The 15 Best Surf Lessons in Hawaiʻi

1.Two Hour Beginner Group Surf Lesson in Kihei

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 950 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $98Our pick

Meet Surf Shack Maui in Kihei for a two-hour beginner lesson with no more than six students. Your instructor covers ocean safety, etiquette, paddling, and standing up, then helps you catch small waves. Ivan, Mike, Francisco, Justo, Sofi, and Jay are among the instructors. Board, rash guard, and booties are included.

“The best surf instructors on Maui! The stoke was high, they had us smiling, catching waves and making core memories. Myself and my kids (7 & 9) could not have had a better experience. Highly recommend !”

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2.Open Group Surfing Lesson in Waikiki, Hawaii

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 582 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $112

Meet Hans Hedemann Surf at 150 Kapahulu Ave for a two-hour Waikiki lesson with certified instructors such as Niko, Luis, Sergio, and Ella. You’ll watch a safety briefing, practice on land, then paddle into the break with a board, rash guard, reef shoes, and close coaching. No experience is needed, but you should be comfortable in the water.

“Seth Elmer and the crew at Hans were fantastic! I had a great time! First time surfer, and enjoyed every minute! We’ll be back!”

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3.Outrageous Surf ScHool Lesson on Lahaina Side

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 547 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $75Best value

You’ll learn beginner surf skills with instructors such as Scott, Tyler, or Patrick during a 90-minute lesson near Lahaina. Expect a short beach briefing, quick coaching in the water, a maximum of five participants, and boards, booties, and rash guards included. You must know how to swim and be at least 10 years old.

“Great instructors. My kids got up in their first try. Highly recommended for anyone with young kids or teenagers.”

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4.Beginner-Friendly Waikiki Beach Surfing Lesson

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 425 reviews · 2 hours · from $125

Spend two hours learning to surf at Waikiki Beach with a small group of up to eight. Your English or Japanese-speaking instructor covers ocean safety and board technique on land, then coaches you through about 70 minutes in the water. Surfboard, leash, rash guard, reef shoes, and optional wetsuit are included. Instructors such as Yuko, Mito, John, Noah, and Shuji are praised for patient coaching.

“The Teacher was so amazing, the lessons were great and at the end I could stand on the board. Five stars for sure!”

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5.Po’ipu Surf Lesson

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 361 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $89

Meet at Koʻa Kea Resort on Poipu Beach for a 90-minute beginner surf lesson with instructors such as Kele, David, and Dave. You’ll practice paddling and popping up on land, then work on real waves with a board, booties, and rash guard provided. Groups are capped at eight, making this a friendly choice for families and first-timers.

“Kele was amazing! Lesson started with fundamentals in the grass then we went to the water. Very happy the company provided us with long sleeves to wear as it was cold. Kele was a fantastic teacher/coach. My husband and I both had so much fun! We even saw monk seals on the beach. Would definitely come back to surf again!”

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6.Private Hanalei Sandy Bottom Surf Lesson on Kauai

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 339 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $118

Meet Hawaiian Surfing Adventures in Hanalei for a private lesson in gentle Hanalei Bay. Instructors such as Nick, Luca, Patrick, Jack, and Tapu teach board position, wave timing, ocean safety, and standing up. Boards, leashes, and rash vests are supplied, with lessons adjusted for beginners or improving surfers.

“Surprisingly easy to pick up and the the area is extremely friendly for beginners. Our instructor Jack was able to break down how to surf extremely easily”

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7.Surfing Lessons On Waikiki Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 317 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $129

Meet at Big Wave Dave Surf & Coffee near Waikiki Beach Walk for a 90-minute beginner lesson. You’ll get a board, leash, locker, beach safety briefing, and hands-on help catching waves. Instructors vary, with Derek, Josh, Joshua, Tanner, Mouse, Alex, and Cody praised by name. You must be able to swim.

“Brilliant coach who gave me supreme confidence on a surf board. I am in advanced years and he tailored the experience to this.”

