Ant is amazing!! Not only does he know all the ins & outs of helping newbie surfers get their bearings, but he has the patience of a saint! We first came to Ant in May 2024 for our 5 year-old son's first surfing lesson. He worked with us to ensure that our kiddo would have the best day in the water by keeping us updated on the weather and surf reports -- he tailored our session around "the best day" for it -- which turned out to be perfect! Our kiddo was standing up on the board in no time and riding waves all the way in! Ant made the experience so fun that our kiddo was instantly hooked and has been surfing since! He even asked that if we ever go back to Kauai if he could see Ant again. Here we are, it's June 2025 (a year after from our 1st session), and our kiddo got to have his second session with Ant! He was so excited to be back on the same beach and show Ant how much more confident he is on the board. This time Ant's daughter was there to assist, since there was another family that joined us in our session. Ant and his daughter made the whole experience smooth and fun, ensuring everyone had equal support and attention. We highly recommend Ant for anyone who wants to experience surfing in a fun and safe environment. Ant's the man! read more

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Ant was the most amazing teacher and we were fortunate that his daughter Paris was there to help with the younger kids. He did such a phenomenal job making sure everyone had a LOT of turns catching waves. He was tracking 87,000 things at once - giving feedback on the form/technique of the person who just caught a wave, watching for the next wave to launch an adult student, verbal cues for his daughter and the littles. I've been surfing on the coast of Washington state and in Panama as well as trying out Kailea beach on my own this week, and I caught more waves today than I had in all the other times combined!! Can't wait to come back and take another lesson. read more

Eastside Surfing School - Beginner lesson in Lihue - Surf Schools Near Me

Holy cow! Ant and his team were absolutely fantastic! I appreciated the great instruction and the positive reinforcement. My two daughters popped right up and it took this 55yo lady a few tries, but with Ant's instruction and modification for my creative style, I was able to get up twice! It is a bucket list dream come true! The girls and I agree - it was a highlight of our trip to Kauai! Cannot recommend Ant and his team more! read more

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Ant is the best !! he always takes great care of us and is the best instructor!! He volunteers at our Nonprofit and is so kind patient and helpful its truly a blessing to have him teach read more

Great experience! My son loved it, and I would certainly recommend the 1:1 lesson. The beach was a neat place, and I felt totally comfortable with Anthony in the water with my son. My momma heart did not feel any read more

Eastside Surfing School - Surf Schools Near Me

Ant and Loni were very professional and fun. Kids had a blast. The wife and I had a blast. We all had plenty of runs for waves. read more

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Nat and Paris were amazing with my family!!! Everybody was able to get up with their help and we all had an amazing time! Next time we come back we will definitely use them again! Thank you again, Nat and Paris!!! You are the best. And I love the father daughter pair. It was great to see! read more

Ant is absolutely great! I can't recommend him enough. He will take whatever time you need to get you up and surfing and ultimately catching waves on your own. He's super chill and just an all around nice guy. If you're looking for someone to teach you how to surf, look no further. Thanks Ant! Michael Bahan read more

I recommend this spot to anyone looking to learn how to surf. Ant was very helpful and patient with me. I was very nervous about trying to surf but Ant made it very comfortable for me to get into the water. He's a very cool dude too and knows a lot of the island. Ant will teach you all the fundamentals that give you the confidence to go out and surf. Check the school out and start surfing! Mahalo, Eastside! read more

Was referred to Eastside surfing school through a friend. Cassidy offered private surfing lessons at a relatively inexpensive price he was attentive to our needs, respectful, fun to be around, and a good surfing instructor. First Cassidy met us in our hotels lobby the morning of our big surf. We followed him up the coast to rock quarry beach. He brought boards and rash guards for our lesson. He was polite carried our gear and had us on the beach practicing out surfing in no time. The lesson was private and was a much better price than we had been quoted at a couple of shops. He spent close to two hours with us talking us through each wave what we did right and what we could improve on. I felt like a less private lesson with a bigger group would have been disastrous for us! He told us from the beginning his goal was for us to catch as many waves as possible he worked hard with a smile to keep to his word. As a first time surfer I was proud of me and my wife (for the one person on yelp -other than my mom-who follows me yes she's the wife now) for getting up and surfing as long as we did Cassidy hooting and rooting for us made it that much more fun! Thanks Cassidy and Eastside Surfing School for a great experience! read more

Eastside Surfing School - Surf Schools Near Me

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My wife and I took some private lessons from Ant on our honeymoon and it was such a great time! Ant is very experienced and knowledgeable. He also tailored our lesson to our abilities and we felt comfortable catching our own waves by the end of our lesson. Beyond surfing, Ant was very helpful in recommending places to visit on the island, where to eat and other activities that you shouldn't miss while in Kauai! Hands down, meeting Ant was one of the highlights of our trip to Kauai! Thanks for all your tips and help Ant! read more

Made our vacation! We booked last minute - they totally accommodated our time & needs. Ant & Erin were so wonderful with our little special needs guy. Super fun! read more

Awesome awesome awesome. Ant is a great instructor and even a greater guy. Obviously had a great experience and would definitely recommend. Mahalo read more

