Going Solo to a Surf Camp in El Palmar: What to Expect

There's a question that often comes up before booking:

"Can I go to a Surfcamp alone?"

The answer is yes. And, in fact, it's very common for several people in the group to arrive without knowing anyone.

Coming alone doesn't mean spending the weekend by yourself. You arrive by yourself, but from day one you share a Surfhouse, surf sessions, meals, and plenty of time with people who have come for a similar reason to yours.

The first few minutes are probably the strangest

You arrive at a house where you don't know anyone yet, drop off your things, and start putting faces to names that, until then, didn't mean much.

That's why on the first night, we don't just let everyone show up and go to their room. We introduce the group, do a small ice-breaker activity to get to know each other, and explain how we've organized the Surfcamp.

We also look at the surf forecast together and talk about each person's experience.

You don't need to be particularly extroverted. The dynamic of the following days does a good part of the work itself.

Surfing breaks the ice pretty quickly

After the first session, there's already something to talk about.

A wave you caught, another that went over you, how the sea was, how long you've been surfing, or if it was your first time.

Sharing a session makes many conversations appear without having to force them.

Additionally, we organize classes by level. This means that for a good part of your time in the water, you'll be with people who are at a similar stage to you.

What if you've never surfed?

You don't need to come accompanied by someone who knows how to surf or have previous experience.

If it's your first time, we start from scratch, and you'll be with other people whose level allows them to work on the same things.

You don't have to prove anything before you arrive. The better we know your actual experience, the better we can organize the group you'll be surfing with.

What if you already surf on your own?

It also makes sense to come alone.

If you're already self-sufficient, you can share the water with other people who have also been surfing for a while and work from a different point than the beginner groups.

And if what you're looking for is much more specific work on your surfing, you can check out our Technification Surfcamp.

Outside the water is where the group truly forms

A Surfcamp isn't just about taking a class, going back to your room, and repeating the next day.

Between sessions, there are breakfasts, time in the Surfhouse, video analysis, conversations about what happened in the water, meals, and the Saturday barbecue.

When conditions allow, we also try to go back into the water together for a Free Surf, this time without exercises or corrections.

After sharing all that, the atmosphere on Sunday is usually quite different from when you arrived.

But you don't have to be socializing all the time either

Coming alone to a Surfcamp doesn't mean having to spend every minute doing things with the group.

There's also time to rest and be on your own. You can take a nap after surfing, go for a walk, read, or simply do nothing for a while.

The group is there, but there's no obligation to constantly participate in a conversation or a plan.

The problem usually appears before booking

Often the difficulty isn't in coming alone, but in deciding to do it.

You want to come, but your partner doesn't surf. Your friends can't make that weekend. Vacations don't align, or you've been waiting for months for someone to have the same dates as you.

You don't need multiple people's calendars to align to come surfing.

Precisely one of the advantages of a Surfcamp is that you can book your spot on your own and meet the group when you arrive.

What if I'm embarrassed to arrive alone?

It's a completely normal concern.

From home, it's easy to imagine that you'll arrive and everyone will know each other except you. The reality is usually quite different: there are couples, friends, and people who come alone, and many are meeting everyone else exactly like you.

And there's something that helps a lot: no one has come there by chance. You have all chosen to spend those days around surfing.

Coming alone also allows you to do the trip your way

You don't have to choose a Surfcamp because it fits someone else's level, vacation, or desire to surf.

You can choose the dates that suit you and focus on what you came to do.

Then, once there, you share a good part of those days with people you probably didn't know before either.

If it's your first Surfcamp

If, in addition to coming alone, it's your first time doing a Surfcamp, we've prepared a guide with everything you need to know before coming: what to bring, what level you need, and how we organize the sessions.

How to prepare for your first Surfcamp in El Palmar

Don't wait to have someone to come with

If you've been wanting to do a Surfcamp for a while and the only thing holding you back is not having a companion, that doesn't have to decide for you.

You can check all upcoming dates in our Adult Surfcamps in El Palmar and choose the one that best suits you.

And if you want to know what the group is like for a specific date or have doubts about your level before booking, write to us using the WhatsApp button on the website and we'll chat with you.