"So glad I finally found you -- and so glad I didn't give up." 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! read more

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My six-year-old son had a private surf lesson with Theo today, and the entire experience exceeded our 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. read more

Surf schools are as good as their instructors, they are the hands-on first-point of contact ambassadors for the sport. LahAina Surf Shack has amazing instructors, and will get you into the right waves regardless of the conditions. Talvi and Gianna from LSS hosted me and my son at Guardrails last week. It was my son's first time surfing, and I asked him whether he wanted me to teach him myself or if he wanted to do a surf school. I have a whole life of experience in the ocean: swimming, surfing, diving. My son is not like that; I've never pressured him to swim or surf, and until the last year he hadn't been remotely interested. When he found out we were going to Maui he started asking relentlessly, albeit cautiously. He wanted to go with a surf school so he could learn from the pros. Okay let's go! I signed up several weeks in advance not knowing what the conditions would be like, and last Tuesday the waves were pretty small. I signed up for a time later in the day (midday, when it's usually windier). I explained to my son before we left our rental that morning that all of these different factors come into play in surfing: tide, wind, swell direction and interval, sea floor shape (bathymetry). When we got there, all of those things came into play, to create not ideal conditions. Several other surf schools had congregated around the general area of the break. Talvi and Gianna greeted us, and went over some practice catching a wave and standing up on the beach. In between moments Talvi, Gianna and I chatted about where we should head toward and we agreed that a little higher up the reef than others were sitting. Talvi helped my son get into the right spot over and over again, the few waves that came through he would line him up and get him onto the best waves, while the other camps were not in position to catch the few waves that were coming through. Gianna and I traded off the waves in between. Eventually the other camps went in and it was just the four of us. The tide swamped just about anything from breaking and we called it quits right on time. My son was fully exhausted, and Talvi had gotten him onto more than a handful of waves. My son was anxious and nervous to fall, so he didn't get up from his knees; but Talvi got him in the spot and he had the opportunity to stand up and helped guide him on the wave and kept him going the right direction and pulled him off the wave before he got washed up in the shore pound. To me, the most important part of the experience was to help curate a positive experience that doesn't push a new surfer into an experience that leaves them scared or afraid to do it again. That is what I wanted, and LahAina Surf Shop, Talvi and Gianna gave us that. It's the perfect spring board for him to go try more, just with me back home in California. That is a true gift! Thank you! It was genuinely wonderful to get to meet these two local surfers and amazing ambassadors of the sport. Would recommend to anyone. read more

We had a wonderful time! Theo was an excellent instructor who put us immediately at ease and was very personable and down to earth. Our youngest was very nervous to do it by herself and he said he could ride with him and if she felt comfortable enough she could try by herself. The look of immediate relief on her face was almost comical. She loved riding with him and felt very safe and reassured by his presence. Thanks for making our trip so memorable!! read more

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We scheduled our class with LahAina Surf Shack weeks ago and the morning of the lesson we got a photo of our instructor Carter and the location of the class. It was easy to reach out and ask questions and he came prepared with boards and a rash guard for my daughter to borrow. The class went perfectly even though I'd injured my back earlier in the week: he was very understanding and made sure we were not pushed too hard. My daughter, 13 had never surfed before and managed to stand by the end of the class! It was a beautiful morning with nice, regular waves. In fact we scheduled a second session a few days later, held at a different beach because of changing winds, and I (49) managed to catch a few! I couldn't be happier with our class and the whole experience was smooth and easy. Mahalo for a great couple of days, Carter and Aina! read more

I was looking for a last-minute surfing lesson after another surf school forgot our booking, and this company came through for us in a big way! Within an hour of reaching out, they had Mia come out and provide a surf lesson for me and my family. Mia did an amazing job! Everyone had a great time, learned a lot, and felt comfortable in the water. She was patient, knowledgeable, and made the whole experience fun. If you're looking for a reliable surf company that truly takes care of its customers, I definitely recommend them! read more

My kids had a great instructor. He made it so fun for them. Gave them plenty of tips on the beach before they got in the water. They caught their first wave within minutes. They had a blast. Will definitely do this again on our next trip to Maui. Thanks Talvi!! read more

My friend took a surf lesson and had a great time. He said the instructor was super helpful and encouraged him to level up as he was already quite comfortable in the ocean waves. He came back glowing and exhausted. read more

