About Balsa Surf Camp
Balsa Surf Camp is a surf lodge and school tucked into La Punta, the quiet neighbourhood at the north end of Montañita that sits right in front of Ecuador's most famous point break. Built from scratch in 2011 by shaper César "Rasty" Moreira and his partner Julie Daumas, the camp blends bamboo-and-wood cabañas, an on-site restaurant and a hands-on surf culture that revolves around locally made balsa-wood boards.
The school runs lessons for every level with I.S.A.-certified instructors — beginner group sessions start around $30 for 90 minutes, with private coaching and intermediate-to-advanced classes also available. Boards rent by the hour, day or week and range from soft-top learner shapes through fun boards to longboards, and functional training classes help surfers build the balance and paddle fitness the point demands. Guests can even join the shaping workshop and help craft their own balsa surfboard.
What makes Balsa stand out is its old-school soul. Rasty is one of Ecuador's best-known shapers, specialising in classic longboards, fish, single-fins and eggs, and the camp's all-inclusive packages fold accommodation, meals, lessons and photo documentation of your progress into one relaxed stay just thirty metres from the water.
