if you want truly local expertise, unforgettable waves, and top-notch instructors, this is the…read moreplace for you. I spent an incredible 5 days with the PSA crew, including a morning session where whales were breaching just beyond the break. The guys made me feel safe and secure while gently pushing me to elevate my skill level. I highly recommend you take a multi-day package with this team... thank you for everything, PSA!

Thinking about surfing, but thought you couldn't, it's too hard, you're too old? Never! I met…read moreDonavan on the beach he told me and my adult daughter that he offered lessons in surfing, paddle boarding and had boards for rent. He also heads surf excursions. I took him up in his offer. At 56 I had tried it before in Jalisco. Donavan was a great teacher and a pro Mexican surfer. He's a local who loves the area. Donavan was professional, kind, encouraging and trained in water rescue & CPR. I felt confident with his instructions. His prices are very reasonable, in fact almost the best prices in PE. Donavan gave great input and made sure you felt comfortable. I loved my 1st lesson so much a took a second. My daughter went ocean paddle boarding with a teammate of Donovan's and had an equally great experience. I'd take another lesson from him, even though he thought I was ready to go out on my own. I admit, I rented a board and tried on my own. Did I mention I'm 56? It's never too late to learn!

Awesome surfing lesson with Antonio and his team! They are great for beginners and intermediate…read moresurfers. Caught some amazing waves at Playa Carrizalillo and the instruction was super helpful. Antonio seems great with all kinds of people.

From the owner: Surf school and tour agency in Puerto Escondido. We offer surf classes and camps, surf trips, and a…read morelarge range of tours; swimming in bioluminescent plankton, horse-back riding, stand-up paddling, dolphin viewing, sport fishing, and much more!

Patient instructors who teach you a lot with top notch safety standards!…read moreWe took four surfing lessons with Surf Travel & Friends during the week that we stayed in Puerto Escondido. It was a fabulous experience and I can't recommend them highly enough. There were two of us with one instructor and it was clear that our safety was their top priority. They emphasized the safety protocols and our instructor kept a close eye on us each time one of us took a wave to make sure that we were ok before moving his attention to the other one. As for the surfing instruction we received, we are both very pleased. My friend and I are both advanced beginner surfers who have been surfing for a few years and want to improve. This week we learned some great new strategies for popping up without going to our knees (my go-to bad habit), and we also learned how to surf a left break and turn with the wave. Overall it was a safe and fun week in the water and we learned a lot. Our instructor Nene was truly wonderful! Also, there's often a guy in the water with a camera and twice during the week we were able to purchase photos and videos from him after the lesson for a very reasonable price. It was nice to compare our first day surfing to our third. We could see improvement in the video and pictures which confirmed how we were feeling. I hope to go back and surf with Surf Travel & Friends again in the future.

Amazing surf school located in La Punta, the most vibey area of Puerto Escondido. I had a great…read moreexperience going there for a week of lessons. This school has many repeat customers as they are one of the best in the area. People often have trouble learning to surf because they don't have good teachers. The groups are small and the instructors at STF are patient and start with the fundamentals. This teaching style makes you very comfortable so by the time you hit the water you do not have fear or hesitation. I was popping up on first day. My instructor, Ivan, also taught me that there is more to surfing than just hopping on a wave. We spoke about safety, conservation, community and respect for the ocean and other surfers. As STF are well known and respected in the area, the locals look out for their students which also makes your time in the water much more enjoyable. Surf Travel Friends is very highly rated. I can't wait to go back and surf with them again. The owners Celestino and Melinda are very nice people and they have a really friendly dog who adopted me for a week. I literally couldn't get away from her. :)

"I couldn't have asked for a better experience during my week in Puerto Escondido. It was the…read morebeginning of a 5-week stay in Mexico, and I was looking for a quick refresher to set me up for future classes. The staff and teachers here were amazing at helping me customize my class content and schedule to my needs, and the beautiful setting overlooking the forest and ocean was so pleasant to take classes in. Highly recommend!"

My experience with ILPE was very positive. Brian, the school director and founder, was very…read moreaccommodating with my specific needs concerning scheduling and promptly responded when my travel itinerary changed due to delays. I chose taking a 2 hour class each of the 5 days I was in Puerto Escondido. As a beginner, I found that the 2 hour block was perfect. Also, I found that taking the class early in the morning was helpful because it provided me with helpful vocabulary/grammer/basic expressions which facilitated my subsequent interactions within the community of Puerto Escondido that day. The classes were very fun and engaging. My instructors led the classes in a very immersive context, limiting the amount of English spoken, even in a beginner class. Although I expected I would most likely be assigned private lessons since I was traveling solo, and my level is rudimentary, I was able to experience many group lessons since a fellow beginner happened to be interested in similar class times/dates, yet another testament to the school's ability to coordinate scheduling on short notice. Along with the immersive quality of the class, the instructors consistently used an interactive approach, and completed each lesson segment with practical application. I also participated in a homestay, which further enhanced my exposure to the language and increased my opportunity for engagement, an invaluable tool when trying to grasp a language, especially as a beginner. I immensely enjoyed my time with the host family. Everyone in the household was gracious and inviting. Despite very little grasp of Spanish, I was able to communicate with those in the household with the help of reference tools, of course. In addition, I took 3 surf lessons; one of which, the "land lesson", very thoroughly covered many important surfing topics ranging from the origin/formation of waves to how to respond to specific conditions/circumstances encountered in the surf. This didactic layout, which also included detailed kinesthetic drills to aid in the understanding of basic techniques, such as paddling, standing, etc, was extremely informative, especially to someone new to the sport. Overall, a fantastic experience with all of the classes- high quality instruction, and extremely friendly staff. Highly recommended!