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.

Group lesson by Javier. Great teacher with sense of humor…read more Do it even if you aren't a swimmer. It's safe. Ride the wave on knees or feet if you can. Great experience. Thank you.

I can't tell you how happy we felt after leaving our surf instructor. H was wonderful and very…read morefriendly. We will definitely be coming back and I hope we get him again. When they say you will definitely get up on the board, believe them. He was so patient and explained everything thoroughly. Great experience! Thank you!

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

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!

unforgettable experience! our instructor was super fun and informative. he encouraged us and also…read moremade us feel comfortable in the water (peep him supporting us in the back of the photos!). we caught a few waves and caught better vibes! big shoutout!!

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)!

So I'm 48 years old and have never surfed in my life. We did a family vacation (me, wife and 13…read moreyear old daughter and 11 year old son). Both of my kids can surf, but my wife and I have never attempted it until we met Nick and his lovely family. Communication was great, Nick is a *TRUE* local to Lana'i, and he took us to a spot that's a 45 min drive from Lana'i city to a remote beach on the north east end of the island. Nick had all of the equipment for us to try, and both my wife and I were able to get up with Nick's help. We really enjoyed our time with Nick and I would highly recommend this. They only reason I can't give this 5* is that it was a bit on the pricey side after seeing the cost of surf lessons on other islands, but we were anxious to surf and still had a great time!

Our 13 year old daughter has become obsessed with surfing. Knowing that Lana'i is not known as a…read morebig surfing island, we didn't think she'd get much if any surfing in during our trip. That is where Nick came to the rescue! We hired him to take my husband and daughter surfing and it was the best thing we did our entire time on Lana'i. We rented a jeep for the day at the Four Seasons where we were staying, met Nick and Kawai in Lana'i City, then caravanned to the other side of the island to Lopa Beach. It's a trek on an unpaved road, but it is beautiful and gives you the opportunity to see the north side of Lana'i and its stunning views. Surfing: Lopa Beach was empty and we were the only ones there. Incredible! The waves were absolutely perfect for beginners and were consistent. So many waves to catch over and over again that landed on a soft, sandy beach. Nick and Kawai brought the right boards, rash guards, and booties and gave all the right instructions to get my husband and daughter up and surfing on practically every wave they tried to catch. It is clear that Nick is an expert on not just surfing, but specifically surfing on Lana'i. The added bonus was having Kawai there, as my daughter absolutely loves surfing with and getting some surf tips from female surfers. The history lesson: Beyond just surfing, Nick and Kawai are absolute gems to talk to about the history of Lana'i and all of Hawai'i. As natives of Hawai'i, they have an incredible amount of information on the history of everything that's ever happened there. It's wonderful to not just learn so much about the state we love to vacation in, but to find people so passionate about Hawai'i culture and its history. Please listen and learn from them, not just about surfing, but about all of Hawai'i. You will leave a better person and will find yourself feeling like you can truly hang out with Nick and Kawai in another life...that life where you move to Lana'i. ;) Do not hesitate -- book a lesson with them!

My kids had a great instructor. He made it so fun for them. Gave them plenty of tips on the beach…read morebefore 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!!

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

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.

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!