INTRO Friendly shop with fair prices, but board quality can…read morebe hit or miss - especially some of the soft tops, which may be waterlogged and very difficult to surf. Definitely inspect your board before heading out and if you get a bad board, simply head in and swap it out. They will be very cool about it and likely give you more time in the water for the inconvenience. THE STAFF Very, very friendly and welcoming. No issues here. THE BOARDS Beware: some of the soft-top boards may be waterlogged. Pick them up - if they're unusually heavy, they're likely full of water and will surf terribly. I raised this with the leadership team, and Ben said they're going to do a better job inspecting the rental quiver to ensure boards are ready to ride. When in doubt, opt for a solid 8-9' hard top. BOOTIES You may think you want them to get out past the ~10 feet of rocky bottom. Not the end of the world - smooth rocks and ZERO sea urchins. They'll tell you they're everywhere, but you're only touching bottom for a couple seconds as you enter the crystal-clear water. Bring your own or rent for $5. If I had to do it again, I'd skip the booties. THE WAVES Scout the waves first. This is not Waikiki. This spot is hit or miss. THE CROWD Perpetual surf school sitting in the best spot in the lineup. No issues with them personally, but it does make the area feel crowded. OVERALL You're surfing in Hawaii - it's always a good outing. This is the best rental option for this beach. The staff is great and the prices are fair. Just double-check the surf and your rental board before paddling out, and don't hesitate to return to the shop during your rental to swap boards. They're happy to help, and if you lose time due to a bad board, ask for extra time - their team will likely make it right.

UPDATED - November, 2025 -…read more FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW!!! Jackson now is in his fourth year of lessons with Eli. He started at 5 years old and this year his sister Reagan started - she's six years old! Eli is the BEST surf instructor in the entire world. The kids love him and he genuinely loves the kids. He teaches them to love the water and have FUN - all while being safe. Supporting Eli is the owner and operator Ben who makes sure everything is covered at a high level. Great equipment, location, safety and the positive VIBES! If you're interested in surfing on the big island, water it's renting equipment, lessons, or the location, this is your spot! Check out the photos.

Well kept, attentive workers on arrival. Small venue shop, includes multiple…read moreLocal brands. Could use some strawberry sex wax though

I thought this was a very nice store; inventory was carefully stacked with sizes shown, lots of…read morevery cool t-shirt designs that you dont see elsewhere. Staff was friendly and greeted us as we walked in. Some good prices on board shorts too I was tempted but we were leaving the island that day. Since the store name was Hawaiian Island Creations I expected to see made in Hawaii on the labels, but the few shirts I checked were made in foreign countries. They didnt carry my shirt size - XLT so I couldnt buy anything (I'm 185lb 6'). XL shirts invariably shrink in the wrong direction despite claims of 'preshrunk' etc. I'll probably check in again next visit.

Great selection of fins but guy who works there always acts a defensive and you feel like you're…read morebothering him when asking for a size or question. Not sure what that's about but great stuff in the store

always very helpful with helping me pick out boards and accessories. love how he supports local…read moresmall businesses also.

Wrong customer service. Worker claimed tshirts were $10...Wrong....cashier charged $22. WTF!read more

I love this store!! Whenever I get to come to Kona, I make it a priority to shop here for my…read morefavorite souvenirs. Their selection of brands and customer service is amazing Unfortunately, one of our gift purchases did not workout for the recipient this year. Due to credit card merchant issues, the credit card refund was not an option, but the employee diligently work to give a cash refund. Thank you for being understanding and persistent to give a refund. . We hope to see you again next year and get some more amazing clothes!!

Ok, I have to admit that I keep coming because my daughter shares the same name as this store…read more But every time I enter, I'm pleasantly surprised with their selection. Compared to the dozen other shops that sell a hundred souvenir "Hawaii" t-shirts on this street, Kailani Surf Co. sells locally-designed, sometimes handmade, surf apparel and other fun things. Now that they've moved across the street, it seems like they've changed their style slightly, less "Kailani" branded stuff and offer smoothies and snacks. Besides clothes, they also offer beautifully-made wooden skateboard decks, made by the owner's husband and stuffed ocean animals and beanies, hand knitted by the owner's college student daughter. I also spotted organic sunscreen, and these awfully cute Brazilian bikini pieces that are reversible and can be worn as a top or bottom. I can see myself coming back here at the end of my trip with whatever money I still have left and doing some damage before returning back to the mainland!

The service is spectacular, and their frozen desserts even better! A must if you're in Kona. Be…read moreprepared to make multiple visits in one day. Best of all, it's healthy!

