Reservation Policy
We understand how important your surf trip is, and we’re committed to making it an incredible experience. To provide the best possible service, we work closely with trusted partners and secure your accommodation, transportation, and other services in advance.
📝 Reservation Policy Summary
- A 20% deposit is required to book.
- The balance is due 60 days before departure, or 120 days for Mentawai trips.
For the points below, replace 60 days with 120 days if you’re travelling to the Mentawais.
Cancellation 60+ days before departure:
➤ Free date change or refund minus 150 USD.
Cancellation less than 60 days before departure:
➤ No refund or credit, unless we are able to resell your spot.
➤ If resold, you can choose between a refund minus 150 USD or a full credit toward another trip.
- Travel insurance is mandatory. We strongly recommend full trip cancellation coverage.
- No refunds for late arrivals, early departures, or itinerary changes.
- In case of unforeseen events (force majeure): partial refund may be possible, depending on the amounts already paid to our partners.
You can find our full reservation policy below for more details.
Booking & Payments
A 20% deposit is required to secure your spot.
- The balance is due 60 days before departure
(or 120 days for Mentawai retreats).
Once a trip is booked, we reserve your spot and allocate resources specifically for you. These bookings are non-refundable to us beyond certain timelines, as our suppliers require full payments in advance.
If you cancel 60 days or more before departure
(120 days for Mentawai)
You have two options:
- Change your travel dates free of charge.
- Request a full refund, minus a $150 administration fee per person.
48-Hour Grace Period:
If you cancel within 48 hours of booking, we will waive the admin fee.
If you cancel less than 60 days before departure (120 days for the Mentawais)
Due to our financial commitments with partners, no refund or credit can be issued.
However, we will do our best to resell your spot. If we are successful at reselling your place, you may choose between:
A full refund minus a $150 admin fee, or
Full credit toward a future trip
Please note that, although most trips are fully booked, reselling your spot is not guaranteed and becomes harder with short notice.
Cancellations by Barefoot Surf
We may cancel a trip 60+ days before departure (120+ days for Mentawai) for safety or operational reasons.
In such cases, you’ll be offered:
100% credit of your deposit toward any future trip, or
A full refund of your deposit
We are not responsible for travel arrangements made before receiving final trip confirmation. We recommend waiting until you receive our confirmation email (60 or 120 days before departure) before booking flights or other services.
Travel Insurance (Mandatory)
Travel medical insurance is mandatory to participate in our trips. It must cover you for accidents, injuries, and emergency medical care while abroad. In addition, we strongly recommend purchasing trip cancellation insurance to protect your investment in case of:
Illness or injury before departure
Natural events or hazards
Loss of a family member
Any other unexpected circumstances
Trip cancellation insurance is different from basic medical insurance. It’s a more complete package that helps protect you financially if you have to cancel your trip.
You may also consider a “Cancel For Any Reason” (CFAR) policy, which typically reimburses up to 75% of your nonrefundable trip costs, regardless of the reason for cancelling. These policies must usually be purchased soon after your first payment, and cancellations must be made at least two days before departure.
We do not offer refunds or credits in these circumstances, so having proper insurance helps prevent financial loss and disappointment.
Force Majeure (Unforeseen Events)
In rare cases, a trip may need to be cancelled or altered due to a force majeure event such as natural disasters, political unrest, pandemics, or other circumstances beyond our control that affect the safety or feasibility of the trip. If a force majeure event occurs within 59 days of departure (or 119 days for Mentawai), we reserve the right to:
Offer comparable services or adjust service providers as needed, or
Cancel the trip if delivering the original experience is no longer possible.
If cancellation occurs, we will refund any portion of your payment not yet paid to our accommodation or service partners. However, please note:
Some of our suppliers may not offer refunds or credits in these situations.
Therefore, we cannot guarantee full refunds or future credits for cancellations due to force majeure events.
We strongly recommend that guests carry comprehensive travel insurance, including coverage for trip interruption or cancellation due to unforeseen events. You may also pursue reimbursement through your travel insurance provider or, if applicable, the Quebec Compensation Fund for Customers of Travel Agents.
Delays, Early Departures & Activities
Costs due to late arrivals, early departures, or itinerary changes (e.g. missed flights, evacuation) are at your own expense. This is why we recommend specific travel insurance options in the section above.
Airfare is not included in our packages. We have no specific airline affiliation.
Optional activities are not included in the retreat package. If we assist with booking them, we are not liable for their delivery or outcome.
If you decide to leave the trip early or stop using our services, no refunds can be offered.
Passports & Visas
Guests are responsible for ensuring they have:
A valid passport (valid for at least 6 months after your return date)
Any necessary visas for entry
Barefoot Surf is not responsible if entry is denied due to missing documentation.
Errors & Omissions
We do our best to ensure all trip information (on our website, brochures, and documents) is accurate. However, we are not responsible for unintentional errors, omissions, or misrepresentations.
Sold by owner of Quebec permit (#703125). Barefoot Surf Travel, Montreal, Canada.
