Retreat cost varies by room. View available rooms & pricing here.

Once you are ready to register, go to this page and sign up in 3 simple steps:

1. Pay the $700 deposit
2. Fill out the application form
3. Sign the retreat contract

When you register, you can pay in full, or you will be enrolled in the following payment plan:

• Due upon registration: $700 non-refundable deposit
  
• If you register in September: divide the balance by 6 equal payments
• in October: 5 equal payments
• in November: 4 equal payments
• in December: 3 equal payments
• in January: 2 equal payments
• in February: balance is due in full
• If you are registering for a payment plan, the balance must be fully paid by March 1, 2026

Remember that the $700 deposit is non-refundable so I strongly recommend that your mandatory travel insurance policy includes “cancel for any reason” coverage to protect your investment as much as possible. You need to purchase this type of travel insurance within 1-2 weeks of your trip deposit, so don’t delay! Read more about travel insurance in the FAQ.

Refund & Cancellation Policy

• Until February 1, 2026: You may cancel or transfer your registration to another person and get a full refund of all monies paid (except non-refundable $700 deposit)
• February 1-March 1, 2026: No refunds, but you may transfer your registration to another person. If I am able to sell your spot, I will refund you.
• After March 1, 2026: no refunds or transfers.

Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is now mandatory for my international retreats. I highly advise everyone to purchase a travel insurance plan that includes “cancel for any reason” coverage. You must buy this type of policy within two weeks of making your deposit for this trip, so do not delay. Read more about travel insurance in the FAQ.

Travel insurance is a minor cost to add protection to your significant investment in this trip. It will protect your investment in case the trip has to cancel for any reason, or if you are unable to attend for a variety of reasons.

Schedule Changes
International travel and group travel built with accessibility in mind require flexibility and a positive mental attitude. Activities, excursions, and itinerary may change at any time, depending on availability, weather, and what I determine is most appropriate for the group’s wellbeing. I adapt the itinerary to the group, and design the event around the person or people who need the most support, so everyone can be included.

Have Questions? Let’s talk.
I would love to jump on a call with you to answer any questions you may have about the retreat. Grab a time on my calendar here, or email me.

💖 1:1 introductory call with Amber before the retreat

💻 Online meet & greet with other attendees before the retreat

🚐 Private, safe transportation to and from the PVR airport to our hotel in Sayulita

🛌 Your chosen accommodation at our boutique hotel

🥙 Daily vegetarian breakfast buffet at the hotel, group dinners at restaurants in town (all but one night)

🏄‍♀️ Surfing lessons: Amber’s in-water prep class, plus a surf lesson with professional instructors 

🧘‍♀️ Daily yoga workshops: yoga classes, dry land surfing prep workshop, yoga pose troubleshooting, Headstand Party, yoga nidra

💃 Silent disco dance party (if you’ve never tried silent disco, you are gonna LOVE it)

🥰 Body image discussions, daily sharing circles to celebrate your wins and cheer on your new besties

📸 Professional photographs of your surfing adventure

👚 Limited edition t-shirt to commemorate the event

• Travel insurance (mandatory)
• Airfare to Puerto Vallarta
• Pickup or dropoff to airport outside designated times
• Tips for hotel & villa staff (I suggest setting aside $50-80 for tips)
• Lunch or midday meals
• Snacks or beverages outside breakfast and group dinner
• 1 dinner on your own
• Golf carts, scooters, bicycles, or other optional transportation
• Massages and spa services
• Alcohol
• Additional excursions
• Souvenirs

If you’d like to read the excellent Google and Tripadvisor reviews for this venue, email me. I keep the hotel name private for security reasons. Once you register, I will send you complete details on the venue and location.

Meals included in this retreat:

• Breakfast buffet every morning at our hotel
• Group dinners out at restaurants in town (except 1 night out on your own)
• A few snacks (surf lesson, sharing circles)

Not included:

• Lunches or midday meals
• Other snacks
• One dinner
• Alcohol

Catering group meals at the hotel is quite expensive, so I structured it this way to keep costs down. I also wanted to give you the chance to experience the amazing Mexican food and culture of Sayulita by eating in its many local restaurants.

There are small markets around town that carry basic grocery items and convenience stores like Oxxo where you can get snacks. There is no large supermarket or WalMart-type store in Sayulita. Your shuttle driver can stop on a grocery store on the way in (I recommend this).

