To plan a group surf retreat in Kerala, pick dates between October and April, keep the group small enough to fill one house, decide whether you are training or unwinding, and choose an accredited surf school that will coach everyone at their own level. Get those four right and the rest (rooms, food, yoga, a trip to the backwaters) falls into place.
A retreat is different from a camp. A camp has fixed dates and brings strangers together; a retreat is built around a group that already exists: a yoga studio, a club, a set of friends who have been promising each other a surf trip for years. Here is how to plan one, step by step.
Step 1: Choose your dates
Kerala has a clear surf season. Kerala Tourism's guide to surfing in Varkala puts it at October to April and describes June to September as "a high risk period" because of the monsoon seas. For a group of mixed abilities, stay inside the season.
Within it, each month has a character:
| When | Why choose it | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| October | Quiet, green, lower prices | The odd shower from the northeast monsoon |
| November to February | The easiest weather | Busiest months; book early |
| December and January | Holiday energy | Fill fastest of all |
| March and April | Quieter again | Hotter afternoons |
If you want a specific week, especially over Christmas or New Year, confirm the house before you confirm anything else.
Step 2: Decide how big
Small groups make better retreats. The coaching is more personal, the logistics are simpler, and everyone ends up at the same table in the evening.
At our house, the natural size is up to fourteen: five private rooms and a four-bed dorm. A group that takes every bed gets the whole house, rooftop and kitchen included, which changes the feel of a week completely. The rooms sort themselves out easily: couples and light sleepers in the private rooms, the ones who like company in the dorm.
Step 3: Training or unwinding?
This is the decision that shapes the whole week, so make it before you book.
A training group surfs twice a day: an early session when the sea is calmest, and a second later on. It suits surf clubs and groups with a shared goal of getting better fast.
An unwinding group surfs once, in the morning, and fills the rest of the day with yoga, recovery, the backwaters and long lunches. It suits studios, friends and anyone who wants a holiday with surfing in it rather than a surf course.
Most groups are a mix, and that is fine: the ones who want a second session take it, and the others head to the rooftop.
Step 4: Choose the surf school
For a group, the school matters more than the house. You want:
- Accreditation you can check. The Surfing Federation of India accredits surf schools after assessing safety, equipment and instructor ratios, and renews it every year. Ask for the current certificate.
- Coaching by level. A mixed group needs to be split: beginners in the whitewater, improvers further out.
- Honest calls on the sea. Someone who will move a session, or cancel it, when conditions are wrong.
On our retreats, the coaching comes from Kuma's own surf school, accredited by the Surfing Federation of India. The water is new to your group, not to the people teaching it. Our checklist on how to choose a surf school in Varkala applies to any retreat you plan.
Step 5: Build the rest of the day
Between sessions, the best retreats leave room. Options that work well in Varkala:
- Yoga at sunrise or in the late afternoon, on the sand or the rooftop. See yoga and Ayurveda in Varkala.
- Recovery: an ice bath, a hammock, a massage.
- The backwaters: kayaking at Kappil at golden hour; see kayaking near Varkala.
- The cliff at sunset, and dinner somewhere with a view.
- Nothing at all. A free afternoon is not a wasted one.
Step 6: Sort out food and rooms
On a retreat, food is part of the experience. Ask what is included. On ours, the rooms, breakfast and dinner come with the retreat, with a Kerala breakfast on the rooftop each morning; lunch is extra.
A few things to agree in advance:
- Dietary needs. Kerala is easy for vegetarians and manageable for vegans, but the kitchen needs to know.
- Room allocation. Who shares with whom, who wants a private room.
- Arrival. Most groups fly into Trivandrum; our guide on how to reach Varkala covers the options, and airport transfers can be arranged.
Step 7: Settle the money early
Groups fall apart over money, not surf. Decide at the start:
- the total per person, and what it includes;
- the deposit, and when it is due;
- the cancellation terms, especially for holiday weeks;
- who collects the money from the group, if one person is organising.
Ask the house for all of this in writing before you circulate a price to the group.
Step 8: Brief the group
A week before you fly, send everyone the same short note: what to pack (swimwear, sunscreen, a light layer, modest clothes for temples), what is provided (boards, rash vests), the arrival plan, and a line reminding the non-swimmers to tell the coaches. People arrive calmer when they know what to expect.
Retreat or camp?
If your group is under four, or you do not have a group at all, a fixed-date camp may suit you better: five days and four nights with a ready-made crew. Our Varkala surf camps run six times a year between October and March, and our guide to surf camps in South India explains what a good one includes.
If you do have a group, the retreats page is where to start: tell us your dates, your numbers and what you want from the week, and we will build it with you. The group and studio retreats page shows how past retreats have been shaped.
Frequently asked questions
How far ahead should a group book?
For December and January, several months ahead: they fill fastest. For October, November, February and March, a couple of months is usually enough. Confirm the house before anyone buys a flight.
What is the weather like on a winter retreat?
Warm and mostly dry. Kerala Tourism describes December to February as the pleasant, cooler months, with coastal temperatures typically between 25 and 36 degrees across the year (Kerala Tourism). Bring light clothes, sunscreen and a thin layer for evenings.
Can a group of complete beginners do a surf retreat?
Yes, and many do. Beginners learn in chest-deep water over sand, in small groups with an instructor beside them. By the end of a week, most are catching whitewater waves on their own.
Can non-surfers come on a surf retreat?
Yes. Partners and friends who do not want to surf can fill the mornings with yoga, walks, the beach or simply breakfast, and join everyone for the rest of the day. Just tell us the numbers so the coaching is planned for the right group.
What should the group pack?
Swimwear, reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, light clothes, something modest for temple visits, and any medication. Boards and rash vests are provided for lessons, so there is no need to travel with a board.