Transforming her own quest for balance into a boutique retreat series in Costa Rica, the Victoria’s Secret alum encourages women to reconnect
Words by LESLEY McKENZIE
Model, entrepreneur, and mother Maryna Linchuk spent years navigating the fast-paced world of fashion, appearing in campaigns for brands such as Dior and Versace while building a life that appeared effortless on the surface. Behind the scenes, however, she was confronting the same pressures so many women face, balancing career, family, and identity.
“I was exhausted,” she says. Juggling the pressures of work and motherhood, she found herself caught in a cycle of perfection and performance. In 2025, seeking her own reset, she launched the first MARYNA.WORLD boutique surf and wellness retreat in Costa Rica, shaped by everything she felt was missing in her own life and a desire to create something more intentional from her experience.
“You fall, you get a little salty—emotionally and literally—and then you try again.”
“Traditional wellness retreats can sometimes feel clinical or overly structured—packed schedules, serious energy, ‘healing’ treated like a performance,” says the former Victoria’s Secret model and Belarusian native, who splits her time between Costa Rica and California.
“This is different. Our only real agenda is simple: have fun, move your body, feel good, repeat. Joy is the medicine. There’s also a strong emphasis on intention, curation, and creating an environment that feels both elevated and real,” she adds.
Surfing, a practice Linchuk has embraced over the past few years, became a focal point of the retreat, partly because of the lessons it offers in letting go. “It humbles you,” she says. “It can be frustrating and, at the same time, completely hilarious. You fall, you get a little salty—emotionally and literally—and then you try again.”
Four retreats in, Maryna.World continues to evolve, with Linchuk fine-tuning the experience with each iteration. Held in plush beachfront accommodations, retreats are geared toward just 10 to 14 women per session and hosted by a close-knit team of highly experienced surf instructors and wellness practitioners.
Days unfold at a leisurely pace. Think morning surf sessions, nourishing meals, movement practices, and restorative treatments, such as sauna, massage, and peptide treatments, balanced with nature excursions like horseback rides, waterfall swims, and unstructured time. Evenings are relaxed, centered around shared meals, connections, and healing journeys.
Not surprisingly, 50% of guests are repeat clients. “The retreats are for women who are looking to reconnect—with themselves, with nature, and with a like-minded community,” says Linchuk, who is already looking ahead to the next retreat, taking place July 10–15 in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica. “Many of them are working, creative, or entrepreneurial women who want something deeper than a typical getaway.”
And as a hands-on founder, she reaps the benefits, too. “I’m present throughout the entire experience—from curating every detail to spending real, meaningful time with each guest. That personal connection is a big part of what makes it special. From catching baby party waves to holding hands while women have breakthroughs, I’m there.” maryna.world.
April 16, 2026
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