At our hotel, coffee is served starting at 8am each morning, and breakfast is served buffet style 8:30-11:30am. The buffet typically includes fruit, yogurt, beans, soy dishes, eggs, protein options, sauteed mushrooms, chilaquiles, vegan eggs, pancakes, gluten-free and non- gluten-free granola, and fruit flavored water (agua fresca). The menu changes everyday and everything has a label with the dish description.

The food in Sayulita is fresh, affordable, and lovingly prepared. I have never had a bad meal in this town! I ate almost exclusively vegetarian when I was there, many restaurants have good vegan and gluten-free options. I’ll be sending out a retreat guidebook before our trip which has a list of many local restaurants that are good.

Check out YouTube for more info on Sayulita’s food scene and pick up my friend Chel’s Sayulita guidebook here.

Important: Do not drink the tap water or use it to brush your teeth. Purified water is available in many dispensers around the hotel. Bottled water is available for purchase at just about any market in town. Ice served around town is purified.

There is no ice machine in the hotel. Ice may be purchased from local convenience stores.

Yes! If you book into a shared room and are coming alone, we will pair you with another retreat participant who’s requesting the same room type.

You’re also welcome to book shared accommodations with a friend. Let me know you’re booking together when you register.

Great! I have a whole section about that right here.

Alcohol Policy

Alcohol is not included in the retreat cost.

There will be alcohol available at many bars or restaurants in town. If you choose to drink, I ask that you please do so responsibly and respectfully. I encourage us all to keep in mind that we are in another culture, being invited to stay on their land while we enjoy ourselves. Please keep the energy of being in community with one another at a yoga hotel (which is a different vibe from drinking on vacation at a beach resort).

Drug Policy

I ask that everyone refrain from consuming recreational drugs while attending this retreat.

Smoking

Smoking is only allowed in designated areas outside the hotel. Smoking is never allowed inside rooms.

No problem! Email me or book a time on my calendar and I’d love to answer your question.

Yes you will surf. As a beginner surfer myself, I’ve noticed that surfing is made up of 2 main things: catching waves and all the other stuff.

Catching waves looks like:

• Riding the waves mermaid style on your belly
• Cruising into shore riding the board on your knees or in a kneeling lunge position
• Standing on the board for a second and falling off
• Standing on the board for a few seconds at a time (then, falling off)
• Falling off at any time for no reason when you thought you “did it right”
• Getting tumbled around by the waves after you fall off, pretty much every time 😂
• And so on – expect LOTS of cute wipeouts

But catching waves is a small part of surfing. Surfing also looks like all this stuff:

• Putting on your rash guard and sunscreen
• Carrying your board to the beach
• Warming up your body with some stretches and movements
• Practicing your pop-up
• Walking or paddling your board out to where we catch waves
• Learning to paddle your board
• Learning how to navigate waves while on your board
• Learning to balance on your board on your belly
• Learning to sit on your board
• Learning to read waves
• Learning where not to be when a wave comes in
• Sitting on your board watching for waves
• Carrying your board back up the beach
• Digging sand out of every crevice 😂

Surfing is a fun, challenging, complicated activity. You may be wondering, “Will I stand up on the surfboard and catch a wave?”

Many, many people do stand up during their first lesson. There’s no guarantees in life (especially in the ocean, with constantly changing conditions), but to manage your expectations:

I took my first surf lesson at age 42 in Sayulita. I stood up on the board 4 times during my very first surf lesson (for like 1 second at a time). I would estimate that in my first week of surfing, with about 100 attempts to catch waves, I stood up 6 times. Your mileage may vary.

But standing is not the only part of surfing. Everyone that attempts surfing will catch a wave. Some of us will go in on our bellies (it’s so fun this way, you look cute, feel like a mermaid, and everyone’s butt looks good in this position 😂), some of us will catch waves on our knees or a kneeling lunge position, some of us will stand up for a few waves.

I’m hiring a photographer to capture pictures of our surf lesson and a posed shoot of you with the surfboard. You’ll get  professional photographs to remember your experience. I can’t wait to share your first surfing lesson with you!

If you want to take more than one surf lesson, I’ll connect you with our instructors so you can arrange it while we’re in town. They can take you to other beaches in the area, too.

I design my retreats in such a way that we move at the pace of the person who needs the most time and assistance.

No one is ever made to feel “too slow.”

As the person responsible for holding the container of the retreat group, I set the pace for activities and I intentionally lead “from the back of the pack” according to how the group is doing.

