Earth to Ocean Retreat
A retreat for working professionals wanting to change perspective
The retreat.
Step out of your day-to-day life and get perspective with a group of eager learners. This journey is a five day retreat to come home refreshed and inspired, so you can continue your life with more attention, intention and clarity (and of some importance; improved surf skills!).
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12-17 June 2026
3-18 September 2026 -
Ondina Guesthouse, Ericeira, Portugal
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8 - 14
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Ruby Parengkuan & Mathijs Matser from Scheveningen, NL
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Standard €1350 shared room*
Upgrade €1550 private room**Option to book without surf if for any reason you are not keen (€200 off)
What to expect.
During this five day retreat, you will explore different tools to help you take care of yourself. You will self-enquire going through a mixture of experiences, both active and still. You will surf, move through dynamic yoga classes and spend time in nature, solo or with others. You will be guided through meaningful reflection, yin yoga and breathwork. With a group of peers, you will learn about yourself and recharge, whilst also enjoying a joyful holiday, with delicious food, spectaculair views and humour.
Included: five nights, daily yoga classes, daily surf lessons & equipment, surf video analysis, opening/closing circles, vegan breakfast & dinner, prep call & integration call.
This if NOT for you, if:
You are looking for a very calm, silent retreat
You don’t want to invest in your personal development
You would rather not connect with others
You prefer to stay with what you know/in comfort
What this week will bring you.
Besides an unforgettable and joyful holiday, this week will bring you a deeper sense of connection to yourself and to nature. It will bring inspiration and clarity on important things in your life. Finally, it will bring potential new friendships, improved surfing skills for those eager and a deepened yoga practice.
Who it’s for.
We create retreats for working professionals looking for a change of perspective. Our mission is simple. We want to inspire more and more people with the lifestyle we love: being near the ocean, surfing and other tools that have completely transformed our wellbeing: yoga, breathwork and meaningful reflection.
Is this you?
You are looking for a different type of holiday. Solo, but with others.
You have been doing too much; work, parenthood, a busy social life, etc.
You feel slightly restless and/or disconnected
You love (the idea of learning) to surf or are keen to improve your skills
You have an interest in tools to connect you with your body, but are not overly spiritual
You enjoy being active
You wouldn’t mind more clarity on important decisions
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Ruben
“Man, what a super interesting and inspiring experience. Even as an amateur, I felt at ease and was able to learn a lot and very quickly. Respect for all teachers, their lessons and their personal attention. The location and facilities have been tremendous. Staff are super friendly and great, healthy food with a lot of variety. Would definitely come back.”
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Robin
“I found this to be such a unique and beautiful experience and it was more than I ever hoped for. Lovely people, a lot of love and fun. Thank you for everything. I would recommend this to anyone that is looking for an experience to do by yourself, but also together with others!”
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Jasper
“This retreat exceeded expectations. Wonderful blend of opposites: quiet and loud, active and restful, being introverted and extraverted. Beautiful location, exceptional food and lovely people. Would highly recommend it! Ruby and Thijs have created a magical experience.”
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Eline
“This was amazing. I felt renewed and reenergized. Yoga and meditation brings you in touch with your body and soul. The surfing brings playfulness and brings you in touch with nature. The self reflection questions bring you in touch with yourself again. I need this every year! The perfect week for reflection, clarity, calmness and inspiration.”
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Bas
“A full week of beautiful people, AMAZING food, great breathwork, yoga and surf sessions at a beautiful place with great staff and created full of love by Thijs & Ruby. Almost too good to be true ;).”
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Geri
“Ruby and Thijs created a beautiful retreat. It was a wonderful balance between physical, mental and emotional connection. They are so calm, kind and welcoming which created a great vibe. I would definitely come back again.”
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Lotte-Maria
“What a beautiful, fun, intense week full of love, light and growth. The workshops were very special to me. I enjoyed all of them and loved that we went deeper all the time, exploring the layers. Thank you Ruby and Thijs for holding space and creating such a thoughtful journey. Till next year!”
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Clara
“It was an absolutely amazing experience. I would not miss any of Sukacita's retreats, given the personal benefits I gained and the amazing people and connections I made. A week felt like a lifetime; I reconnected with myself, enjoyed personal time, stayed active, and pushed myself to try new things. I highly recommend this retreat to anyone who resonates with these experiences. I can't wait to return.”
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Annely
“The retreat was above expectations! The program and setting were so well thought through. An amazing journey physically and mentally. I loved it!”
