Our Story
It all started in 2003, when a group of landlocked londoners banded together to escape the city on surf trips!
Whilst traveling the globe, we noticed the disproportionately low numbers of women in the water. We wanted to do something about that and that’s how we evolved into Surf Sistas: An empowering women’s only surf space designed to support more women to access surfing, build confidence in the ocean and have fun along the way!
What We Do
We run a variety of women’s only surf and swim retreats to suit all ability levels At the heart of our courses are the ability to express yourself, build confidence and connect with other women through the enjoyment of the ocean.
Whether you’re a beginner, improver or intermediate surfer, we can help you find the right course for you. Expect fun filled retreats which can include photo analysis, Yoga, theory workshops and trips to explore the local area.
Our Swim experiences are inclusive for all swimmers from distance queens, to wild dippers, with a focus on experiencing beautiful swim destinations. Expect sea swims, river swims, tidepool dips, walks, Yoga, wood fired sauna, sound journeys and of course good food and good company.
Our Approach
Tailored trips and tuition are our mainstays. We want to offer you retreats we would love to do ourselves! There’s no cookie cutter for our trips and retreats, we design them around the waves, location and are responsive to your feedback to keep our experiences fun and fresh!
We know one size doesn’t fit all, which is why all courses are in small groups with a maximum coach to student ratio of 1:4. Our focus is on you. We’ll tailor our coaching to your pace of learning, style of surfing and give specific tips and techniques based on your personal surf niggles and surf dreams alike.
Our Locations
We’re based in one of the UK’s surfing heartlands; Newquay in Cornwall. It’s a fantastic place to learn and progress your surfing. Our base, Fistral Beach, is one of the most consistent surf breaks with a fun friendly wave. Within the 15 minute drive of Newquay we’ve got over 5 other surfing beaches to choose from.
Come explore with us! We can also recommend the best places to eat/drink/explore in Newquay too!
When the temperatures cool and winter shows her face, we’ll take you to warmer climates on global surf retreats!
From cruising the longest wave in Morocco to hitting up the beach breaks of Northern Spain. You’ll find us doing something a little different on each of our trips.
Why Choose Us?
The real cornerstone of Surf Sistas is the amount of water time we’ve clocked up coaching women. We started this venture 20 years ago, probably from a similar place that you find yourself in now, being a female surfer looking for opportunities to surf more and improve whilst connecting with like minded women.
Our courses are designed for women by women who surf, we really get both how amazing and frustrating surfing can be. The nosedives, the nose rides, the tears on the beach, the frustration of the 100th wipe out, that first green wave and all the good times in between. We’ve experienced it ourselves and we’ve got the tips and tricks up our wetsuit arms to help you too!
Over the years, we’ve fine tuned our coaching and courses to help you progress your surfing. We’ve got an exciting and mixed offering, so whether it’s your first time surfing, you’ve got some sticky habits you want rid of or you have dreams of becoming a steezy longboarding queen, our range of courses are designed to give you clear stepping stones for progression and confidence building.
Our Coaches
We’ve got a strong team of dedicated coaches who are Lifeguards and ISA Qualified Instructors. We know how challenging surfing can be as we’ve been there ourselves, so we’re here to support you every step of the way.
We regularly have guest coaches on our courses to ensure you’re learning from the best. On our adventures abroad we team up with local coaches, many of whom we have worked with for over 10 years. Their expertise and guidance ensures a safe, fun and progressive environment.
We’re excited for you to join us, for more information and to find the course for you check out our course calendar.
“I just wanted to say thanks for yet another amazing holiday. Hayley and Rachel were fab, so welcoming & friendly – loved the yoga and my surfing is getting better! Can’t wait for the next one!”
Vicki, UK
“I joined Surf Sistas in Costa Rica and had an amazing time! It was the perfect mixture of activity and relaxation all while set in beautiful Costa Rica.”
Madeleine, California, US