Even the most athletic people have bad days, get too hot in the sun, or get their period. So I am always evaluating the group in front of me and making sure that no one is left behind, whether we are doing yoga, walking to dinner, or on an excursion.

I’m not gonna lie, there’s the potential for a lot of walking on this retreat. However, I am renting a golf cart for the week, which will be driven by my assistant and serve as a taxi for anyone who needs a little extra support getting to and from activities and meals. You’ll be able to reach out via WhatsApp and ask for a ride when you need it.

If you still have questions about whether this particular retreat is appropriate for you, email me or book a time on my calendar. I’d love to chat with you and make sure I answer all your concerns.

View accessibility and activity level info

You’d be amazed at how many women have this question! The other question is, “Will I be the oldest one there?”

Most of my retreat guests are in their early 30s to early 60s, and I deeply appreciate inter-generational retreats. It adds layers of perspective and wisdom that benefit the collective.

As one younger retreat participant said of some of my older guests, “I was able to see the wisdom that aging can bring. It was incredibly beautiful to see people, older than I am, loving and caring for their bodies the way that is mindful and intentional. It helped open my eyes to the fact that life, at any age, is what you make of it.”

You are not too old! I hope to see you there.

The yoga that I practice is not designed to be a strenuous workout. These are easy movements and big deep breaths that meet your body where you are today. Lots of options and modifications will be offered for any practice I lead.

We will workshop and troubleshoot poses or transitions that don’t work for our bodies, and you’ll leave with new tools to personalize your practice.

Yes, many of my guests do come alone. But by the end of their stay they usually have made some great new friends. I’ve heard from folks who retreated with me a decade ago that are still friends with each other today!

This group will be a maximum of 12 participants.

This retreat is for women and gender minorities. It is not a space for cisgender men.

Let me try my best to be clear. Women (and people of other gender identities who grew up socialized as women) share certain lived experiences in our patriarchal culture. We receive implicit and explicit messages about “our place in things” that men don’t. We’ll be untangling the ways that cultural conditioning about womanhood overlaps with our sense of self, especially with regards to body image.

This retreat is a space for women as well as anyone who was raised or socialized as a woman. Trans women are welcome, as well as transmasc and non-binary folks who were socialized as women (regardless of how they currently identify). It is not a space for cisgender men.

If you have questions about whether you should attend, please contact me and we can discuss!

Participation in any group activity carries a risk of getting sick, especially when people travel to the event. Getting sick at an event, or worse, passing an illness around an event is a huge bummer, but it does happen.

In our post-pandemic world (in which Covid is still very much alive and well) it’s important to have a plan, as all of us have different risk profiles and practices around staying well.

Obviously we want to avoid any illness, but I treat Covid differently because it is an extremely contagious virus, and also extremely common to pass around at events. I also have many guests with compromised immune systems, and accessing medical care may not be simple, so I want to do my best to keep our community safe.

Retreat Agreements
To care for the group and yourself, I’m asking everyone attending this retreat to agree to the following:

• All retreat participants must test negative for Covid before they leave their home airport for the trip.
• Please wear a mask in the airport and on the plane. It’s extremely common for someone to get sick while traveling to an event, then pass the illness around at the event. Please mask during your travels to protect your investment in this trip and the health of your fellow community members and hotel staff that you’ll be living with for the week (and their families).
• If you feel ill at the retreat, please let me know right away. We can make sure you get meals in your room or whatever support you need.
• I will have Covid tests available at the hotel. If you feel ill, I will ask you to test for Covid.
• If you test positive for Covid during the retreat, you will need to isolate. This is a huge disappointment to happen at a retreat, when you’ve anticipated the event so much, so please wear a mask on the plane and in the airport for your best chance at arriving and staying healthy!
• I ask that if you test negative for Covid but are still feeling ill, especially if you run a fever, that you isolate and rest until you feel well. If you need to be near the group for any reason, I will have masks available.

If you want to see the entire retreat agreement contract before you register, please email me.

Travel Insurance & Illness
You should promtply purchase the mandatory travel insurance so that you can get “cancel for any reason” insurance which may cover your investment in the case you get sick before or during the retreat.

You may also elect to purchase a travel insurance plan that covers medical care or medical transport in Mexico. I recommend it, as travel insurance is quite affordable compared to what you are spending on this trip.

I’ll send you a complete packing list before the retreat, but you don’t need any complicated or fancy items. Everywhere we go will be extremely casual.

