Ed, Sofie & Kit. | Photography by Jamie Mitchell
In 2009 we gave up our business and jobs and set off on a round-the-world surf trip to see what might happen next. To embrace and encourage change, and to live a life connected to our loves: surf, yoga, travel, music, adventure, healthy living & bringing people together. A whole bunch of different ways of ‘being here, now’.
If it sounds like we’re a bunch of clear skinned, toned, Insta-perfect-muesli-knitting-hippy-vloggers - know that we’re actually not. We’re not very good at surfing, we don’t practise yoga enough, we don’t always get around to meditating even though it makes us feel amazing.
We were just a bit too fond of the party lifestyle, indulgent eating and city-living so we needed to get some balance in our lives. And in 2009 there weren’t many places doing what we do - trust us, we searched - so we made our own.
Soul & Surf in Kerala was what we came up with to extend our trip - to allow us to satisfy our surf, yoga, travel and adventure needs and to live a life less ordinary for a while longer. Almost by accident it became our business, and it is this spirit of happy accidents, instinct and a distinctly non-businessy attitude to decision-making and change that we try to maintain in all that we do. Which isn't to say we’re stoned bumblers or wide-eyed fumblers. Once our gut instinct has decided upon doing something we do it with utmost quality and professionalism and as best we can.
So, here we are, many years down the line (here's Ed lookback after 10 years...), a little boy called Kit in tow, multiple Soul & Surf locations, pop-ups here, there and everywhere and loads of wonderful like-minded staff on board who now make it what it is.
We set up shop in 2010 to offer an alternative to the pile ‘em high, sell ’em cheap surf camps.
Kerala, Sri Lanka, Portugal... and more?
We're a burgeoning, growing, soulful business which believes in the power of people, in the protection of the environment and that business can be done with heart and soul. Check out our manifesto to learn more about our values and what we believe in.
A business with its heart still in Kerala but wings and ethos that have spread to other equally inspirational corners of the globe. Sri Lanka was our second permanent venture, a hop, skip and a jump away from Kerala. Portugal is our third home, in an area we have been visiting regularly since 2008 when we rocked up in our camper-van and free camped by a secluded beach for a month.
We even started spreading our wings further again with our 'Pop-Up' surf and yoga retreats - and Peru, Lombok and Ghana are the areas where we will most likely pop up next but you'll have to keep 'em peeled for new destinations as our plans, our Covid recovery and our Soul & Surf family develop.
More Than Just Surf
We choose original locations, we set our standards high, we hire brilliant staff and we offer so much more than just surf lessons and surf guides. Our yoga, pranayama, meditation, therapies, cafe and music programmes are not just hastily bolted on to tick the marketing boxes, they are the Soul of Soul & Surf. And we work hard to present this all in a very down to earth way so it seems like we don’t work too hard. The result is that we‘re not really sure what to label ourselves. We’re not really a surf camp, we’re not serious enough to call ourselves a (Surf & Yoga) Retreat, or a Wellness Retreat. I guess we’re just a bunch of feel-good people who like some Soul with their Surf, or some Surf with their Soul.
Giving Back
Our commitment to the local culture and environment also spreads with us to our new destinations and their localised issues and situations. We will always support the local community and surf scene wherever we can, as well as staying fully committed to our sustainable-ish plan.
I guess we’re just a bunch of feel-good people who like some Soul with their Surf, or some Surf with their Soul.
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