We had the BEST experience with Maui Waveriders Kihei, and George completely made it unforgettable…read more From the start, George went above and beyond to make our lesson feel personal and tailored to us. It honestly felt like a private lesson. He took the time to understand our different skill levels and customized everything so we both felt comfortable, challenged, and successful. What stood out just as much as his skill as an instructor was how genuinely kind and respectful he was. As an LGBTQIA couple, we felt completely welcomed and at ease, which meant a lot and made the experience even more special. George is not only an incredible instructor, but someone who truly cares about making sure you have a great time and get full value out of your experience. We both walked away feeling confident, accomplished, and so happy we chose this company. If you're booking, ask for George. You won't regret it.

This review is for the "Maui Waveriders Lahaina" location. We had an 11AM lesson on 04/24/2026 near…read moreUkumehame Beach Park. Pros: 1. Instructor was at the location on time. 2. He brought rash guards. Cons: 1. Rocky beach with shallow wave break, your group will have to be careful to "fall shallow" off your board or you may get cut by the rocks/coral below. 2. Instructor was short on some needed gear (no water shoes for me in standard US Size 10). 3. Instructor was not the best at coaching/communicating, had a bad attitude at times (probably the biggest issue we had with this lesson). The Whole Picture: After signing up we received an automated email with the time and location of the surf lesson. Was surprised that it was actually 20 minutes south of Lahaina at a ROCKY ENTRY north of Ukumehame Beach Park. On 04/24/2026, the day of our 10AM surf lesson, we pulled off the highway next to the instructor's truck which had a cone on the hood of it. We did quick introductions and the instructor gave us rash guards and boards. He then asked us our shoe sizes as this location required water shoes given it was so rocky. Unfortunately, he only brought one pair of size 10 water shoes, and with two people in our group who wear size 10, I had to wear size 11 which was too big and made it hard to balance (not ideal when trying to surf). He then provided some basic surfing instructions on the beach and then had us follow him into the water. His vibe up until this point was just okay, not super positive, sort of just like he was just going through the motions, but at least he was calm - this changed once we started trying to catch our first waves. He didn't tell us to start to ride in any particular order, or for only one person to go at a time, so once we paddled out we all started trying to catch a wave the first time he said "here's a wave to go for" (we were about 20 feet apart from each other). We thought we did well when two of the three of us caught our first wave attempt and each had a nice safe ride, but the happy moment quickly ended when we paddled back out to have him yell at the two us "what are you guys doing?!? You can't take off so close to each other or close to me like that!!" He went on to say that we could potentially hit each other if we are too close, while this is potentially a fair critique to make as an instructor, its also something that he should have communicated to us before we even paddled out. The bad/tense situation could have been avoided if he had just instructed us properly in advance saying "now once we get out there I want you guys to only try a wave one at a time, or to be at least 50 feet apart", but he didn't. Also when we paddled back out he could have just coached us in a positive way saying "hey guys good job on your first wave, but next time go one at a time because you could potentially run into each other", but again he chose to yell and be snarky, not a great approach for an instructor. Basically in addition to more water shoes, our instructor needed a positive coaching reminder (remember your aloha brother)!

This surf school is amazing! The instructors are so amazing and encouraging! They push you to your…read morehighest limits! They show you and explain all the stuff you need to know to surf! The waves are amazing and are perfects for kids (and parents!!)!There was also a photographer who got the best photos of me and my family! The boards are also rash free which is amazing and they were so comfortable!I recommend this surf school a lot! I am very happy to support this small family owned surf school! Val is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We had the best time at waves Surf school! My 7 year old daughter surfed for the first time and…read morethey did such a great job making it fun and comfortable for her! They also have a photographer which captured so many great pictures and videos of her! We were so happy we went back a second day for more lessons! Highly recommend this surf school! Also, we loved her surf instructor Sochi!

Eddie was a very thorough and patient instructor and we all got up and surfed on a wave! We had a…read moregreat time and felt very safe.

Dylan instructed both me and my wife. I've only surfed one time and it was 15 years ago and my wife…read morehas never surfed before. Dylan gave good instructions on land and had us practice on the ground before walking to the beach. He assisted us and made it very easy for me to shake the rust off and get on my board many times. My wife even got up a handful of times which was great for a 1st time. Even gave us a great lunch recommendation. Thank you!

