Gay Surf Week, an all-inclusive retreat centered around surfing and wellness, is gearing up for an exciting year ahead. Set to take place in Costa Rica at Surf Synergy | All-Inclusive Surf & Wellness Camp, the 2025 Gay Surf Weeks are designed to provide a joyous and inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ individuals looking to embrace their love for surfing while connecting with a like-minded community. No prior surfing experience is necessary to join, making it accessible to all levels of experience.
2025 Gay Surf Week Schedule
Gay Surf Week will host three retreats in 2025, each with its unique theme and target audience. The retreats are scheduled as follows:
- Gay Surf Week (LGBT+ inclusive): May 10-17
- Sapphic Surf Week (LBT+ centric): August 23-30
- Gay Surf Week (LGBT+ inclusive with a Halloween theme): October 23-November 1
Each retreat is designed to provide participants with the opportunity to experience professional surf coaching, wellness practices, and an intimate queer community in an idyllic setting.
Gay Surf Week accommodations. A variety of room types including 2 king rooms, double queen rooms, and 2 penthouse suites. The best views in town and steps from the pool.
What’s Included in the Retreats
Each Gay Surf Week retreat offers an all-inclusive experience, ensuring guests can unwind and fully enjoy the week without any worries. The retreat includes:
- Luxury accommodation for seven nights
- Five surf lessons with one-on-one coaching
- Video analysis of surfing technique
- Four yoga classes
- Daily meals (three per day)
- Massage and ice baths
- A breathwork workshop
- An off-site excursion to explore the beauty of Costa Rica
- Professional photos and videos of participants in action
The property itself boasts bungalows and a new villa complex, offering the perfect space for fun pool parties, laid-back movie nights, and post-surf hangouts. The retreats run from Saturday to Saturday, offering a full week of relaxation, surfing, and connection with the LGBTQ+ community.
Creating Safe Spaces for Queer Surfers
In the world of surfing, which is often dominated by heteronormative and sometimes hostile environments, Gay Surf Week offers a much-needed reprieve. Surf line-ups, which are typically competitive and aggressive, often create tension and stress, leaving little room for individuals to feel comfortable and accepted. Gay Surf Week provides a space where LGBTQ+ surfers can take up space both in and out of the water, free from the usual societal pressures and prejudices.
Weeklong retreats centered on wellness, propelled by surfing, and elevated by queer community.
“For many queer people, spaces dedicated to our community offer a sense of safety and belonging,” said Joe Santini, the founder of Gay Surf Week. “We have gay ski weeks, gay sports leagues, and even gay cruises, but there was a gap in the surf world. Gay Surf Week creates a welcoming environment that not only encourages queer surfers but celebrates our identities. It’s a weeklong affirmation of who we are.”
Joe Santini is the founder of Gay Surf Week, a project born out of his love for surfing and his passion for creating inclusive spaces for the LGBTQ+ community. With years of experience hosting retreats around the world, Santini is dedicated to offering queer-friendly travel experiences that combine adventure, self-care, and community. His upcoming memoir will further explore his personal connection to surfing and his journey as a queer individual in the sport.
The Vision Behind Gay Surf Week
Joe Santini, the founder and host of Gay Surf Week, shares a deep connection with both surfing and his identity as a queer individual. “I found surfing while I was also discovering my sexuality. The two have been intertwined for me personally,” said Santini. “I believe surfing is an inherently queer activity—it’s all about personal expression and connection to the natural world.”
Santini, who has hosted retreats in over 20 countries, created Gay Surf Week as a response to what he perceived as a lack of queer-inclusive travel experiences that aligned with his personal values. “I’ve attended Gay Ski Weeks, but they felt too piecemeal and expensive. Other gay travel experiences, like Atlantis Cruises, often leaned too heavily into party culture. I wanted something more grounded and community-focused.”
Weeklong retreats centered on wellness, propelled by surfing, and elevated by queer community.
Join us as we take over an all-inclusive surf and wellness
camp on Costa Rica’s Central Coast for seven days of
professional surf coaching and community celebration!
Gay Surf Week is designed for all LGBT+ travelers and
queer adventurers.
As he continues to grow the Gay Surf Week brand, Santini is also writing a queer surfing memoir set in Sri Lanka, blending his love for surfing with his personal journey of self-discovery.
Scholarships for 2025 Retreats
In an effort to make Gay Surf Week more accessible to individuals from diverse backgrounds, Santini is offering fully-funded and partially-funded scholarships for all three retreats in 2025. These scholarships aim to support LGBTQ+ individuals who might not otherwise have the financial means to participate in such a luxury travel experience. Special consideration will be given to transgender applicants, particularly in light of the challenging political climate, as well as to queer Costa Ricans who wish to experience their own coastlines in a new and exciting way.
The scholarship application period will run from March 2 to March 30, 2025. Santini emphasized that including individuals from various financial backgrounds is key to enriching the experience and ensuring the retreat reflects the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community.
Gay Surf Week is more than just a surf retreat; it’s a celebration of queer identity, community, and adventure. With stunning Costa Rican coastlines, expert surf coaching, and a focus on wellness, the retreats promise to provide an unforgettable experience for LGBTQ+ travelers in 2025.
For more information about the retreats, including details on how to apply for scholarships, visit the Gay Surf Week website or follow their social media channels for updates.
As Santini puts it: “This is about creating a space where queer people can be themselves, feel empowered, and experience the joy of surfing while being supported by a community that truly understands them.”
