We're about community building, paddling out, catching waves, and having a chill time. From beginners to advanced surfers, it's all about the fun, connections and solidarity. Come flow with us!
We bring together LGBTQ+ folks from all over the world for surfing adventures and retreats. From Morocco to Panama, our retreats feature daily professional coaching or beginner lessons, board rentals, accomodations, yoga and mediation classes, surf theory, photos to take home, and video analysis.
You'll leave a better surfer and have a whole new group of great friends and connections.
We host retreats in some of our favourite destinations and are always looking for travellers who want to explore new destinations in smaller groups.
Retreats
We know the place, we’ve been here before, and the vibe is all about fun, laughs, and chill times. From dawn patrol to family dinners and everything in between, all the amenities are there on site. Retreats are bigger groups of for 10-20 people, depending on where we go.
New Destinations
We’re taking you, the more adventurous type, along to discover new places with us. We will explore new waves and beaches together, scouting for places to have future retreats. For a maximum of 6 people, Steven will be your surf guide for a more adventurous trip.
We bring together LGBTQ+ folks from all over the world for surfing adventures and retreats. From Morocco to Panama, our retreats feature daily professional coaching or beginner lessons, board rentals, accomodations, yoga and mediation classes, surf theory, photos to take home, and video analysis.
You'll leave a better surfer and have a whole new group of great friends and connections.
We host retreats in some of our favourite destinations and are always looking for travellers who want to explore new destinations in smaller groups.
Retreats
We know the place, we’ve been here before, and the vibe is all about fun, laughs, and chill times. From dawn patrol to family dinners and everything in between, all the amenities are there on site. Retreats are bigger groups of for 10-20 people, depending on where we go.
New Destinations
We’re taking you, the more adventurous type, along to discover new places with us. We will explore new waves and beaches together, scouting for places to have future retreats. For a maximum of 6 people, Steven will be your surf guide for a more adventurous trip.
Who Are We?
We’re a couple of friends trying to create a community for the LGBTQ+ surfers, in and out of the water. From beginners to advanced surfers, we everyone is welcome. From the dawn patrol paddle out until the family dinner and everything in between, you’ll quickly find yourself telling stories and sharing laughs with new friends.
Rainbow Surf Retreats was founded by Steven Redant from Spain and Rich Overgaard from Canada. The pair met over Instagram and have been working, like several others across the globe, to help connect LGBTQ+ surfers. In 2023, we added the amazing Michael Leask from Australia to the family. Our goal is to create an inclusive, fun, chill, and social experience where LGBTQ+ surfers can turn their digital connections into real friendships. From paddling out together to our "family dinners", the retreats build so much more than just better surfers.
Follow Rainbow Surf Retreats on Instagram to see all the adventures. You can also follow LongboardZaddy and SurferGays for more cool content.
Rainbow Surf Retreats was founded by Steven Redant from Spain and Rich Overgaard from Canada. The pair met over Instagram and have been working, like several others across the globe, to help connect LGBTQ+ surfers. In 2023, we added the amazing Michael Leask from Australia to the family. Our goal is to create an inclusive, fun, chill, and social experience where LGBTQ+ surfers can turn their digital connections into real friendships. From paddling out together to our "family dinners", the retreats build so much more than just better surfers.
Follow Rainbow Surf Retreats on Instagram to see all the adventures. You can also follow LongboardZaddy and SurferGays for more cool content.
Rich lives in Vancouver, Canada and first built his skills as a surfer on an LGBTQ-friendly surf safari in Costa Rica back in 2015. Now, he tries to get away once or twice per year to the warm waters of Mexico and Central America to chill on a beach and catch waves. At 44, Rich loves a longboard and is working on walking up and down his board as he cruises long beach break waves. Rich is also the founder of @Surfergays on Instagram, which he created in January 2020 to help connect and show love for all the LGBTQ surfers out there.