My husband and I spontaneously booked this during our time in Maui as part of our honeymoon and it…read moredid not disappoint. Instruction was great, vibes were immaculate, and we had a really great time and caught a lot of waves for our first time ever on a surfboard. Our instructor Bryan was not only a good hang, but thorough and attentive in teaching us and did a great job making sure us newbies stayed safe. So glad we booked this! I see some negative comments about the photos on here and I just want to say I had a great experience with that. We did buy the album because the photos were pretty sick and it's our honeymoon. But if I didn't want to buy them it wouldn't have been a big deal as they didn't pressure us at all. In fact we approached the guy with the photos out of our own interest. No one was tryna get us to do anything. Anyways the whole experience was worth every penny!

Such a fun first surfing and family bonding experience! Our coaches David and Jonny made the…read moreexperience positive and memorable. The group was small and the personalized instruction gave it an almost private lesson feel. I'd definitely recommend Surf Club Maui to anyone that is interested in giving surfing a try!

We had two families of five, with kids ranging from 10-15, along with four parents. Most of us were…read morefirst timers, and Steve, Lee, and Josh were fantastic teachers, great with kids and adults, patient, and super fun. Can't say enough good things about the experience, and highly recommend them to anyone!

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.

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

My daughter and I took a semi-private lesson with Mario. It was our first time surfing and we had…read morethe best time. Mario had amazing energy and was incredibly patient with me (a 40+ something gal who lacks strength and coordination) and my daughter (a bit of a scaredy cat). We both got up on our boards a few times and caught some waves! We're already looking forward to the next time we can try surfing.

I had my first surfing lesson on the day before my 40th birthday, and it was one to remember. My…read moreinstructor, Mario, was really friendly, answered all of my questions, and really went above and beyond to ensure I had a great experience. Definitely recommending to friends and family visiting Maui.

I'm sad to write this especially because I love surfing and want to support Maui's businesses, but…read morefeel responsible to warn others. This company is unreliable and dishonest. They canceled our surf lesson 30 minutes before while we were on our way. We were understanding that things happen and tried to reschedule, but it never worked out. However, the issue is what followed. They assured me that I would receive a refund, but despite that promise, no refund was ever issued. After waiting and receiving no communication, I had no choice but to dispute the charge with my credit card company. To make matters worse, the surf company responded to the bank claiming that I did receive the lesson--which is completely untrue. I have since reached out to try to resolve what I initially hoped was just a misunderstanding, but I have received zero response. The lack of honesty and accountability is a terrible representation of Maui. I hope this doesn't happen to anyone else, but judging from other reviews, it looks like it already has. What a shame.

Could not have asked for a better instructor for my first time on a board…read more I booked a private lesson to really "try surfing" and see if it's even for me. Zack has great attitude, knows surfing AND new surfers, and got me the best results for my time. He guided us to the best spots to catch waves, gets you going into the wave, and sends you off cheering. When you inevitably fall, his feedback is on point. He's chill, friendly with everyone, and is dialed-in on surfing. Zack is a professional - period. I'll be bringing him to Zack when it's my son's turn to surf. Website is super easy to use too.

Steve is cool, calm, zen. He helps built confidence in newbie surfers to safely navigate the waters…read moreand enjoy surfing. My teen son was keen to try surfing and fell in love with riding waves with Steve. He loves surfing so much he wanted to surf again on the same visit to Maui. So grateful for Steve's calm, patient, and encouraging style. Thanks Steve! Looking forward to seeing you again. Maui No Ka Oi.

Steve is amazing!! He took our group of kids and adults out and everyone had a great time. We had a…read morerange of experienced surfers and some first timers and Steve was great about catering the lesson to each person's ability. He's a great teacher; calm, fun, and positive! He supplied the boards - brought them to the beach and packed them up when you are done! Highly recommend!

Awesome experience highly recommended, Eric Gilbert is an amazing instructor is worth every penny.read more

From the owner: Our helicopter academy pivots a lifetime of exploration and adventure. Our educators are eager to…read moregive you the tools needed to explore the corners of the earth most don't get to see. From magnificent Hawaiin waterfalls to lush rainforests, these are only a few spectacular sights to see when you take lessons. At our school, we believe aviation is for everyone -- so if you're looking for something new, safe, and exciting to do, we welcome you to give flying a try! You'll never have to worry knowing you've been trained by the best instructors around. With that being said, doors off, lenses out! The experience of a lifetime awaits.