Hilo Branch First and foremost : Greeted with a smile and…read moreAloha. Very professional sales Manager. I'll be back and back. Telling my friends

The girl at the shop was rude and couldn't be bothered to answer questions. It's ok to be polite to…read morepotential customers. We stood at the counter for several minutes other no acknowledgment that we were in the store.

Our four kids (two 11-year olds, a 13 year old and a 14 year old) had an absolute blast. Two of the…read morefour kids were looking forward to the surf lesson and two of the four were dreading it. Happy to report that four and the four had a GREAT time! Our instructors (Daniel and I missed the gal's name) were definitely a highlight. They let the kids go at their own speed but didn't treat them like babies. I've taken surf lessons in other cities and these were awesome because they cut right to the chase. Definitely more time spent in the water, which was appreciated. Their instructions they emailed ahead of time were spot on. Couldn't say more great things about our experience. All four kids ended up getting up on a board plenty of times, despite less than ideal Hawai'i conditions (gray, rainy, etc). They could have gone for another two hours!

Julian was my instructor, got me fitted with the right board and within a few runs I was up and…read moregoing. He went over safety and explained the currents of the area we were surfing before getting into the water. Great overall experience.

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.

Hana was a great instructor to my daughter. Patient, encouraging, friendly and fun. They provided a…read moresurfboard, shoes and rash guard shirt for the lesson. While my daughter went surfing, my other kids went snorkeling at the same public beach. Good time had by all.

I took a private lesson with Chad an had an absolutely wonderful time. Chad was easy going,…read moreinformative, and encouraging, guiding me on my board in the water and setting me up for success. After standing up a few times, but feeling fatigue from paddling, he encouraged me further and I got up a few more times again! Definitely recommended for newbies and beginner. Thank you Chad!

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.

Excellent experience. Evan and Don where great. They both were very knowledgeable of the ocean and…read moretook us to a great place to snorkel on the kayaks.

We spent an awesome morning on the water with Evan. He was friendly, fun, knowledgeable and even…read morewent the extra mile (fathom?) while free diving 40 feet to find an octopus so that we could have an encounter with one. We saw lots of turtles getting their spa day while tropical fish cleaned them. Within an hour or two, we received an email with two dozen high quality photos and videos that Evan took with his GoPro. A pretty big value add to the tour! I was a little apprehensive about exiting the kayak but he made it a safe, easy and fun experience. If you're thinking of joining a huge group tour organized by one of the resorts, book a trip with Evan and his guides instead. You won't regret it!

Jay was super cool. I rented a board from him and he gave me advice when I was in the water. He…read morerepresents the Hawaiian spirit of the islands. Will look him up again when I come back

I didn't really expect my fat old 65 year old body to be able to stand up on a surfboard, so my…read moregoal was to ride some waves on my knees. That I did, and it was great fun. I may have made it to standing if given more time, but I was worn out and satisfied. Others in our party did make it to a standing surf, and could not have done so without our fine instructors. Sorry, I'm terrible with names, but I think they are the only two. Lots of small outfits using the bay for lessons.

Chris was an awesome instructor for my daughters first time surfing. He has 30+ years of experience…read morewhich came in handy when the conditions weren't great that day but he managed to make the most out of the session. He was very patient and friendly to her (7 year old) and my younger daughter (5 year old) - especially since he has a daughter of his own. Both loved their first time and now my older wants to go out again so mission accomplished

The location was perfect. Easy to find parking , great waves and very helpful instructor, who was…read morevery patient with my nine year old. They provided us with everything we needed (surfboards, shoes, leashes etc) and gave detailed helpful instructions. If you are looking for family surfing fun this is an awesome surf company to use.

My 17 year old son and I took a semi private surfing lesson with Charles. He was a very patient,…read morelaid-back, experienced and knowledgeable teacher. Charles was able to get both of us standing on the surfboard, during the entire to our lesson. The lessons took place on Kahalu'u beach. I felt safe and comfortable, despite never swimming in the ocean and poor vision. I wore my swimming prescription goggles. The beach was not very deep, and I was able to see beautiful, yellow fish, swimming below my surfboard. We had a blast with Charles, and it was much more fun than I anticipated. My son, and I had a semi private lesson, which maximized time catching the waves, and efficiency. It took a few minutes for me to paddle back to the instructor, while my son caught a wave. I highly recommend booking surfing with this company. Our family of five also booked adventures with Ocean, Eco Tours, which is a related small family business. We did intro to scuba diving (no precertification needed), and snorkeling. If you want a small group adventure, with personalized attention, I recommend Ohana Surf and Ocean, Eco Tours.

Awesome time! Kaleo was super helpful, nice, got me to stand up and we saw a turtle!!! Definitely…read morerecommend!!!

Thoroughly enjoyed our short stay at this farm retreat: especially going to sleep surrounded by the…read moremesmerizing calls of coqui frogs, the interesting farm animals (muscovy ducks, saffron finch, the rowdy guineafowls, a lot of peacocks, a few piglets) at the farm. Our cabin had private shower, fan, condition was okay but lacked coffee supplies. There were frequent sounds of cars moving to/from cabins but overall it was a good stay. We did not use the shared kitchen but everyone seemed to be really nice and friendly.

We stumbled upon Hawaiian Sanctuary Retreat Center while looking for a last-minute place to stay…read morenear Hilo after deciding to extend our honeymoon from Kona to explore the other side of the island, and we're so glad we did! What started as a spontaneous stay turned into one of the most healing and transformative experiences of our lives. From the moment we arrived, the atmosphere was peaceful, welcoming, and full of genuine care. We ended up spending nearly all of our time at the sanctuary instead of exploring because their healing services were exactly what we needed. Dr. Rich was phenomenal! Combining medical expertise with a holistic approach to help us address some long-standing health issues. Tammy's bodywork and her deep understanding of frequency and energy work were absolutely essential to our experience. Anita's hydro cleansing session was nothing short of incredible, my wife actually regained her sense of smell for the first time since losing it after Covid and a stroke in 2021! And then there was Kelly, her food and fresh juices were out of this world! Every meal was nourishing and full of life. The entire staff radiated warmth, kindness, and a genuine passion for helping people heal. We didn't want to leave and are already planning our return trip. Thank you, Hawaiian Sanctuary, for making us feel like family and for the life changing care and love you poured into every moment. You've truly left a lasting mark on our hearts.