This is an amazing crew that truly wants to share the love for surfing and the ocean with their clients. We booked three private lessons and they made certain we all came away with a fantastic experience. We also saw a seal, turtles and whales! So lucky!! read more

LahAina Surf Shack - My daughter surfing for the first time! - Surf Schools Near Me

Jedi and Chyna instructed our four kids today. The kids have never surfed before and had the BEST time! Chyna had our 8 year old and he thrived with her. In fact, he just told us it was the best part of his vacation so far. Jedi had the two 12 year olds and 14 year old and they had the best time ever. All the kids were ready for the biggest meal after all their hard work. I couldn't recommend LahAina Surf Shack more! Thank you Jedi and Chyna for giving the kids the best time on the water. read more

LahAina Surf Shack - Headed out to surf - Surf Schools Near Me

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First of all, Aina was very helpful with booking and answering our questions. Our surf instructor Ricky was awesome! He was completely knowledgeable & experienced with surfing! It definitely showed while teaching us how to surf! He is very patient & instructs to get the best out of us, which helped a lot! Got us out there to get some good runs in! We would definitely recommend Ricky & the LahAina Surf Shack! Mahalo! read more

LahAina Surf Shack - Surf Schools Near Me

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We booked semi private sessions of 8/12/2025. We arrived at the location and meet with the instructor (Ricky). He was really rude and unprofessional to the 3 of us. My daughter ended up stepping on a sea urchin. He never cautioned us about sea urchins. There was no notice of bring water shoes to the lesson. We are tourists so we don't know the area or where sea urchins are. My daughter got out of the water in pain. She had been stung 20 times on the bottom of her left foot. He was not compassionate with her. He kept pushing her to go out even though she was in pain. He told her that he coached small kids and that they could swim and surf better than her. I went out 5 times and I came in. He said, "Hay, man I can't do this for you!", I told him that I was over 50 years old and I was just doing it for fun, not to be a professional. He needs to understand that people are taking lessons to learn. He had no patience in oder to be an instructor. He ruined the experience for my self and my kids. read more

Brought our two 17-year-old girls here for a surf lesson... Just wanted something for them to do. Very casual place. You can park across the street for free in the public lot, they have a couple of chairs you can sit on, and the same people own the healthy café next-door, and you can use their bathroom. They basically give them swim shoes and a rash guard shirt and you drop your belongings in one of the crates. Obviously, you can't take anything with you out on the water, so leave your valuables at home. They tell you multiple times to cover yourself with sunscreen (of course, my kid did not listen). Then they walk basically across the street and behind the school to a small beach area, where they teach them how to stand and then get them in the water. There's a guy hanging around named Frenchy who for 30 bucks will take pictures of your party surfing for 30 bucks per person. We bit, and he actually got a couple good pictures. It was worth it. They also give you quite a few decent coupons for local businesses. Our instructor's name was Eddie and he was great with the girls. We had one who was into it and one who was not, and he was totally flexible I'm accommodating both, and they both had a fun time. He happened to have his teen son with him that and that was like having a free extra instructor! I recommend this place and we will come back. I may try it myself -- I'll ask for Eddie when I do! read more

Our family had an amazing lesson with Carter today. Great communication to the meetup point and he made it a fun and positive experience for our 11 & 13 year olds first time surfing. Thank you so much! read more

LahAina Surf Shack - Surf Schools Near Me

I'd genuinely give them a million stars if I could. Our 8 year old is cautious and nervous about most things. She was scared to snorkel but wanted to try surfing- go figure. We signed her up for a private lesson. I highly recommend the private lesson especially for kiddos. Ricky, the instructor was so funny, so patient, and really good at reading our daughter. You could tell he knew what he was doing. Safety was most important and they went over the basics before they went out on the water. She caught her first wave and Ricky gradually had her do more and more of the process on her own. Towards the end she was doing a lot on her own and fell off a couple times- that's normal. He was really receptive to her emotions and encouraging. I'm not joking when I tell you my husband and I had our jaws wide open. We were so proud of her and in shock at how much she loved it for a girl who is teeeified of most things. Ever since being back, she has been telling us the riddles Ricky was telling her and she won't stop talking about how funny he was. She gave him a thumbs up- something she rarely gives out. Just be aware that it's tiring. Our daughter is pretty athletic and she was still pretty sore afterwards. It did not stop her from walking down the beach, playing in the ocean, or going swimming in the pool though. As a parent I'd have lots to drink, some snacks ready, and be prepared for a possible car nap. When she started to feel frustrated at the end, we all, including Ricky, assured her that she did great. She can't wait to try again. Literally could not recommend them more. She has already asked her dad for a surf board and to help her research surfing spots near our house in California. Not only did she learn to surf, she gained confidence, she fell off and got back up, and she is really proud of herself for trying something new. I attribute this to Ricky's personality, patience, clear instructions, and funny jokes to keep up the fun our on the water. read more

