not responsible for any flights booked prior to that.
