Back in Time
Retro Retreat
July 5 - 11, 2025
The Flavor
Let your style and high vibes out during this retro renewal retreat. Calling like-minded soul sliders psyched to embrace the stoke that permeated the surfing world in the 60’s - 80’s.
A retro-inspired surf getaway in the wave-rich land of the Emerald Coast of Nicaragua. We'll be rolling it back to the golden days to connect with the raw energy of every moment. A time when boards beckoned for personal expression, and creative lines and the overall lifestyle was flow-focused and full of stoke.
We’ll be surfing a wide variety of offshore beach breaks and points with plenty of opportunities for riding a variety of sleds. So get ready to roll out those steazy bottom turns, drop wallet carves and claims! Swapping boards is encouraged! Remember the “foam is your friend” concept of the 60’s-80’s to paddle through the all-day offshores, slide into waves earlier and get that wave count maxing.
Between sessions, we will be tapping into Source via a variety of holistic modalities from yoga, meditation, breathwork, sauna/ice bath and more. We’ll be accessing breaks via high-quality land and sea vessels, at times arriving just before the ideal tides to access hidden shalas.
This retreat is for those who want to:
*Surf a variety of epic warm water, offshore, prime swell season surf*Ride vintage/vintage-inspired boards
*Relax, realign and renew around positive, supportive, like-minded surfers
*Enhance their overall wellbeing & potential both in and out of the water through a variety of integrated holistic modalities between surf sessions
*Return home in better health with tools for personal growth, great memories, new friends, and an epic professionally edited clip from the trip
The Finer Details
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You will be staying at our luxury villa located in the utopian community of Hacienda Iguana along the Emerald Coast of Nicaragua with access to private surf breaks. Our villa has 4 rooms each with private baths, a yoga studio, and multiple social hangout areas on the property. Casa Soul Water is an idyllic holistic surf house boasting a gorgeous pool, custom cedar Sauna & Ice Bath, Yoga Studio, Gym and Light Therapy Room.
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Enjoy and enliven your being with nutrient-dense locally grown healthy meals prepared by our talented chefs as well as our favorite local restaurants. Our culinary team ensures that your dietary preferences and restrictions are taken into account while providing a memorable dining experience.
(During your stay you will enjoy a variety of super food delights such as, bulletproof coffee, cacao drinks, kombucha, and veggie juices).
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We will utilize a variety of professionally guided transformative tools for Mind/Body/Spirit: Breathwork, Yoga, Meditation, Qi gong, Contrast Exposure (Sauna & Ice Bath), Light Therapy and Strength & Mobility Enhancing protocols.
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All guests are encouraged to bring two retro style boards and feel free trading off with other guests. We recommend bringing one larger fun style cruiser board around 7’0 -10’0 (single, twin ,tri, bronzer twinzer for the smaller pealing type of conditions and another slightly or much shorter/funky smaller board as an option.)
All boards are welcome. Bring your newer shaped boards with a nod to the sleds of the golden era and we will also have a selection of retro boards on site from Twinzers, Bonzers, Twin Fins, Single Fins, Longbhoards etc…
All sessions will be filmed with a few watching session at Casa Soul Water during your stay. We’ll also be watching some iconic and not so well known old school surf films. Don’t forget to trow some old school surf trunks into the bag along with any additional retro paraphernalia … zinca, Razors (retro sunnies), etc. If you play an instrument let us know. SWS has a professional music studio stocked with gear for those who want to play.
Your host Derek Thomas has been riding retro boards for most of his life. “Riding the right boards for the right conditions allows you to access the most from each session.” This trip is all about high vibes in an out of the water, trying new boards, diving into the eastern arts, getting silly even and re kindling your passion with like-minded creatures of the sea.
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Everything from small friendly scenic waves for our beginners to peeling points and peaky beach break barrels for the intermediate to advanced surfer. There is no shortage of warm water offshore tropical surf break options. Whatever your skill level, we have skilled surf coaches and guides to make the most out your surf experience. Soul Water has on site a variety of quality soft top boards, ranging from 9’ foot long down to 5’6 twin fins. These boards are especially ideal for the beginner surfer giving them the best opportunity possible for success and fun in the water.
