"So glad I finally found you -- and so glad I didn't give up."…read more My last surf lesson in Maui was with Chyna, and it completely changed how I understood surfing. A little background about me: a middle-aged first time surfer, a basic swimmer and a big fan of basic snorkeling. Weekly workouts include gym weight lifting, kick boxing, yoga, and Lagree. And, I had a HUGE fear of wipeouts. Chyna and her friend Aina once ran a small water-sports business together, and they also volunteered teaching local kids to surf. They lost so much in the 2023 Lahaina fire, not to even mention that Aina is also a Maui firefighter. Thankfully, their families were safe. Knowing their story made Chyna's generosity, patience, and love for the ocean feel even more special. This was nothing like the two commercial surf lessons I had taken before: no photographer on shore, no rush to simply get me standing for a picture. In 2 hours, Chyna taught me how to respect and learn from the ocean: how to read the shoreline, reef and rocks, whitewater and green waves, wind, entry and exit points; how the board works; how to paddle, turn, control it, get through whitewater, and even use sound to judge an approaching wave. Most importantly, she corrected my popup technique and let ME decide whether to stand when each wave came. Once I stopped rushing and started learning the speed and timing of the wave, I was able to feel the freedom and pure energy from surfing. Even the whitewater that had scared me before stopped feeling intimidating: I didn't get knocked over ONCE! For the first time, I experienced what surfing can feel like when fear is no longer in control and I can actually listen to my body and the ocean. Chyna and Aina, I'm so grateful I found you. See you at the next wave!

My six-year-old son had a private surf lesson with Theo today, and the entire experience exceeded…read moreour expectations. From the initial communication and detailed information provided beforehand to the beautiful location and overall organization, everything was seamless and professional. Theo was an absolutely fantastic instructor. As a parent, I was nervous because my son had never surfed before, but Theo immediately put us at ease. He took the time to explain his approach, including why he wanted to start on smaller waves and ease my son into the experience rather than pushing too hard too fast. That thoughtful approach made all the difference. Theo was incredibly encouraging, motivating, and patient throughout the lesson. He paid close attention to my son's energy level and knew exactly when breaks were needed, which was especially important for a young child. He struck the perfect balance between building confidence and keeping the experience fun and positive. I was also extremely grateful for Theo's communication with us as parents. He kept us informed, answered our questions, and made us feel comfortable every step of the way. Overall, this was an outstanding experience, and I cannot recommend them enough!! If you're visiting and considering surf lessons, do it. In fact, I left wishing I had booked a lesson for myself as well! Thank you, Theo, for making my son's first surfing experience such a memorable and positive one.

Outstanding! Steve and the team were so perfect - teaching our three (16, 16 and 14 yo) the basics…read moreand all were riding waves confidently in first lesson. So much fun, we booked again same trip. Make sure you connect with Ric for quality pictures, costs extra and totally worth it.

We booked surf lessons via our hotel in advance of our trip. The surf school reached out to us a…read moreday before and told us our afternoon slot was cancelled, but we could be rescheduled to a morning slot, or get a refund. We picked the morning slot, then received instructions to go to mile marker 19 on Lahaina highway and look for a white Tacoma. We had decided to skip the rental car and use Lyft/Uber on this trip, so that was concerning. We were able to instruct the driver about the approximate location. There was a a row of pickup trucks with surfboards near mile marker 19, so we got out and asked around for Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy. Eventually we found the right Tacoma, but I didn't have much confidence we'd found the right spot for a while. My daughter had to have a solo lesson with Kayla due to her age, while my son and I had a semi private lesson with Chad. Our instructors were great, and we were able to stand up with a couple of tries, and a few turns later the instructor had me try a smaller board so I could turn more easily. About 1 1/2 hour into our two hour lessons both my son and felt salt water stinging our knees and lower thighs from chafing against the board, so we ended the lesson early. We were also pretty tired at that point. The surf school gave us long sleeved water shirts, but knee long shorts in the same fabric would have made big difference too. Our instructor told us the chafing is because they use teaching surf boards with a material that has more friction to make it easier to stand on the board, but it also causes more chafing than boards with wax. In the hurry to catch our car ride, we forgot to bring water, but my daughter's instructor very kindly gave us one of her personal water bottles. Thank you Kayla! All in all, we had a great introduction to surfing with a lot of successful attempts to catch waves. Two hours felt long for an intro session. I wish my instructor had told me to paddle a bit more easy out to save strength for catching waves but I also tend to go max all the time until I run out of gas. Above all, I highly recommend wearing at least knee long water shorts to prevent chafing knees and lower thighs. The instructors were amazing. If Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy also were to provide pants and water given the remote location, if say they would stand way up and above the competition.

Great prices and surprisingly large collection of gear for surfing, definitely recommend.read more

If you want to skip paying airline fees to bring boards to Maui from home...this is how you do it…read more This place has a vast selection of great boards to rent at great prices. They hooked me up during a recent south swell and made the process so easy and flexible. They give you wax, a leash and soft racks at no extra charge too! Highly recommended

We did a first time lesson with them the day we left and it was such a great experience and way to…read moreend the trip! They were patient, kind, and very skilled! I highly recommend and would book with them again!

Chad and Dante were amazing. Easy to work with and really made our experience memorable. Our kids…read moreare 10 and 11 who surfed today. Chad actually took them surfing in 2020 pre covid when they were 7 and 8. He is so amazing with kids. I highly recommend it

A beautiful no resort-y style beach. FYI: No lifeguards. We witnessed a medical emergency and no…read morelifeguard was hard. Limited parking - but it's still busy as there are a ton of condo's/motels on the beach. There are a few restaurants overlooking it, so easy to escape for a meal or a drink. When we were there for spring break, we were coming off a storm and it was quite rough. Some surfers catching some great barrels which was fun to watch. Other days it was calmer. A ton of snorkelers - I guess there is a few reefs full of fish. It's also adjacent to a sea turtle cove, so you can catch some sea turtles on their way. Overall, a great beach. I'd come again to the area.