LahAina Surf Shack - First time surfing, one of her first waves. She learned so quickly. - Surf Schools Near Me

Our 3 kids had the best experience! Ricky was the perfect coach and got our first time kids up and riding waves in no time. Thank you!

Ricky is the best instructor! Really nice guy, great instruction and guidance, helped me stand up on my first try!! It's clear how much he loves what he does, I would highly recommend this to anyone, it was really worth it!! read more

Went to a beach and saw a bunch of surfers and wanted to rent some boards. We were directed to this surf shop for rentals and I'm so glad we went. We were welcomed by a sweet lady at the register and she picked out boards for us since we had no clue what we were doing. Very friendly staff, great rentals, and made for a great experience. read more

LahAina Surf Shack - Surf Schools Near Me

We had the best time of our life's ! We had four of us learning how to surf for our first time . Our instructor tricky Ricky was very helpful. We all had a good time and plan to come back . I highly recommend using Lahaina surf shop anytime you want to surf and have the best time of your trip! Scott B read more

My fiancé and I went to Maui this summer and had a desire to do a surf lesson. Lahaina Surf Shack was very responsive in our communication and we were able to book a 2 hour session last minute. Our instructor, Ricky, was awesome! He instructed us on the proper technique and gave us immediate feedback on what we did wrong/ right after every wave. Both of us were able to stand up within our second or third try and caught so many waves that day. The experience was awesome and the next time we come to Maui we are definitely getting another surf lesson. read more

LahAina Surf Shack - Surf Schools Near Me

Great place, great instruction! Had a ton of fun learning the basics of surfing. Funny and friendly staff. You can also rent boards and paddle boards. Saw sea turtles and fish in area where they took us while I paddle boarded. Highly recommend! read more

LahAina Surf Shack - Surf Schools Near Me

My kids had several lessons at the Lahaina Surf Shark. Walter, Kannon and Niko are amazing instructors. They make sure the kids are safe and have fun with them. They are super patient with the kids and they keep encouraging them until they stand up on the board with the biggest smile on their face. I would recommend this place. You'll enjoy your experience!!! read more

LahAina Surf Shack - Surf Schools Near Me

Our family took our first ever surf lesson with Ricky. He was great! There was 4 of us and we all got to catch a wave about 5 times. He was incredibly patient and helpful in instruction. He did a really great job and we were all able to get up on the board on the first wave! We started off on land, learning the basics of how to paddle and get up on the board. Then, we moved into the water. Would definitely go back! read more

We had a great time with Ricky and Carter. Our group of seven (first time surfers) from ages 13 to 45 - all caught waves and had so much fun! Mahalo! read more

Great outfit did a couple lessons with my daughter. Instructor (Ricky) was awesome, by the Secondd lesson my 11 year old daughter was paddling g into her own waves. We had a blast. Will do again soon he. We come back. read more

Highly recommend Lahaina Surf Shack. We took our 3 boys ages 17, 10 and 10 today and they had a great time. We had Private lessons with Big Foot, Kannon and another guy who goes to school with Kannon, but I can't remember his name (maybe Sam? Sorry). They did amazing with our boys. Big Foot was very patient with our middle son who is autistic and not as athletic as our other two boys, but he did amazing. Our other 2 boys got up and were able to actually surf a lot! They also had a photographer who charged $30 per kid, which we thought was a great deal. It's hard to figure out where your kids are at sometimes, but he captured all the perfect pictures. We got 164 pictures for the 3 boys! My only recommendation for next time would be to bring binoculars, it's hard to spot the kids when they are far out there and so many people. read more

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This is our third time taking lessons at this place. We had Ricky and Walter as our instructors, they were fabulous! They took our 4 and 5 year old out for a lesson and despite their nerves, they were extremely great with them! We loved it so much we are returning for more lessons tomorrow. read more