I am not in the best shape so trying surfing for the first time was way out of my comfort zone. These teachers are so fun and patient. They gave me the push, literally, they pushed my board so I could get into a little wave! What a feeling it is to ride a wave, no matter how small. Do yourself a favor and try it! What a great experience and memory. Will be taking another lesson next time I am there for sure. Highly recommend. read more

Cassidy Bailey's knowledge of East Side Kauai beaches and conditions is superb! I'm a complete beginner and just loved his calm, low key style of teaching concentrating on 1 or 2 things at a time. Cassidy works with you to go when you want to go, hefts the boards for you and is just a pleasure to be around. The first day I had so much fun we went surfing and Stand Up Paddle boarding with him 2 more times during our stay! I loved Rock Quarries Beach and my wife loved Paddle boarding up the adjacent Kilauea river. Cassidy will definitely be getting another call from us on our next trip back! David & Barbara Beasley read more

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Great experience. Ant is a talented surfer and clear instructor. After one lesson, my son and husband were confident in their ability to surf. We appreciated that he really wanted to teach and have beginners succeed. If you are in Kappa call him. read more

First time surfer - This was an awesome experience! Ant and Palani did a great job teaching safety and respect in the water first and then coaching technique in the water. These guys are true locals and great guys, very easy to talk to and get along with. read more

My 3 daughters had an awesome time with Ant and his crew - including his daughter. They were super friendly and celebrated every success which gave my daughters lots of confidence. My daughters were able ride their boards very quickly and had a great time. Thanks Ant....you are the best surf instructor!! read more

I had a great private lesson with Ant this morning, and want to take a minute to highlight what made it worthwhile. 1. He's super safety oriented! With a background of lifeguarding and surfing all kinds of conditions, he knows how to read waves, weather, and clients, and emphasizes situational awareness during lessons. 2. He will customize the experience to your skill level- from location to board it's all well thought out and intentionally customized to make your experience positive. 3. He's really comunicative and easy to book a lesson with. This experience is personalized and genuine. Not like the wave riding factories you'll find at Waikiki... this is a high quality lesson worth the money you'll pay for it. Two thumbs up for East Side Surf School!! read more

My husband and I had a lesson on our honeymoon and had a great time. The instructors were very attentive and made sure we were safe, comfortable, and having fun! read more

Had a great time. Didn't have the best day for a beginner but got my lesson moved to when it calmed down a bit. Lesson was clear and effective on land and once we got in the water It was more of the same. Was taking waves in under an hour. read more

Ant was an excellent instructor who quite literally had two first time surfers catching waves within minutes of arriving at the beach. We had a blast learning to surf, and appreciated his approach and concise feedback after each wave. read more

My cousin (age 14) and I (age 23) had a private lesson with Ant. We both had some surfing experience but needed a refresher course. Ant is an AMAZING teacher and makes sure you are comfortable at all times. My cousin was very nervous at first but he made her feel at ease and she was soon catching some awesome waves. While I wasn't nervous, my form wasn't perfect, which was preventing me from catching some waves. Ant saw this, corrected it, and I was soon riding out almost every wave that came my way. If my arms didn't get ridiculously tired I would have stayed out on the water all day because I was having so much fun. A few days later we ran into Ant as he was leaving KORE on his way to a lesson. After he gave his lesson, he drove all the way back to Hanalei and let us borrow his boards and helped us catch some more waves. He went out of his way to help us we have never had such a great experience surfing. Ant definitely personifies the Aloha Spirit and is a genuinely great person and instructor. I would HIGHLY recommend him to all levels of surfers. Call +1 (808) 639-6677 to set up a lesson- you won't regret it!! read more

Today I had the pleasure of taking a surfing lesson from Anthony. It was my very first time surfing so I was a bit nervous but meeting Anthony for the first time he was very down to earth and made me feel very comfortable. He was very instructive and explained the key fundamentals of surfing thoroughly. On my very first wave I managed to stand up and ride my first ever wave. The feeling was incredible and Anthony was right there to congratulate me. As I looked for him in a distance I heard from him a "great job" along with a big thumbs up . Which made me want to head out to catch another wave. For all you first time surfers or beginners, I highly recommend Anthony to teach you. You won't be disappointed. read more

While watching the surfers in the morning, I had suddenly the desire to try surfing right now. So I called a nearby school and am hour later I was paddling out with Cassidy. He spontaneously found some time and teached very well. I managed to stand pretty quick and enjoy the surf. Just a pity it was my last day on Kauai. But when I come back, I'll sure surf with him again! read more

Ant is awesome! He made sure our teenage boy & girl had the ideal conditions for both their first and more advanced lessons. Each was in a different beautiful beach that we never would've found on our own. He even gave us great recommendations for area restaurants and snorkeling spots. Very easy to work with and the kids want to keep on surfing. read more

If you want a great surfing experience then this is your source. Cassidy is a highly knowledgable surfer who has over 25 years experience and has grown up on Kauai. He knows the prime locations all over the island, has seasonal knowledge, and works well with all ability levels. You can tell his in depth knowledge as he instructs, informs you on wave/swell reading and riding guidance as he observes your progression. He provides a fun, comfortable and casual lesson which eases the intimidation factor of learning how to surf and just makes for an awesome surf experience. read more