Patient instructors who teach you a lot with top notch safety standards!…read moreWe took four surfing lessons with Surf Travel & Friends during the week that we stayed in Puerto Escondido. It was a fabulous experience and I can't recommend them highly enough. There were two of us with one instructor and it was clear that our safety was their top priority. They emphasized the safety protocols and our instructor kept a close eye on us each time one of us took a wave to make sure that we were ok before moving his attention to the other one. As for the surfing instruction we received, we are both very pleased. My friend and I are both advanced beginner surfers who have been surfing for a few years and want to improve. This week we learned some great new strategies for popping up without going to our knees (my go-to bad habit), and we also learned how to surf a left break and turn with the wave. Overall it was a safe and fun week in the water and we learned a lot. Our instructor Nene was truly wonderful! Also, there's often a guy in the water with a camera and twice during the week we were able to purchase photos and videos from him after the lesson for a very reasonable price. It was nice to compare our first day surfing to our third. We could see improvement in the video and pictures which confirmed how we were feeling. I hope to go back and surf with Surf Travel & Friends again in the future.

Amazing surf school located in La Punta, the most vibey area of Puerto Escondido. I had a great…read moreexperience going there for a week of lessons. This school has many repeat customers as they are one of the best in the area. People often have trouble learning to surf because they don't have good teachers. The groups are small and the instructors at STF are patient and start with the fundamentals. This teaching style makes you very comfortable so by the time you hit the water you do not have fear or hesitation. I was popping up on first day. My instructor, Ivan, also taught me that there is more to surfing than just hopping on a wave. We spoke about safety, conservation, community and respect for the ocean and other surfers. As STF are well known and respected in the area, the locals look out for their students which also makes your time in the water much more enjoyable. Surf Travel Friends is very highly rated. I can't wait to go back and surf with them again. The owners Celestino and Melinda are very nice people and they have a really friendly dog who adopted me for a week. I literally couldn't get away from her. :)

if you want truly local expertise, unforgettable waves, and top-notch instructors, this is the…read moreplace for you. I spent an incredible 5 days with the PSA crew, including a morning session where whales were breaching just beyond the break. The guys made me feel safe and secure while gently pushing me to elevate my skill level. I highly recommend you take a multi-day package with this team... thank you for everything, PSA!

Thinking about surfing, but thought you couldn't, it's too hard, you're too old? Never! I met…read moreDonavan on the beach he told me and my adult daughter that he offered lessons in surfing, paddle boarding and had boards for rent. He also heads surf excursions. I took him up in his offer. At 56 I had tried it before in Jalisco. Donavan was a great teacher and a pro Mexican surfer. He's a local who loves the area. Donavan was professional, kind, encouraging and trained in water rescue & CPR. I felt confident with his instructions. His prices are very reasonable, in fact almost the best prices in PE. Donavan gave great input and made sure you felt comfortable. I loved my 1st lesson so much a took a second. My daughter went ocean paddle boarding with a teammate of Donovan's and had an equally great experience. I'd take another lesson from him, even though he thought I was ready to go out on my own. I admit, I rented a board and tried on my own. Did I mention I'm 56? It's never too late to learn!

Awesome surfing lesson with Antonio and his team! They are great for beginners and intermediate…read moresurfers. Caught some amazing waves at Playa Carrizalillo and the instruction was super helpful. Antonio seems great with all kinds of people.

From the owner: Surf school and tour agency in Puerto Escondido. We offer surf classes and camps, surf trips, and a…read morelarge range of tours; swimming in bioluminescent plankton, horse-back riding, stand-up paddling, dolphin viewing, sport fishing, and much more!

Booked 5 days of lessons for myself and a week-long board rental for my partner and had the…read moreabsolute best time. Chenek is kind, laid-back, and super responsive. He offered us a deal for the lessons and rental. My instructor Piña was excellent - I didn't want to just catch some waves with a push and call it a day. I wanted to build proper technique and learn to read the waves, and that's exactly what he taught. He gives loads of tips and quick feedback. Not to mention super funny guy. Note, it helps to speak Spanish. Was really hard to leave Playa Carrizalillo by the end, and that was just a week! If you can, stay longer and surf!!

These people are extremely shady and dishonest. They stole from my friend and me when we left our…read morebags with them while surfing, and they falsely accused my friend of damaging a board that was damaged when he rented it. When he refused to pay Julio, the owner, got in his face, started yelling and threatened him. He then shoved my friend and one of his goons held his arms Behind his back so Julio could punch him. Insane. My buddy ended up being forced to pay for the bs repair and dislocated his toe when he got shoved. Totally ruined this beach for me.

I did an aerial retreat in December 2019. It was a wonderful experience. The environment was…read moreinclusive, friendly and beautiful. We had a great group sharing similar interests and supporting each other. The food was organic and delicious, and I really loved the two cute resident dogs! Kerri's teaching was top-notch: Precise, patient and methodical. We went to the beach for turtle releasing on the resting day, which was one of the highlights of the trip. I heard since then they've done a lot of renovations and improvements. I am looking forward to going back and learning more.

Full stars! Absolutely!…read more When I first signed up for the one month residency here, my goals were pretty much to tan and learn some circus skills lol; but I'm happy to say the community here just made everything "more" than what I was expecting. Circus classes: the classes were excelente! Master instructor(?) Kerri is amazing, to say the least. As an experienced aerialist and teacher, she knows her craft and breaks down skills in ways that are consumable by different types of learners. The visiting instructors (at the time I was here, Dwoira and Brandi) are also very kind and experienced aerial and flex instructors. Location: La Punta in Puerto Escondido is is such lovely place to live in. The current retreat location is only a few min walk from the beach. It's off the main street which is good for noise control a but similarly the main areas are only a few min walk away and includes stores, cafés, restaurants, etc. Casa Chango: I haven't lived in a community such as this before, and it turned out to be a very enjoyable experience. I had my own cabana for some weeks before moving into a shared apartment (with private room) and both were very pleasant; I even had some cute gecko "roommates" sometimes. Meals took place in a shared kitchen and were always delicious and nutritious, and the staff are very friendly. Community: Omg the people here - Kerri and Stu, the staff, the students, etc. Considering we principally went from complete stranger status to living in the same community, things felt seamless and welcoming. On the flip side of that, there was never any pressure to participate in group activities, classes, or even meals; as an ambivert, my introvert side was very appreciative and grateful for this. Overall, highly recommend Sweet Retreats for all the reasons mentioned above and move, and I look forward to staying and learning from them again in the future.