1. 046
// HOT SPOT
047
MY JOURNEY //
RIDING
THE WAVES
OF ENLIGHTENMENT
T
he Surf Goddess Retreat (SGR)
website reveals that a surf
goddess, among other things,
“Smiles with her eyes, laughs
from her belly, appreciates life’s simple
joys and loves the ocean!” Hey, that’s me,
I thought.
My initiation as a surf goddess starts
when I and 10 other females from the
US, Netherlands, Australia and the UK,
arrive at Bali’s acclaimed SGR filled
with delicious expectations — and
apprehension — for our seven days ahead.
Concierge, chef extraordinaire and
“mother hen”, Joyce, shows us round our
new home. We might be here for surfing
and yoga, but we’re ecstatic to discover
this retreat is far from being a surfer’s
budget hang-out or detox “boot camp”.
“We’ve created a pampering space
fit for a goddess, a luxurious surf retreat
for a special way to learn to surf,” says
SGR founder Chelsea Huntley.
SGR’s colonial-style villa reflects
Bali’s relaxed lifestyle, reinforced with
a generous-sized pool and door signs
proclaiming “Gone to the beach”. As
an all-female retreat, fanciful feminine
touches include custom-blended spa
products and scented candles. A blissfully
peaceful oasis, Villa Serena actually lies
in the heart of Seminyak, Bali’s trendiest
enclave, with stylish shops, bars and
restaurants right on our doorstep.
Our first-night orientation session
resembles a girl-power party, with
supreme surf goddess herself, Chelsea,
and surf goddess guides (SGG) Jade, Joyce
and Melinda greeting us with frangipani
garlands, beaming smiles and whoops
of delight. We nervously introduce
ourselves. Our group is typical of SGR
guests: professional women aged 22 to 49,
predominantly solo travellers. While all
here for personal reasons, we all want to
learn to surf. Turning 40, Jude wants to
try something new every month this year,
while Jennifer is here because “there’s not
much opportunity to surf in Memphis.”
The seven-day SGR program is a
balance of surf, yoga, healthy cuisine
and pampering — but surfing is pivotal.
Chelsea originally devised it with the
belief that “surfing is more than a sport,
it’s a state of mind and way of being.
When women surf we can empower
ourselves and grow confident.”
Retreat schedules are designed around
the tides, hence breakfasts, like our first
one, often start at 6.30am. But even at
At Bali’s famedSurfGoddess Retreat, surfing, yoga,
gourmet cuisine and laughter are all part of the
one-weekplan to transform you into a surf goddess
WORDS SAMANTHA COOMBER
When the surf’s up,
it’s time to head for
the beach where fun is
the order of the day

2. 048
// MY JOURNEY
this ungodly hour, infectious laughter
rings out, and Joyce makes things easier,
providing treats fit for goddesses, like
ginger and banana pancakes drenched in
Borneo jungle honey. Fuelled-up for the
day, our magnificent posse of 11 is shuttled
to nearby Rip Curl School of Surf on
Legian Beach. I feel like a child on her first
day of school again.
Clad in sky-blue rash vests emblazoned
with “surf goddess”
(just so everyone
knows), we re-group on
the beach. Conditions
are perfect: gloriously
sunny, manageable
waves, sandy-bottomed
warm seas. Our tailor-
made Rip Curl surf
program teaches us
basics — water safety,
board handling,
paddling techniques
and turning — and
enough skills for surfing independently.
“My goal was to stand-up by the week’s
end,” confesses Jennifer, but she, along
with everyone else, achieved it on day one.
To soothe our sore limbs, we are
whisked off to Seminyak’s Prana Spa,
a decadent Moroccan and Rajasthani-
influenced sanctuary. My lavish “Goddess
Glow” treatment is custom-designed for
surf goddesses. “It’s hard work being
a surf goddess!” laughs Lara after two
hours of pampering.
SURF GODDESS RETREATS BALI
Tel: +1 (858) 997 0808
www.surfgoddessretreats.com
TAKE ME THERE
Cooking, a comfortable retreat
and spa treats are part and
parcel of being a surf goddess
Next up, daily yoga in the garden
pavillion. There are audibly louder groans
as the week progresses with increasingly
difficult yoga stances. Several of us have
fallen by the wayside by week’s end.
Days roll into a carefree haze of surf,
pampering, yoga and
amazing dinners
— a true highlight
because of the witty
conversations with
fellow diners. On the
final evening, we scrub
up for sunset cocktails
at very hip Ku De Ta.
Upon our farewell,
we are given a group
surf DVD and get
to keep our tote bag
and rash vest. But we
walk away with so much more. “It’s a
welcoming and nurturing retreat where
you don’t have to think about anything,
which opens up your mind,” says Lara.
If I wasn’t a fully-fledged surf goddess
before, I certainly am now!
MY EPIPHANY
I found my fellow surf
goddesses insightful,
inspirational, extraordinary and
riotously funny. Although I had
a brief surf lesson a few years
back, I had a fear of moving on
to the next surfing level and
dealing with those big crashing
waves further out. Surrounded
by novices and individually
coached, I accomplished both.
I learnt all the basic surf
moves and techniques and,
amazingly, I’ll be able to surf
by myself next time. Sure, I
wasn’t as proficient as some,
but as the oldest of the group,
I felt I accomplished more than
enough. As Chelsea says, “It’s
all about personal goals.”
“A welcoming
and nurturing
retreat where
you don’t have
to think of
anything”
FROM ONLY AU$179
Jetstar flies direct to Bali from Darwin,
Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Singapore.
Book online at