Because here on the Malabar coast, the luxury isn’t marble floors or seven-course tasting menus. It’s warm tropical waves, fresh coconuts, yoga with a sea breeze, and connection that sticks.
Words by Adam Simpson | 7th July ‘25
It’s the kind of luxury that doesn’t shout, it settles in quietly and changes the rhythm of your day.
We don’t do polish or pretense. We do care, community, creativity, and surfboards.
yoga class with ocean view and palm trees in Kerala
We’ve been in Kerala for nearly 15 years, building slowly, making mistakes, learning from them, and creating something with real heart. Our India retreat is set in a small coastal village, tucked into the green edge of Varkala, with self-contained clifftop rooms, communal spaces, and views that spill straight onto the Arabian Sea.
We’re not here to compete with resorts. We’re here to offer something else entirely, a place to surf, to breathe, to reset, to connect.
If you’ve seen our Portugal or Sri Lanka journal posts, you’ll already know, we don’t fit neatly into boxes. And we’re fine with that.
Surf coaching at sunrise on Varkala beach
Surf in Kerala is warm, mellow, and best enjoyed early, when the sea is glassy and the light is soft. We focus on playful beach breaks, perfect for learning and progression, especially for beginners and improvers.
Our surf programme includes in-water coaching, land-based theory, video analysis, and small group sizes. We won’t just teach you to pop up, we’ll help you understand the sea, feel the board beneath your feet, and surf with soul.
We can’t promise perfect waves every day, but we can promise a thoughtful, encouraging environment that’s built around your growth and joy in the water.
Yoga here happens in our breezy rooftop shala, with the sound of waves as your playlist. Our classes range from strong morning flows to gentle yin in the evening, always with breath, presence, and connection at their core.
You don’t need to be flexible or enlightened, just curious. We welcome all levels, all bodies, all moods.
And because yoga isn’t an afterthought here, it’s woven into everything, how we surf, how we eat, how we move through the day.
Our kitchen team brings serious flavour to the table. Think local staples, alongside global Sunshine Food classics, tropical breakfasts, sharing boards, homemade pickles, and sneaky desserts.
Meals are shared, generous, colourful, and nourishing, the kind of food that fills you up and brings people together.
This isn’t fine dining. It’s better than that.
A Communal Meal — Sunshine Food on shared table
Not by the usual standards. We don’t have a concierge. We don’t serve cocktails with gold leaf. We don’t fold towels into swans. We’ve got some dodgy sanitary-ware.
But we do offer:
So, no, we’re not a luxury surf camp. But if your version of luxury is time, space, warmth, kindness, and saltwater, then maybe we are.
Retreat Space — Empty hammock waiting for you
Ready to slow down, stretch out, and reconnect in coastal Kerala? Book your spot at Soul & Surf India here, and come experience surf, yoga, Sunshine Food, and soul, the way it was meant to feel.
Thinking About Sri Lanka or Portugal Too?
Our Soul & Surf family stretches across continents. Each retreat is different, but the vibe runs deep:
You could try one. Or all three.