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8.Waikiki Private Group Surf Lesson

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 298 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $123

Meet Stoke Drift at Ocean Patio B in Waikiki for a 90-minute private surf lesson. You’ll spend 15 to 30 minutes learning safety and technique on land, then about an hour catching waves with an instructor. Lessons are offered in English, and past instructors have included Justice, Keith, Trey, Joey, Cole, and Chaz.

“Surfing is SO MUCH FUN. I booked a private lesson for me and my husband. Staff was super nice and chill, and we loved our instructor. We alternated catching waves so the instructor could time each wave right for both of us. I can see how surfing would be much harder without someone taking care of the timing, but I’m excited to try!”

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9.Surf Lessons on the North Shore of Oahu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 267 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $95

Meet Suzy’s Surf School in Hauula for a 90-minute beginner lesson with instructors such as Andy, John, Suzy, or Matthew. You’ll spend 15 minutes learning beach basics, then practice on gentle North Shore waves with a board, rash guard, and leash included. Small groups, personal coaching, and a free turtle tour add value.

“My daughter and I enjoyed learning how to surf with Andy! We each caught several waves and had a wonderful time. This was a great experience for beginners. Highly recommend!”

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10.Group Surf Lesson at Kalama Beach in Kihei

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 264 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $108

Meet Surf Club Maui at Kalama Beach Park for a two-hour beginner-friendly lesson. You’ll get reef shoes, a rash guard, board instruction on land, and in-water coaching from instructors such as Bryan, Sarge, Pablo, Epps, and Brendon. Groups hold up to six people, with warm, waist-to-chest-deep water and gentle waves.

“Our instructor, Sarge, was encouraging, positive and a wealth of knowledge. We all caught waves. The pictures were incredible too and we couldn’t resist buying them.”

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11.Maui Lahaina Group Surf Lesson

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 235 reviews · 2 hours · from $125

Meet your English-speaking Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy team in Lahaina for a two-hour beginner lesson in West Maui. Groups are limited to five, with surfboards, rash guards, water shoes, a beach safety briefing, and repeated coaching in the water. Instructors such as Lee, Steve, Inaldo, and Connor have earned strong praise for their patience and encouragement. Photos are available to purchase afterward.

“It was great we had steve as a guide and it was just me and my sister-we learned so much and he was fun!”

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12.Waikiki 2-Hour Beginner Group Surf Lesson

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 191 reviews · 2 hours · from $103

Spend two hours learning to surf at a beginner-friendly spot about a mile outside Waikiki. Current professional surfers such as Turner, Kai, and Noah guide small groups of up to six through a 20-minute beach lesson, then coach you through real waves. Boards, leashes, rashguards, and reef booties are included.

“Turner was an excellent teacher and we could not have been happier. Everyone in our group got up multiple times and we had a great time doing it.”

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13.Kauai’s Ultimate Group Surf Lesson

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 110 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $121

Meet Hawaiian Style Surfing at 2440 Hoonani Road near Poipu Beach for a 90-minute beginner lesson. You get a board, rash guard, and water shoes, then learn ocean safety and surfing basics on land before heading into the water. Instructors such as Adam, Austin, Tom, Kai, and Hudson work with small groups of no more than five students per instructor.

“This was 10/10 . Our instructor was so personable and patient. We had a great day in the water making our dreams come true!”

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14.Surfing Lessons for 2 People

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 37 reviews · 2 hours · from $162

Spend two hours learning to surf with Surfer Girl Academy on Oahu’s south shore. You’ll get 20 to 30 minutes of beach instruction, then more than 70 minutes in the water with a board, leash, rash guard, reef shoes, and a certified lifeguard instructor. English and Japanese instruction is available.

“We had a great surf instructor, he took enough time and explained things really well! :-)”

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15.Kauai’s Ultimate Semi-Private Surf Lesson

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 33 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $191

Meet Hawaiian Style Surfing at 2440 Hoonani Road for a 90-minute lesson built around personal attention. Your instructor begins with ocean safety and surfing basics on land, then helps you catch beginner-friendly waves. The group is limited to two people, and surfboards, rash guards, and water shoes are included.

“We had a great surf experience. My kiddo loved her time and she can't wait to get back out there and keep on learning soon! Little too much time on the shore (we got super hot) but overall it was a fantastic experience. Would highly recommend!”

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