El Paredon, Guatemala is a gem.  It's a small fishing village that brushes up against Guatemala's iconic black sand beach, The Wall.  Sipicate National Park is a massive area filled with mangroves, canals, and a beautiful estuary.  This village itself is prosperous through local enterprise due to the growth of tourism over the years.  It is a charming place where life is simple, every day.  Our stay will be located just a short walk from town at a hotel called Swell built by a good friend of ours from Montreal.   Swell is our home for the week and will be the place to spend plenty of time moving, breathing, chatting, and where we get good at doing nothing.  Fresh food is prepared throughout the day, smoothies poolside, and a cozy casita to climb into when the day is done.  We will push each other and hopefully grow a little with some new friends. 

We hope to see you here!

Andy + Phil and the gang!

Phil and Andy have prepared a program specifically suited to the retreat environment.

Phil is a hot vinyasa trained instructor who has taught both in the US and internationally over the past few years. His classes are a heavily rooted in the breath, tuning into your own rhythm, and meeting you exactly where you are. As Phil says, he specializes in “teaching yoga for people who don’t do yoga.” Whether it’s your first time on the mat or your thousandth, we’re sure you’ll find a place in Phil’s all-levels classes. After each class you may choose to lay in the room for another hour or two, take a dip in the pool downstairs, or sit and journal as post-savasana vibes hang in the air.

Andy will be leading yin and yoga nidra style classes nightly throughout the retreat. If you’ve met Andy before, you’d agree that he is an absolutely magnetic human—and he’s is no different on the mat. Andy understands yoga for all of it’s limbs and teaches the practice from a place that only someone who’s tasted both the darkness and the light can access. His buttery evening classes are sure to bring you down after a day in the sand and sun.  Andy has taught here in the states on occasion but currently leads classes in Guatemala and Mexico.  


The balance between each carefully crafted class will leave your heart open and body at ease. The open air space at Swell is magical. Beams of light swimming in from open windows, birds chirping, waves lapping, and tangible energy from the land and those around you will leave you blissed for days.


Drop in and tune out in a distraction free setting that will help you connect to your practice like never before.


Retreat participants can also request private yoga or meditation instruction with either instructor throughout the retreat.

Though the focus of our stay in Guatemala is our yoga practice on and off of the mat, one can't come to El Paredon without trying to surf.  If you are a surf enthusiast then you will be relieved to know that this village has a wave machine located in front of it.

El Paredon is located in a secluded national park filled with mangroves that rest up against the most beautiful black sand beach in Guatemala.  The direction of the beach makes it a consent wave machine and in the winter months is an excellent place for beginner to advanced surfer to have a time of their lives.  The local crowd is laid back and encouraging. The ocean is beautiful and the view of the volcanos from it can be breathtaking in the morning.  

We will have a mix of surf instructors from the U.S. and EL Paredon to work with you.  Our goal is to make sure everyone catches waves, smiles, and stays safe in the process.  Our optional classes will offer levels of lessons depending on where you are at in your surfing journey.  If it's the first time then there is no better place to learn. 

*One on One coaching is available as well for an additional cost.

El Paredon is a charming fishing village.  It is a small town of 1,000 residents, many have lived and fished there their whole lives.  Increased tourism has supported local enterprises throughout the village and surrounding areas.  The are multiple local eateries and plenty of foreign-owned establishments to hang, drink, and eat.  The national park is filled with miles of estuary, river, and canals.  The national forest's main feature is its vast area of mangrove forests that lines its waterways.  

• Eat and walk around the village
• Boat trip through the estuary to the river mouth for a sunset bone fire
• An afternoon with Choza Chula and games with some of the local children at the library 
• Or get really good at doing nothing
• Multiple venues and activities to explore during your stay

The Swell Nosh Bar nourishes the feel-good vibe with nightly drinks, fresh juices and a variety of tasty food options. You will not go hungry.  The majority of meals will be prepared by one of the most charming and welcoming chefs we've ever met - backed by a local kitchen staff that has been preparing meals for us for years. Every meal is cooked from scratch with only the best local ingredients. Every meal will be thoughtful, tasteful, and nutritious. Most of our meals will be enjoyed in the kitchen as a family, but the tapas menu is available all day - and into the evening.  

For a Guatemalan getaway that balances boho-chic with elegance and design, Swell is the ideal combination of a cozy home-like feeling with the personalized guest attention and service of a boutique hotel. 

The locally inspired thatched palm roof dominating the entrance of the hotel immediately leads guests to enter a stylish indoor-outdoor lounge area of handcrafted wooden sofas and swings around an inviting bar made of locally sourced Guanacaste wood. The contemporary aesthetic of the furniture, designed by the owners themselves and handcrafted by a talented local carpenter, exudes a modern elegance to this main space. The natural textures and exotic touches make for a relaxed, convivial environment where guests can sit back and socialize. 

Set between a tropical garden and a cozy open lounge area, the guests are greeted by the commanding sight of an impressive 20m turquoise-blue swimming pool surrounded by a natural pine wood deck. The defining signature architectural feature of the hotel is a series of polished white structural elements that animate one side of the pool’s length, poetically articulating the 4 Swim-Up Suites. Each of the four rooms features its own private pine wood terrace and swim-up platform for exclusive morning wake-up swims and afternoon lounging. These suites offer a contemporary environment of clean polished concrete interiors and built-in shelves, contrasted by the warmth of local wood furniture and handpicked Guatemalan textiles. All of the rooms enjoy the luxury of their own open air private bathroom offering a tropical shower under the stars surrounded by lush palms. 

The thatched roof bungalows, that characterize the other suites, vary in style and amenities to adapt to the traveler’s taste. These locally inspired structures offer the unique experience of sleeping under a traditional roof of woven palm leaves, cradled by the sound of the ocean waves, and are designed with intimate terrace lounges set within landscaped tropical gardens. 

After sunset, the hotel grounds are transformed by its warm strategically designed lighting. The woven straw light fixtures, handmade by local artisans, and suspended throughout the lounge and restaurant spaces reflect shimmering shadows in the swimming pool and white polished structures.