Napili Bay a relaxing beach in Maui. The water is usually calm and crystal clear, making it perfect…read morefor families and kids to swim and snorkel safely. We saw plenty of fish close to shore, and if you go early in the morning, there's a good chance you'll spot sea turtles cruising through the bay. The beach itself is clean with soft sand, and the cove shape keeps things feeling peaceful compared to some of the busier spots on the island. It's the kind of place where you can easily spend the entire day just unwinding. Parking can be a little tricky, so getting there early is worth it. A great tip is to pair your visit with breakfast or brunch at The Gazebo Restaurant right next door. It's super convenient and makes your morning really efficient--grab a meal, then walk straight onto the beach and enjoy the rest of your day. Whether you're swimming, snorkeling, or just laying out and taking in the view, Napili Bay has that classic Maui magic.

One of the highlights of my trip to Maui was coming to Black Rock Beach in Lahaina. Originally we…read morewere supposed to stay in Lahaina, but because of the rebuilding of the area, we stayed a little further south. I wish I did stay in the area because the whole area is a vibe. It's a little more touristy with resorts and shopping areas, but once you get on the beach you forget all that. Some of our group was already here and gave us specific instructions on where to park. We parked in a paid parking garage and had to walk between hotels to find the entrance to the beach. This particular stretch is in front of the Sheraton Maui Resort. This beach was awesome! Don't get confused like I did and think this was a black sand beach. Black Rock refers to the giant black lava rock going from the beach into the ocean. It's a very popular cliff diving area. In my opinion, you got to have some athletic ability to do the cliff diving. There's two ways to get to the peak of the rock to jump. There's a path from the shore, but you have to do a little climbing with a very sketch path to the top. The other option is to swim in the ocean towards the end of the rock where you have a little ladder to get you up, but you still have to get to the top of the rock. My friends and I decided to do the swim out which in itself was a challenge. One I got close, I decided to be the photographer in the water for when my friends jumped. We hung out in the water for awhile before swimming back to shore. The beach is perfect for lounging around, with soft white sand and crystal clear water. I brought my snorkel and goggles to really appreciate what's under the sea. We stayed out here way longer than we planned because time flies when you are having fun. On my next trip to Maui, I would totally consider staying right on this beach. I will most definitely be back!

Favorite beach in Maui. You can guarantee you will see 3+ turtles by the rocks on the right side…read moreevery time. And occasionally, a Hawaiian monk seal that comes up to bask in the sun during the day. Tourists here are the worst though! I have seen them crowding the turtles (10 ft distance is the law), standing on the swimming turtles to treat them like surf boards, and even approaching the monk seals or blocking their path back to the water (50+ ft is the law). Enjoy this beach responsibly and respect the beautiful wild life that frequent this beach.

We had an absolutely incredible experience with Rivers To The Sea Maui Surf Lessons! My two…read moredaughters took a lesson with Sharky, and I can't say enough good things about him. From the moment we arrived, he was friendly, patient, and clearly passionate about what he does. Sharky made the girls feel comfortable and confident right away, taking the time to explain everything in a way that was easy for them to understand. His energy was positive and encouraging the entire time, and you could tell he genuinely cared about making sure they had fun and succeeded. Both of my daughters were up and riding waves much sooner than I expected, and the smiles on their faces said it all. It was one of the highlights of our trip to Maui. If you're looking for a surf school that is professional, safe, and truly memorable, I highly recommend Rivers To The Sea--and if you can request Sharky, do it! We'll definitely be back next time we're on the island.

Eric was a great instructor! He made my wife and I feel at ease and confident getting up on the…read moreboard for our first times! We would definitely take another lesson and recommend him & the company!

I wish I could give more than 5 Stars. My 7 year old had an incredible experience with Steve today…read more He was a dream instructor. He educated, encourage, had fun with and most of all kept her really safe. She went in nervous and had a blast! Thank you Steve and the whole gang!

These fabulous surfer ladies are the best. Absolutely loved my experience. They educated, made sure…read moreI felt comfortable throughout the entire process and their positive aloha vibe made everything even better than anticipated.

If you want to learn how to surf, go to these guys! We had Devon as our instructor and he was…read moregreat! His instructions were clear and simple to put to practice and we were surfing the first wave! It was a blast hanging with him out in the water. Make sure to get photos taken from them as well. We got plenty of amazing pictures we will have forever for great memories. Thank you to the whole staff for being so kind and welcoming!

Professional, friendly, on time, great guys. Our hotel concierge recommended them and I'm glad he…read moredid. Steve was my instructor and I was impressed with how assertive he was. He noticed my stiff joints and was able to make recommendations that really helped. I had taken a lesson a couple years ago in California and really didn't make it up, but with Steve's instruction I was able to ride a handful of waves!

Outstanding! We rented two skimboards for kids who have never skimmed before. Sean dropped off the…read moreboards at our place and made sure the kids knew how to use and take care of the gear. The boards are excellent quality. We also booked a lesson. It was amazing! The kids learned so much so fast. Ed, our instructor, is truly excellent working with the kids. They had a blast and were so proud of their new skills. We took fun pictures and everyone loved it!

You won't find a cooler instructor. Sean gave clear instructions prior to hitting the water. My…read more11yr old had never surf'd before and he rode every wave possible. He also got my 5yr old-who doesn't know how to fully swim, up on waves. Boys had the biggest smile and said, "best day ever!" Sean had all the gear necessary. We just showed up! Complete your island vacation with a surf lesson of a lifetime! Mahalo Sean!!