I’ll be bringing comfortable, casual clothing, sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sun shirt), a couple bathing suits, cover-ups for the beach and pool, loungewear, comfortable walking shoes, water shoes, yoga clothing, and stuff like sunscreen and bug repellant.

You may want things like a personal fan or special snacks, but we’ll get into those details closer to the retreat.

Provided by the hotel:

• Pool towels (onsite use)
• Yoga mats
• Shampoo & conditioner
• Hair dryers in each room
• Clean drinking water
• Wi-Fi throughout the property
• First Aid kit

Awesome, please come to the retreat! If you vibe with what I’m offering here, you are welcome.

• If you came to this retreat last year, you’ll build on the skills you already learned and you can show the new folks how things go
• If you’ve been surfing for a while, come share your knowledge with us! As long as your mindset is friendly toward beginners and encouraging toward new surfers, you are welcome at this retreat!

No problem! Email me or book a time on my calendar and I’d love to answer your question.

Travel insurance is now mandatory for my international retreats. I highly advise everyone to purchase a travel insurance plan that includes “cancel for any reason” coverage. You usually must buy this type of policy within 1-2 weeks of making your deposit for this trip, so do not delay.

While the coverage provided by travel insurance varies based on the policy you purchase, as a general rule, this type of insurance may provide coverage for a variety of losses which you may incur relating to a booking, including losses relating to trip cancellation, illness, injury, theft, lost or damaged property, etc.

Be aware that, except for the limited refund rights in the cancellation policy, you are 100% responsible for any losses, penalties, fees, or other financial consequences arising out of any booking or trip, or the cancellation or interruption of any booking or trip (including, by way of example, costs related to airline tickets and fees, passport fees, visa fees, medical expenses, etc.).

Your credit card may have insurance that covers your purchase, so check with them first. This type of coverage also satisfies my mandatory travel insurance requirement.

Check out this guide to travel insurance by WHOA Travel*, it does a good job of outlining the different things to look for in a plan. They also have links to some plans that have cancel for any reason insurance.

You may be able to purchase a plan like Allianz (I have used them many times, but never had to file a claim yet). Getting a quote through their website is easy, or you can call and talk to someone about what you want in a plan. Look at the terms closely for each plan and make sure you are comfortable with the reasons you are allowed to use the insurance.

You can also go to reddit and do some searching about travel insurance plans and “cancel for any reason” insurance, and see what the masses recommend (that’s what I do to research these type of things). Getting quotes from different travel insurance company websites is a simple process and quotes are free. If you need help picking a plan, email me.

*WHOA Travel is an amazing women-owned travel company that creates incredible adventures around the world. Going on one of their trips is a bucket list item for me! They also have a plus-size travel division.

Please fly into the Puerto Vallarta International Airport | Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR), Puerto Vallarta, Nayarit, Mexico.

Transfers to the hotel will be arranged from the airport only.

In order to take advantage of transfers to our hotel, please note: arrival transfers will only be offered for flights arriving between 12pm and 5pm on arrival day and flights departing between 10am and 4pm on the departure date.

On departure day, plan on leaving the hotel 3 hours before your flight is scheduled to depart (ex: 7am for a 10am flight).

I recommend booking:

• Flights arriving before 4pm on arrival day
• Flights departing after 12pm on departure day

If you arrive or depart outside the stated hours above, you will be responsible for your own transportation, which is expensive. A private taxi from the airport to our venue is $80 USD one way.

Hey, I get it. Traveling internationally (especially solo) can be intimidating when you don’t know what to expect. Here’s some more information about how the experience will go.

Know that as the person responsible for the container of this retreat, I designed this experience with your safety in mind. I don’t want you to be confused about any step of the process, so please ask me if you have questions. I want your retreat experience to be smooth and stress-free.

I have a WhatsApp group that activates about a month before the retreat. We use this to meet one another, stay in touch about questions and updates, and especially for arrival and departure day. I also send updates throughout the week like a daily schedule with packing lists of what to bring to each activity.

I’ll email you ahead of the retreat with general info about international travel. Please check your passport expiration date now! Generally, your passport cannot expire within 6 months of your trip date.

Nervous about speaking Spanish? Most airport employees and retreat center staff speak English. I speak intermediate(ish)-level Spanish and frequently travel solo, I usually can translate or help communicate, if needs arise. And usually there are a few participants who speak Spanish as well!

Here’s a little more about what to expect:

You’ll fly into Puerto Vallarta airport, get your bags and go through customs.