LahAina Surf Shack - Surf Schools Near Me

Had the greatest surfing lessons here with Walter!! Everyone that works here was so welcoming and friendly. 100% recommend this place to anyone and everyone that wants the best lessons. You could tell out in the water how much more personable and on top of it our instructor was compared to other places. Great energy all around. Thanks walter!! You're the best! read more

LahAina Surf Shack - The shop - Surf Schools Near Me

Fun surf session for our three girls 10 and 8 years old. We were able to grab two instructors to help our girls feel comfortable in foreign territory (they had some previous surfing experience). They had sooo much fun with Jedi and Billy. Both guys were the girls hype team and really set the tone for a great fun session. They helped them paddle in and out as not to completely exhaust themselves. These girls were able to catch at least 15 waves a piece! Worth the money. This was one of their favorite activities they did on our trip to Maui. We will be back next year! read more

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07.29.2018 Hubby and Little O took a group lesson here. It was a 2-hour group lesson. They provided some water shoes for both of them since we had none. They went over the basics and a short land lesson at the shop. After that we took a short walk to pick up the boards and walk to the beach. According to Google Maps the lesson was held at Emily's Beach, next to Lahaina Harbor and behind King Kamehameha III Elementary School. The area is popular for surfing lessons and boogie boarding as it remains shallow for a few hundred yards out. Hubby and Little O were in a group lesson with two other adults who were visiting from Los Angeles. Their instructor was Makana (or was it Makena?). Anyways, he was pretty friendly and thorough with all the details from safety to falling and recovering. Little O wished she could've been out there for more than a couple hours. I think her skateboard camp this summer helped her a bit. read more

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Wow! If I could give 20 stars I would. We are so glad we decided to take our surf lessons with LahAina. Our instructor Jedi was the absolute best! He gave us an amazing experience and really did a great job with me and my sister in law who is a first time surfer. Jedi is very knowledgeable about surfing, the waves, and the history of the island! Also they offer to have your experience documented with photo shoot while you surf! I highly recommend LahAina Surf Shack when your in Maui. read more

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Best surf lessons in Maui! They were patient and thorough with everyone! Would recommend this group to everyone that comes to Maui! Can't wait to come back! read more

LahAina Surf Shack - Surf Schools Near Me

Showed up on a rainy day to start scheming up some surf plans. Met Ricky who was knowledgeable and friendly. We got the full run down on private and semi-private lessons for our little ones. Said we would all think on it and come back when we've decided. There was no pressure about anything, it was nice. Went back the next (sunny) day to rent boards on the CHEAP for a few hours. HIGHLY RECOMMEND read more

LOVED. Our instructor, Max was so great! We took a family lesson...He gave us awesome tips and was very helpful to 46 year old me and my hubby, and my 10 and 7 year old daughters. All the staff was super cool and welcoming. We also rented boards here... very easy as it's close to a beginner break you can walk to. The shop has great swag too. read more

LahAina Surf Shack - Girls got up on first wave. Thanks Max!!! - Surf Schools Near Me

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Had a solo lesson with Ricky. Good guy. Made everything super simple and had me doing better than expected early on. Great advice and just an easygoing time. Would highly recommend. read more

LAHAINA SURF SHACK was the highlight of our trip! I've been lucky enough to take lessons 10 years ago here and then bring my 6 and 8 year olds back. My 6 year old nailed standing up on her first try and my 8 year old was full stoke and begging for a second lesson on our trip. Ricky and Jackson couldn't have been better fits as instructors for my kids and I just can't recommend them enough. Such a great experience. Do it now! read more

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Booked a 2 hour semi private lesson and was exactly what we wanted! Ricky is a great instructor and focused on our personal goals and needs. Safety was his first priority and he knows the location very well. Highly recommended!! read more

Such a great experience. Did a semi private lesson (2 instructors for our family of 4) and it was perfect. Everyone was able to stand up and catch waves. We were all total beginners. 10/10 read more

I loved this shop, and all the goodies inside! I loved the stickers, bathing suits, hats, and surf boards too. I got the private lesson and it went so smoothly, my instructor read my ability to surf very quickly and decided from there what waves we would do, I also get comfortable when asking for breaks or holding myself from too challenging of a wave. I am a beginner but finished feeling so much more confident in my ability. read more

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Highly recommend! It was the first time surfing for our family of four. Each of us was able to get up and catch a few waves. Our instructor Connor was super patient and a great instructor. We would love to come back again! Also, the photos on the beach are well worth the extra $25/pp. read more

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