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High quality professional transportation via both land and sea vessels.
Guests may choose to fly into Liberia, Costa Rica or Managua, Nicaragua. Both of the two Int. airports are the same ground travel distance, roughly 2 1/2 hours from our doorstep.
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(Additional Cost)
Relax and renew with a variety of world-class spa treatments to restore and revitalize your system for another epic day. Enjoy massage, facials, body wraps, reflexology etc
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Horseback riding on the beach, mountain biking, hiking, visiting volcanic hot springs, sea turtle spotting, and monkey scouting, sand boarding and lounging at the beachfront villa pool.
Your Host
A seasoned internationally certified Breathwork, Meditation, Yoga, and Contrast Exposure Therapy facilitator. Over the years Derek has hosted his one-of-a-kind holistic holidays in a wide variety of settings around the globe from exclusive resorts and wellness centers throughout the Maldives, Indonesia, Central America, and Hawaii to to more clinical settings of therapist offices. More recently he has had the opportunity to share his "Conscious Breath & Meditation Workshops” with thousands of online participants. He is an Integrated Treatment Provider for the Arizona Relationship Institute designing breathwork protocols for guided ketamine immersions and private therapy sessions and the founder of Conscious Breath & Meditation Immersions as well as the holistic retreat company Soul Water Surf.
Derek Thomas
Facilities
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Nourishing sessions for mind and body wellness. Re-connect to the deeper essence of your spirit through yoga, meditation explorative movement, sound, ceremony, self exploration and more - guided by our sincere professional facilitators and visiting resident guests from around the globe. Immerse yourself in a variety of guided sessions at both the beachfront shala and a handful of our coastlines most coveted sanctuaries during your stay.
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Minimize recovery time, maximize internal wellbeing and push past your limits within a supportive environment.
Professional guided sauna immersions at our private on-site volcanic stone cedar sauna.
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Immerse yourself in group & private sessions with PandoraStar, the worlds most advanced regenerative light machine.
Pandora Star offers a fast, safe and enjoyable way to reach deep altered states of consciousness, adjust ones emotional energy and shift perspectives. With only a handful of these machines currently available globally, we are grateful to have access to this very powerful transformative tool for all SW guests.
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Minimize recovery time, maximize internal wellbeing and push past your limits within a supportive environment.
Professional guided ice bath immersions at our private on-site ozone-filtered ice bath.
Occupancy
Single
$3900
Double
$2900
What people are saying
“Derek has an undeniable love for people, the ocean and sharing his passions. His team were also all professionals, upbeat and stoked to share their knowledge and expertise. The guided Breathwork & Meditation sessions are powerful, unlike anything I’ve experienced. Naturals at keeping us comfortable surfing new breaks, we especially appreciated all the assistance helping us in the line up with catching as many waves as we could each session. Derek knew how to keep the good vibes going!”
-Eddie & Jen Delaney - Austin TX/Costa Rica
“The experiences Derek creates stand out among the plethora of available options in both the remote surf travel and wellness retreat industry. He and his team are knowledgeable about all things surf related, a pleasure to spend time with, and all naturals in regards to crafting like long memories. Derek is also a very gifted musician and provided us with amazing live music under the stars on several evenings.”
-Cathleen & Greg Pecchia - Corona del Mar, CA
Enquire Now
Space is limited so enquire below and let’s go!
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Non-refundable deposit
$500 non-refundable initial deposit is required for all bookings
Full payment is required for any bookings made 1 month prior to Retreat date.
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If you cancel more than 90 days before your retreat start date, 100% of your payment may be applied to another Retreat hosted by Soul Water Surf within 12 months less $500 deposit.
If you cancel within 45 days of the Retreat, your payment is transferrable to any other retreat Soul Water Surf is hosting within a 12 month bracket, less $1000.
If you cancel within 14 days of the Retreat date, you will forfeit your entire payment.
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We recommend getting travel insurance before you join us in Nicaragua in case of any travel disruptions or cancellations - to make sure all your costs will be covered.