How Casa Maono started
We discovered this magical Alentejo region on one of our surf trips. Surrounded by the smell of fruit trees and of the sea, we felt that this would be the perfect place to build a little house, where we can share our passions and experiences with others.
At casa maono we want to create a peaceful place where you can relax and unwind.
Welcome! And enjoy the beautiful beaches of South West Portugal, visit the small fisherman’s villages,
hike the coastal trails, learn how to surf, practice yoga or just rest and feel at home.
Your hosts
Joachim Dhollander
Born in a village on the Belgian country side, I grew up in nature. Already as a young boy I wanted to help the neighbors with their garden and I loved going to my grandmothers house to help her cooking!
It was in the local windsurf club, on the little lake near my village where I sat my first steps on a windsurf board and it is this love for nature and surfing that brought me to Alentejo.
Working as a chef in restaurants, I realized I only wanted to cook with local and seasonal ingredients and that I always had dreamt of having my own little farm. So I started reading and studying about permaculture and that is how the Casa Maono garden was created.
To know more about Joachim his permaculture and cooking work, follow @permaculture_maono
Nina Briot
Born in the beautiful city of Bruges, near the sea, I grew up with the love for music, traveling and board sports. Thanks to my parents I was given the opportunity to travel already on a young age and they supported me in my passions for snowboarding and surfing.
As a child I started to windsurf, but soon I was also surfing on waves and snow... .
Yoga came into my life as a way to prevent and to recover from snowboard and surf injuries. To understand the deeper meaning of yoga, I jumped into a teacher training and ever since I have been enjoying the journey to guide people into their practice in the garden of Casa Maono.
To know more about Nina's yoga work follow @ninabriot_maono