As soon as you have your bag, you’ll message me on WhatsApp and I’ll alert the driver. Our driver will be in a pre-arranged location with a sign and you’ll get on the shuttle with your bags. If you’re a little early for the shuttle, you’ll meet a few other retreat participants at the bar outside the airport. You’ll probably be on the shuttle with 2-3 other participants. 

You’ll ride 45 minutes to Sayulita and meet me at the hotel. Your driver can stop at a local supermarket so you can purchase some favorite snacks or any supplies you forgot. When you arrive, we’ll get you checked in to your room and meet that evening for a group dinner at a nearby restaurant.

I’ll brief everyone on what they need to know to stay safe while we are in town. Sayulita is a small, tourist-friendly town with plenty of international travelers. If you use basic precautions, your trip should be without incident!

Check out the day-by-day itinerary for complete details of what we’re doing at the retreat.

On our departure day, you’ll leave in a private shuttle with 2-3 other retreat participants and ride back to the airport. Follow the signage and go through security as with any airport. Most airport staff speak English. When you land at home, you’ll go through customs again.

Let me know if you have any specific concerns or questions about the process of international travel, and we can talk more!

There is an in-town urgent care and traditional clinic that also offers wellness IVs. I got treatment for an ear infection here and it was a great experience. The staff spoke English.

Local pharmacies (farmacias) are everywhere and have very reasonable prices on common over-the-counter medications, plus many drugs you usually need a prescription for in the USA.

There are hospitals in Punta Mita (25 minutes) and Puerto Vallarta (45 minutes).

In the case of an accident, injury, illness, theft, or other incidents, you must immediately notify me and a hotel staff member. Emergency procedures are in place at the hotel to assist us. However, they cannot guarantee necessary medical attention or treatment.

I recommend that your mandatory travel insurance policy covers medical care and transport in Mexico should you need it. Read more about travel insurance in the FAQ.

Situated on the Pacific coast of Mexico, Sayulita experiences warm and tropical weather throughout the year.

The month of May is warmer with temperatures ranging from 73°F (23°C) to 91°F (33°C). You can expect plenty of sunshine and lower humidity than later in the month, which is the start of rainy season.

Not really! Many of the people working in hospitality in Mexico speak English, but in any case, be creative! Smiles, gestures, por favor and gracias can get you far.

Most airport employees and retreat center staff speak English. I speak intermediate(ish)-level Spanish and frequently travel solo, I usually can translate or help communicate, if needs arise. And usually there are a few participants who speak Spanish as well!

I recommend learning a little bit of Spanish for travelers, it will make you more confident and make life easier for you if you end up spending time outside. the group. Plus, your world opens up when you interact with locals in their own language. Learning a little Spanish shows respect to the people whose home we are enjoying.

On a personal note: After my trip to Sayulita in April 2024, I started learning and practicing Spanish using a combination of podcasts, online classes and videos, watching Netflix and listening to music, and travel. It’s been a goal of mine for years, but getting back into retreats made me take it seriously. It feels proper and respectful that I should learn Spanish if I am going to organize retreats in places like Mexico and Costa Rica.

I’m honestly amazed at how much spoken and written Spanish I understand now, after just about a year of practice, and I am getting better at communicating too. It’s opened up my world and is extremely rewarding. I’m having a lot of fun learning, pero necesito practicar mucho mas.

U.S. citizens will need a passport to visit Mexico, but no visa is required at this time for stays under 180 days. Passports will require at least one blank page for an entry stamp. You should check that your passport’s expiration date is not expiring within 6 months of your trip.

If you need a passport or to update your passport, I urge you to act immediately, especially if you are in the US. Wait times are long.

Citizens of all other countries should check travel requirements well in advance of their retreat.

Check with your cell phone provider about cell service in Mexico. Many U.S. cell phones will work with no modifications, some will need to purchase an additional plan to use while you travel, and others will need to notify their cell provider about the travel in order for the phone to work outside the U.S.

I communicate through WhatsApp for all retreat communications while in Mexico so please contact your cell provider well in advance of getting to Mexico to ensure uninterrupted service and the ability to communicate when you arrive.

I recommend avoiding the currency exchange at the airport. The rates are terrible compared to what you’ll get at the ATMs in Sayulita.

Check the exchange rate that your bank offers before you get to Mexico to ensure that you’re getting a good rate from the local ATM. You can choose to decline the local rate and use your bank’s rate if that is better. Most Mexican banks will have staff that speaks English if you need help.