Custom Ecuador Surf & Yoga Adventure in Ayampe

The programme is built around daily surfing, but how that looks depends entirely on you. If you're new to it, you'll get lessons and coaching with video analysis so you can see what you're doing wrong and fix it. If you already surf, you can just take a board and head to the break. Bikes are included in a turnkey package so you can ride into town or along the coast between sessions. The team also arranges activities like the Colibri Trail hike, mountain biking, snorkelling at Isla de la Plata, or a day at the Mauli Spa if you want a break from the water.

Ayampe sits on Ecuador's central coast, and the region is unusually varied for such a small country. You've got the Pacific right there, but the Andes and the Amazon are both within reach if you want to extend the trip. The town itself is quiet — most restaurants are family-run, and the pace is slow enough that people stop in the street to talk. The beach break is the main draw: consistent, peaky and long enough that it doesn't feel crowded even when there are plenty of people out. There are also point breaks nearby that are less well known.

What makes this different from a standard surf camp is that nothing is fixed. You're not slotting into a set week of group classes. You're telling them what you want and they're arranging it — lodging, transport, lessons, activities — around your dates and your budget. That means it works for a solo traveller who wants a cheap dorm bed and two lessons a day, and equally for a family of five who want a whole rental house with a pool and a chef's kitchen. The lodging list runs from hostels up to boutique hotels and private villas, all either on the beach or steps from it.

Accommodation options include La Tortuga Suites, a small hotel a three-minute walk from the sand with a restaurant, bar, garden and pool table; Spondylus Lodge, which has apartment-style rooms, private rooms and a shared dorm, plus an outdoor jacuzzi; Finca Punta, where private bungalows sit up in the trees with ocean views; Casa Vikinga, budget private bungalows with full kitchens; Cabañas La Tortuga, a beachfront property with two A/C bungalows and a dorm, sleeping up to eight; and Villas Los Olivos, a boutique eco-luxury option with king beds, walk-in rain showers, in-room kitchenettes, a pool and a pavilion with an outdoor fireplace. For groups, there are rental homes like Casa Hygge (4 rooms around a pool, sleeps 11, $400/night), Endless Summer Surfhouse (private pool, games room, sleeps 8, $450/night), Villa Santa Clarita (3 bedrooms, private pool, exercise room, $350/night), Casa Andres (4 bedrooms, pool, palapa BBQ area) and Casa Jacito (4 bedrooms, infinity pool overlooking the jungle and ocean). Smaller options include Casa Nomad, a one-bedroom casita with a teak deck two minutes from the main break.

Coaching and logistics are handled by the Safari Surf team, who've been running trips here long enough to have 300+ reviews on TripAdvisor and a stack of Certificates of Excellence going back years. They know the breaks, the tides and which lodging suits which kind of traveller, and they'll tell you honestly what will work for your dates and ability level. If you want surf photos and video analysis included, that's part of a turnkey package — useful if you're trying to actually improve rather than just paddle out and hope.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation (type depends on package) - Transportation (airport transfers and local transport) - Bike rental - Some meals - Daily surf lessons - Video analysis - Surf photos - Activities as arranged

What's not included

- International flights - Travel insurance - Some meals not specified in your package - Personal expenses - Optional spa treatments - Optional tours not included in your package - Alcohol