About Ocean Calling Retreats
Rocío started Ocean Calling because she could not find the trip she wanted: a small group, a slow pace, real care for the animals, and a host who knows the ocean can feel scary before it feels like home.
Ocean Calling Retreats is a small, Swiss-based ocean travel company founded by Rocío Ruiz. We plan freediving, scuba and wildlife trips for six guests at most, and local professionals teach and guide every session in the water. Rocío hosts our own retreats, in Moʻorea and La Ventana in 2027. For places like Coron, Bali, Gili Trawangan and Moalboal, she matches you with a local team she trusts, and you book with them directly.
Ethical ocean retreats. Fall in love with the ocean, then protect it.
Meet Rocío, your host
Rocío Ruiz, founder
Rocío grew up by the sea in a family of forest rangers dedicated to wildlife conservation. Both her grandfather and her uncle worked to protect nature and wildlife, teaching her from an early age that wonder and responsibility belong together.
She came to the ocean later in life. She learned to freedive in Bali, and a pod of about fifteen pilot whales changed how she thinks about wildlife tourism.
Her background is in international operations, travel and events, from boardrooms to boats. She hosts the Ocean Calling retreats herself and takes care of the details, the local partners and the logistics, so you can simply arrive and be there. For trips she does not host, she listens to what you need and matches you with a local team she trusts.
“Wildlife is a privilege, never a guarantee.”
Built around what Rocío needed herself
Every retreat is built around clear structure, warm guidance, no judgement and the kind of safety that lets you focus on the experience. Solo travellers are welcomed from the first evening. Beginners are met where they are. You can pause, rest or skip any activity. The ocean does the rest.
Rocío plans each retreat, works with trusted local partners, sets the safety standards and looks after guests. Underwater sessions are led by certified local instructors and guides.
Ocean Calling is small, founder-led and based in Switzerland. Travel has a cost for the ocean too, and we say it. We keep learning how to make it smaller.
Reviews
Read what guests say: Google reviews ↗ · BookRetreats reviews ↗
Not mass tourism
Not louder. Not faster. Not more crowded. Just the right place, the right group and the right pace.
Six principles
Ethical wildlife encounters
Every meeting happens on the animal’s terms. We never chase, stage or force a moment. We wait, and let the ocean decide.
Small group retreats
Six guests at most. More attention, more calm, and room to feel like yourself.
Slow ocean travel
The best ocean moments cannot be rushed. There is space to breathe, to wonder and to let it all sink in.
Fair local partnerships
We work with trusted local guides and dive centres, in fair and friendly partnerships.
Safety first
Clear planning, honest expectations and trusted professionals beside you in the water, so you can relax into it.
Lighter footprint
Small groups, gentle pacing and careful practice in the water. We never claim zero impact, we just keep learning how to tread lighter.
What is an ethical ocean retreat?
It is less about where you go and more about how the trip is made: who you share it with, how the animals are approached and how looked after you feel. A small group, local professionals, and no promised sightings, because the animals decide.
Common questions
Is Ocean Calling a tour operator or a travel agency?
Do I need experience to join a retreat?
How does Ocean Calling approach wildlife encounters?
Read more: Rocío’s story · Local experts · Planning & FAQ
Say hello
hello@oceancallingretreats.com · WhatsApp
If a small part of you is already picturing warm water and a quiet moment with something wild, that part of you is welcome here. See where it could begin.