Where it all began (and what guides us still)

The story, the standards and the philosophy behind our retreats

We built what we couldn’t find

We’re Vickie and Sergio. Once upon a time, we worked in advertising and law firms in big cities. New York, Sydney, Buenos Aires. Good careers. Long hours. But always that nagging feeling of “There has to be more to life than this”.

We met in Costa Rica in 2013. Fell in love. Then fell in love with an idea. What if we built a retreat that felt grounded, thoughtful and curated for a specific surf-and-yoga type? Nothing flashy. Nothing performative. Just really, really well done.

Then came Santa Catalina. It had (and still has) everything we need. Warm waves, kind people and room to breathe! So we built Waluaa slowly and intentionally. Not as an escape from life. But as a way back to it.

This rhythm of daily surf and yoga, set against the raw Panamanian coastline, brought a joy we hadn’t known before. Sharing that rhythm is what fuels us.

We know how precious vacation days are. Trust us… we’ve lived the burnout! This time should restore you. Uplift you. Help you find balance again… especially now. And while we can rely on Santa Catalina to give us the elements of surf, stillness and space. It’s the locations and the crew at Waluaa that bring them together. 

We can’t wait for you to experience that.

Sergio & Vickie

Accessible. Intentional. Really well done

Having a philosophy is important to us. Because let’s face it. When you build something big and ask people to spend their precious time and money with you, you’d better know what you stand for. 

And what we stand for is the mental and physical strength that surfing and yoga bring. We strongly believe that they should be accessible to everyone. And that exceptional, safe instruction needn’t come with an inflated price tag. Our philosophy also extends to the following tenets:

  • You’re never too old to start
  • Surfing is more than standing up
  • Yoga is more than stretching
  • Rest and joy are productive
  • Feeling good matters more than looking good

Born from two magical words

Wave ~ Tula

We thought about our name for a long time.

It had to mean something. 

We landed on Waluaa because the ocean has always felt like a mirror to life. You don’t control the sets. You adjust. You stay present. That’s the Wave part. Then there’s Tula, which means balance in Sanskrit. It’s simple. Live in a way that feels aligned. Remember that strength and ease can exist together.

Those two ideas guide everything we do. They’re why Waluaa exists. To offer surf and yoga as a way back to balance, grounded in the raw beauty of Santa Catalina.