Schedule a call
Let’s schedule a call, we’d love to hear you out on what you are looking for so we can work out together if this is where you need to be.
We are staying at Ondina Guesthouse, a cosy and familiar family owned Guesthouse. Ondina Guesthouse is located in Casais de S. Lourenço, a small village close to Ericeira. It rests 5 minutes walking from the São Lourenço Beach, one of the World Surfing Reserve paradises. The Guesthouse is a 40 min. drive away from Lisbon airport.
One of it’s highlights is it’s stunning and spacious yoga studio with big glass doors (that open) overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. This studio is located 300m away from the main guesthouse, in a secluded spot on top of the cliffs. One of the reasons we chose this as our newest location.
Semi-private rooms (sharing with one other person) is standard. All rooms include their own bathroom. Upgrade to a private room possible.
Accommodation
07:00 | You get up early, the morning still crisp. You meet your fellow retreaters for a powerful morning yoga class that makes you feel vibrant, with clarity of mind to start the day with intention. You learn one or two things that help evolve your yoga practice.
08:30 | Followed by absolute delicious, healthy breakfast that is a feast for the eye as well as the taste buds, you start your day well. Every other day this breakfast is in silence.
09:30 | You grab your wetsuit, sunscreen and join our local surf instructors for a morning of surf lessons at one of the stunning and raw beaches of Portugal. It might be your first surfing lesson ever! Get ready to dive into the interesting, fun and challenging process of learning to surf ;)
12:30 | All surfed out and rosy, you have the afternoon to yourself to grab some lunch, chill at the beach, read a book, go for a walk or have a little nap.
17:00 | At the end of the day you get ready for one of our magical sessions. You dive into the world of breath work, meditation, yoga nidra, yin yoga or soak up nature during a hike. You take time to reflect, create space and to dive deeper into yourself and the wisdom of your body. You might gain some new insights.
19:00 | As the week progresses, you start to get to know your little Sukacita family better, feeling more and more connected. Dinner is served, another delicious meal by our amazing chefs.
20:00 | You flop down on the couch for your surf videoanalysis (2 nights) and receive a few great tips from your coach. Some big laughs with your new friends, and you go to bed feeling content, connected, inspired and ready to do the exact same the next day.
*We are always dependant on the surfing conditions, so times of classes may vary per day.
A typical day*
What binds us is definitely our massive love for the outdoor lifestyle, the ocean, the simple life and living a life with meaning. Sukacita really is nothing more than a passion projects that brings us closer together as a couple and reminds us of the things we value so much in life.
Ruby has been teaching & studying yoga in Sydney, Byron Bay & Amsterdam for nearly 10 years and coaches teams and leaders as part of culture change programs in organisations. She is a learning addict, has completed 500+ hours of studying yogic philosophy, has invested in her own development (and surf ‘career’) extensively over the years and still continues to learn daily.
Thijs has a big love for water sports like kitesurfing and surfing and is a certified breath coach. After having experienced the powerful effects of breathwork himself, he feels committed to personal growth and facilitating positive change in the lives of those around him.
About us
FAQ
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No. Most of our guests are beginners surfers. We always work with local surf schools that know the area and local breaks and know how to safely guide beginners in the ocean. You just need an open mind, a willingness to learn and be ready to get out of your comfort zone!
For the intermediate or more advanced surfers; we group students based on level so you get to work on your personal goals with one of the coaches.
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Nope :) all levels are welcome. Just let us know if you are working with specific injuries or learning goals.
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It varies, but we have a lot of people booking this retreat solo. We absolutely encourage this, as we see something really special unfolding when we surround ourselves with new people and making new connections. Guests generally love this and some of them are still friends now, after some of our previous retreats.
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Every other day we have breakfast in silence, so you can start the day in quietude. You can have your breakfast anywhere in the villa. Guests usually love these moments, to start the day slow or to take some time to reflect instead of rushing into their next conversation.
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This is a question that we get a lot. We mostly work with and attract working professionals in between the age of 25 and 60, who perhaps have been working a little too much and deep down know there is something more. They simply need time to slow down and reconnect. This is the group we identify with most ourselves.
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For us, the most important thing is that you take what you need. This is your holiday. We encourage you to do what feels good, whether that means going out for an extra surf session or taking a nap, reading a book or taking a massage.
Surf lessons can therefore be booked separately.
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We are always dependant on sign-ups and will give a final go or no-go at least 3 months in advance. We advise you to not book any flights booked prior to that, unless communicated differently.
