21–29 August 2027 | Siargao, Philippines
DiP Away: Siargao
The Retreat
A women’s surf & underwater photography retreat. Surfers sliding above the water, portraits below, and slow island days in Siargao’s golden light.
❋ Surf & Underwater
Proper hands-on time with both disciplines: surf photography from the boat with Helena as your in-water model, and underwater portraits with a model in the pool and ocean.
❋ Small Group, No Rush
Feedback, not a formula, in a group small enough to actually get it. Water sessions run in safe, uncrowded spots at your own pace.
❋ Travel with Purpose
Every DiP Away retreat partners with a local community organisation. You’ll visit our community partner, meet the women we support and see first-hand where your contribution goes. Not as observers, but as guests to collaborate on a documentary photography project.
❋ Coaching & Yoga
Life and business coaching plus yoga with Helena, so you leave with portfolio images you can use straight away and a clear next step for the work you want to be doing.
DiP Away takes everything DiP is about
water, creativity, community
and moves it somewhere extraordinary. Come as you are. You don’t need to be a surfer, a diver or a pro photographer. You just need to feel that pull toward the ocean and want to follow it with a camera in your hand.
Who It’s ForIs This For You?
The retreat is for women photographers of all levels, whether you’re just starting out or already a pro. You don’t have to be a surfer to join – the water sessions run in safe, uncrowded areas.
Ocean, surf and underwater portraits – above and below the surface
Shoot
Underwater gear, settings and how to work with people underwater
Learn
Practical, personalised next steps for your life and career goals
Grow
Portfolio images you can use straight away
Take home
Photograph communities ethically and meet women you’ll want to travel with again
Connect
The DetailsWhat’s Included
8 Nights at Punta Punta waterfront retreat
Return airport transfers
Daily breakfast and lunch
Welcome and farewell dinners
Life/business coaching and yoga with Helena
Optional surf lesson with boat and board rental
Island Hopping Tour and North Island Day Tour with a model in and out of the water
Traditional hilot or relaxation massage
Afternoons to explore and/or relax
Workshops with boat rental, Helena as in-water surf model
Surf photography
Underwater portraits
Workshops with a model, in the pool and the ocean
Camera settings, editing, creativity and image review
Learning sessions
Ethical imagery in collaboration with local communities
Community shoot
Flights to/from Siargao, travel insurance, meals not listed
Not included
Meet Hilda & Helena
Your Hosts
Hilda is an award-winning photographer and a member of AUSWIP (Australian Women in Photography). She has spent the past decade working across portraiture, surf photography and teaching photography through community art projects.
She grew up landlocked in South Africa, waiting all year for one trip to the coast. She didn’t grow up surfing or diving - she picked up a board properly during lockdown, then an underwater camera, teaching herself in the water with no formal training and no community to lean on.
That’s what DiP Underwater Studio is built on, and it’s what this retreat is about: not expertise handed down from above, but confidence you build for yourself, one wave and one breath at a time.
On retreat, Hilda brings the same approach she uses in every DiP workshop: honesty, no rushing and plenty of curiosity. Confidence in the water doesn’t happen on a deadline, so you’ll move at your own pace - one shot, one breath, one wave at a time.
Helena, Founder and Owner, Women Soulful Surf
Over the years, Helena met countless women who felt a pull toward the ocean… with fear holding them back. “I’m too old.” “I’m not fit enough.” “I don’t belong out there.” That’s why Women Soulful Surf was born.
Today, Helena blends surf coaching, yoga and mind magic to help women rewire self-doubt, move through fear, and step into a version of themselves that feels powerful, grounded, and unapologetic - in the water and in life.
Helena creates a space to pause and look at where you are right now, where you’d like to be, and what might be standing between the two. Your coaching sessions with Helena can focus on whatever feels most relevant to you - life, career, business, or simply a change you’ve been thinking about but haven’t quite known how to move forward with.
Together, you’ll explore what you want and some practical next steps to help you move towards it. Helena will also lead yoga and be your surf model at a safe, uncrowded break.
“A fantastic underwater workshop which I didn’t even know I really needed… I met amazing women with ‘go get them’ energy.”
Michelle, Little Kite Photography
Where You’ll Stay
Accommodation & PricingEight nights at Punta Punta, a waterfront retreat in Siargao. Every option has a private bathroom. Prices are per person. Secure your spot with a $500 deposit, then pay the balance in instalments. Final payment due 1st June 2027.
$4,190 · Shared with one other guest, your own bed
$4,590 · Private luxury glamping tent with a queen bed
$4,790 · Your own glamping bungalow with a king bed
FAQs
-
From Australia, fly direct to Manila from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, then take a short domestic flight (about 1.5–2 hours) to Siargao. We’ll collect you from Sayak Airport and bring you back at the end – return airport transfers are included.
-
Australian passport holders can currently enter the Philippines visa-free for up to 30 days.
-
No. You’re welcome to practise with my underwater camera housings during the retreat, and I also have two underwater phone housings if you’d like to try shooting on your phone. If you have your own camera, bring it, along with any housing or water gear you already use. If you’re unsure what to bring, or you’re thinking about buying gear, ask me first – I’m happy to help you work out what fits your camera and budget.
-
None. The retreat is for women photographers of all levels, from beginners to pros. You’ll get hands-on sessions on camera settings, timing, composition and editing, with feedback that fits where you’re at.
-
You don’t need to surf. You should be comfortable in the water and able to swim, but all water sessions run in safe, uncrowded spots at your own pace. An optional surf lesson is included if you’d like to give it a go.
-
Absolutely. Most women come solo. The group is small, and the twin-share bungalow is a great way to share the experience (and save).
-
Yes. Secure your spot with a $500 deposit, then pay the balance in instalments, with the final payment due 1 June 2027. Get in touch and we’ll set up a plan that works for you.
-
Deposit payments are refundable if you cancel within 7 days of the initial booking date. We strongly recommend travel insurance that covers cancellation.