Steven was an international DJ from the gay circuit who lives in the Canary Islands, Spain. He gets to surf most days and started when his midlife crisis hit (it was surfing or a Porsche!). He also organizes surf retreats in Morocco, Sri Lanka, and the Canary Islands. Surfing has now taken over his life and he’s passionate about sharing that love of the sport with others. He’s now training to be a longboard instructor (at 49 years old!). Steven is the founder of @longboardzaddy on Instagram and loves to share the knowledge he has and see people smile and progress in the water. He’s also a mediation leader.
Michael from Perth, Australia joined the Rainbow Surf Retreats family after a scouting trip with Steven in Bali. He is a DJ and runs a successful media company called Pineapple Fingers. Whenever time and waves allow, he's surfing right in front of his own door. Micahel is very involved in the local queer surf community and the rest of the Rainbow crew is thrilled to have him on our team, even if he is a short boarder. ;)
Steven was an international DJ from the gay circuit who lives in the Canary Islands, Spain. He gets to surf most days and started when his midlife crisis hit (it was surfing or a Porsche!). He also organizes surf retreats in Morocco, Sri Lanka, and the Canary Islands. Surfing has now taken over his life and he’s passionate about sharing that love of the sport with others. He’s now training to be a longboard instructor (at 49 years old!). Steven is the founder of @longboardzaddy on Instagram and loves to share the knowledge he has and see people smile and progress in the water. He’s also a mediation leader.
Michael from Perth, Australia joined the Rainbow Surf Retreats family after a scouting trip with Steven in Bali. He is a DJ and runs a successful media company called Pineapple Fingers. Whenever time and waves allow, he's surfing right in front of his own door. Micahel is very involved in the local queer surf community and the rest of the Rainbow crew is thrilled to have him on our team, even if he is a short boarder. ;)
Some important information about how we work
- Rainbow Surf Retreats is NOT a travel agency. We are a group of friends who like to share our knowledge and adventures as surf and travel guides. We share the nicest places we know so you get the holiday you want. We partner with local hotels and surf schools.
- We highly recommend you buy travel insurance, including trip cancellation insurance. Make sure your insurance includes surfing and ocean rescue. Surfing is considered an “extreme sport” in some policies, and comes with some risks. Your insurance might not cover that.
- In case of cancellation we will reimburse 100% of your fee if a replacement is found by us, or by yourself. if no replacement is found we will reimburse you 50% of the advance paid. If the cancellation is less then 2 weeks before the retreat, unfortunately we can’t reimburse the advance anymore (unless we find replacement of course).
- We are guides, we can only suggest what to do. Travellers are all adults and must take any responsibility if something happens due to your actions. If any of your actions has negative impact on the group (such as but not limited to misbehaviour in the hotel, disrespect for locals, fights, insults, run-ins with the law etc) we reserve the right to expel you, from the group and the hotel.
- We are an LGBTQ+ retreat and we try to create a safe space as much as we can. We also travel to countries where this is not (yet) widely accepted. The hotels we go to have been scouted by us and generally don’t have any problems with our groups. Inside our hotel compounds there is a safe space as much as possible. Outside of the hotel, we unforunately have no influence on the culture of our host countries, but we will stand up as a group against injustice as much as we can. In return we ask from everybody that they respect the local customs and culture. We are a guest in a foreign land after all.
- Nudity is NOT allowed on any of our retreats.
- In some countries (muslim countries for example), public display of affection between any type of couple or lovers, regarless of sexuality, can be unwelcome or simply not allowed. By behaving just as we are, and with respect for their customs and culture - and laws-, we have a chance of changing some minds about the LGBTQ+ community.
- If you travel with your own surf board, make sure to check if your airline company accepts your board. You can always check with us. We have some experience, but are no experts on all companies.
- Please let us know, well in advance is you have ny dietary restrictions or allergies. We will try to accommodate you as much is possible.
- Our door and ears are always open if you should have any questions, doubts or problem about anything.