Love the people who work here. Super helpful when I was looking for something specific and just the…read moremost kind. Great options in all price ranges.

I've had a few trips where I hired surf coaches. And Austin is the best surf coach I've ever had…read more With Austin this is the first time I truly learned something insightful and memorable. Austin is very friendly, communicative and detail oriented. Before the lesson he made sure that he could prepare for equipments based on my body type and measurements. He likes to keep his class (if group class) very small so everyone gets to have more time to learn directly from him. What's more, Austin likes to keep his class fun and relaxing. He knows when he should be pushing the students hard to practice more, and when to rest a little with stories and jokes so keeps the students motivated. Also most importantly, Austin likes to bring depth to his class. He's very knowledgeable of sharing different ways of standing up, paddling. And he likes to share his insights on the pros and cons and when to use which. I found it extremely helpful. I found with this trip I can come home not only knowing how to stand up, but how to truly surf. In all, Austin is the best surf coach I've ever had and I strongly recommend you book lessons with him.

We has a great time on the outrigger paddle trip we did through Kona Boys. Tommy was welcoming and…read moreencouraging. He had us paddling in unison in no time. Interesting stories, beautiful scenery and a good little work out. Mahalo!

Fantastic experience with Kona Boys for the Morning Kealakekua Bay Kayak & Snorkel Tour. When we…read morearrived at the shop at 7 am for orientation, Frank was friendly and prompt with greeting us at the shop and giving the orientation talk, and Paul outfitted us with gear and made sure we knew how to get to the launch site. The shop dog and cat were also very friendly. Our guide for the morning was Grant, who was fantastic. He was engaging and extremely knowledgeable about the history, culture, language, geology, flora, fauna, and many other topics. He was also communicative, attentive, and helpful to other people. Overall, I liked that our early start meant that we arrived before the other large commercial boats did, so we got to enjoy paddling and snorkeling the bay with fewer people. I highly recommend Kona Boys as an eco-friendly option with top tier service.

It has been a long time since I've had such a terrible retail experience…read more.. I've been coming to this store for years and the product is fantastic. The selection is great, but year in and year out, the service gets worse and worse. This time was, the worst it has ever been... The doors were locked even though it was prime open hours (about 4pm). I saw half a dozen customers come to the store and be turned away because the doors were locked. I actually spoke with one the customers, and he said he had been checked the door several times in the past 15 minutes. I called the store, and only then did the girl materialize after about 15 minutes of waiting, and unlock the doors. While in the store, the sales girl made no attempt at helping us with finding product, selecting a size, etc. She made no attempt in any way to be helpful. It was truly amazing. My partner and I could not believe it. This girl was dead inside, and almost ruined a perfect day. I will say that Rip Curl really has to do better and their employee selection. Rip Curl makes wonderful items, and this store is a regular stop for me; they need to find better retail associates. Please! Be warned... Be careful... Parking is great. Store is generally clean, and this day it was full of boxes around the counter.

I was in for a treat when I walked into Rip Curl Surf Center. Right when I walked in I was greeted…read morewith a sweet young tall boy. He was kind enough to help me get to the top rack and search for something I needed for my son! I'll be back again! Thank you!

I walked in to buy some Crocs for my son since this seemed to be the closest store to me. I had…read moreparked outside so when I walked in, I asked if I could get my parking validated. Employee said she didnt validate parking. I inquired as to how I was able to purchase Crocs if I coulnt park. She said I could validate at ABC. I asked if I had to buy something over there and she said she didnt know. Again I said I didnt understand how I could buy crocs if I couldn't park. She stood up and started coming at me and asked why I was "escalating things"....I wasn't I was simply trying to figure out how I could buy crocs without getting my vehicle ticketed. Needless to say, I'll be buying crocs elsewhere! Do not recommend!

Not happy with experience as the Crocs my son purchased a week ago had the soles fall off from…read morenormal use and the merchant refused to attempt to help address the recently purchased merchandise they sold.

DO NOT COME HERE. Came in really quickly so that I could get a pair of sandals to wear to the…read morebeach. Told the employee that I'm not good at picking out sizes. He literally told me I could come back in if these didn't fit me or work out for me which makes sense because that's what any normal business should do. Within two hours, I called basically letting them know I'm gonna be coming back in because these are honestly like a whole size too big. I was told that they don't do refunds and they also don't do exchanges for any item that was worn. Um? I'm now out $80.

Horrible service. They don't mention that you can't return items and only give you a week to…read moreexchange. Would not recommend buying anything here. Very overpriced