This surf school is amazing! The instructors are so amazing and encouraging! They push you to your highest 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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

Waves Hawaii Surf School - Paddleboarding Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

We had the best time at waves Surf school! My 7 year old daughter surfed for the first time and they 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! read more

Waves Hawaii Surf School - Paddleboarding Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

Lucas was amazing with our daughter She is 10 years of age and she rode amazing waves and learned so much in a short amount of time and most importantly had so much fun! He is great with kids and just an incredible teacher! By the end of the lesson she looked like a pro and they took amazing photos as well. This added so much to our vacation. thank you read more

Waves Hawaii Surf School - Paddleboarding Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

Had a great experience setting up surf lessons for my boys on our Maui vacation. It was a last minute booking, and Deb was so accommodating. She was kind and very informative. When we got to the beach, Val and her team helped get our boys into rash guards and water shoes. The gear was a little worn out, but it worked. Same with the boards. The instructor, San, was great. San was a professional, with over 45 years of experience. He taught at a good pace and gave really helpful tips to my boys. They also had a third party photography team that captured great in-water shots. What a great way to capture memories of their first surfing experience! Thank you, Waves, for making the experience so wonderful! My boys can't wait to surf again! read more

Waves Hawaii Surf School - Paddleboarding Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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FIVE STARS!!! My 2 kids and I took our first surf lesson and had an absolute blast! We caught lots of waves and thoroughly enjoyed our time with our instructor Lucas. He was awesome with the kids (age 12 and 15). We will definitely come back on our next Maui trip and request Lucas! Mahalo brother!!! read more

Great instructor experience. Only negative is completely out of their control. I had no idea there was so much scattered coral in the water in Maui. read more

We have booked with them multiple times. This is such a great company. If you are looking for surfing lessons book with waves!

Thank you Saan and waves Hawaii crew. Incredible day for the family's first session. Kids had such a great time and made a lifetime memory. Can't recommend these guys enough. My son and daughter we're up and riding in 30 mins and catching wave after wave for the rest of the time. read more

Waves Hawaii Surf School - Paddleboarding Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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Daughter had a great lesson with Saan today. He was very easygoing, very professional and left my daughter feeling confident and she had a great time. We appreciate the kind encouragement and no pressure style. You will have fun I'm sure! The scenery is not as pristine as northwest or south shores like Kapalua and McKenna but the water is very shallow (like stand up 50 yards out shallow) the waves slow and easy like Waikiki, and even though crowded there's plenty of room for lots of runs. The boards could be better condition but it's no big deal, she's learning. If you can afford it a private lesson will get you the best results but if you just wanna try surfing the group rate is an easy affordable way to go. read more

We were so impressed with our instructors, Eddie and Faith, who had our kids (6 and 9) getting up on their first wave!! And Leilani's photos that she captured were amazing! We'll be back next summer! read more

Great experience! Everyone had a great time and were up on their boards in the first few minutes!

Eddie was the most patient and kind instructor! We were first time surfers and his instruction was excellent - we both got up the first time! Eddie also gave us great suggestions about what else to do while in Maui. I highly suggest purchasing the photos that are taken during your lesson. They were amazing! So thankful for this experience. Mahalo read more

Amazing experience! San was an awesome instructor, had a great lesson tons of fun. Adaptive to to different paces of learning. Debbie was quick to add me on to the lesson group last minute. Overall great people, great experience, great equipment, great vibes. 10/10 recommend and would go back! read more

I had a fantastic morning lesson with Eddie and would definitely recommend Waves. I'm in my late forties, moderately athletic, and have always wanted to try surfing. Eddie was informative, easy going, and patient. Wish I had more time on the island to get more practice! read more

We had a great time learning how to surf at waves surf school! Our instructor, Lucas was very encouraging and super friendly. We started with a quick intro lesson before dipping in the water which was helpful to understand the correct technique. While we were in the water, Lucas gave us great feedback and kept the lesson fun. Even though we were total beginners, we caught a lot of waives!! Mahalo to the photographer Johnny who was able to capture lots of great shots of our lesson, and was also cheering us on and giving us pointers. We were excited to get our photos and videos downloaded right away, so we could share them with our friends and family. Overall this was a great activity for my husband and I, and we definitely recommend it on your trip to Kihei. read more

The instructor and lesson was perfect for us. They were very patient and helped us at all ages. Would highly recommend and would do it again! read more

Really good experience. Instruction was very clear and easy to follow. The beach is rocky but with the water shoes it's fine and the waves are a very manageable size for beginners; just big enough to get the feel but they won't overwhelm you. Our family of four all managed to stand up on the board and a couple of us started catching our own waves. Some of us rented boards later in the week at Kaanapali and were able to surf -- let's be real, we weren't pros, but we knew enough that we were catching waves on our own and it was pretty great. read more

very unprofessional and crowded. Too many students instructor couldn't safely handle everyone. lots of collisions thankfully, no one was seriously hurt read more

We rolled in 10mins late just getting everyone out of the hotel. Carlos could not have been nicer and more relaxed. We walked to the ocean and he found us a great location to learn to surf. Easy access and great help. Highly recommend these guys, ask for Carlos! read more

During our vacation we were introduced to this surfing school from The Grand Wailea. We have private lessons for three days for my 6 year old daughter, 9 year old son, 11 year old son and myself a very large 39 year old. All of us got up all day long. Even at 280 pounds they got me up and I loved it. The staff is amazing! We've had surf lessons but never like this group. Whether you're looking for private or group lessons, it's your first time or 1000 time surfing please book this group for a VIP experience! The instructors are great, from learning the basics, challenging them, teaching and showing them tricks! Our kids were flossing like back boy, doing 180's and everything! They rode on the board with the kids initially to get them comfortable! Thankfully the amazing concierges at the Grand Wailea recommended this group. Thanks read more

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These guys were great with my two boys: 11 & 9. Sacha was great with my kids, taught them a lot, and repeatedly towed them back out past the lineup after they rode all the way to the shore. I highly recommend. read more

Second time taking a surf lesson with them. The first time with me and my 8 year old son was awesome. This time, I brought my whole family, including my wife and 7 year old daughter. Both had never been surfing. The experience was top notch. Very family friendly. The instructors went above and beyond to ensure the entire family had a great experience, got up on a ton of waves, and had a fun time. The location is great. Side note: if Waves Hawaii Surf School changed their named to "Turtle Excursions" - and we never surfed, we would've gotten our money worth. We literally saw turtles every couple of minutes. Probably saw at least 15 or 20 turtles. Literally right under our board, popping up out of the water multiple times right next to us, etc. This was just an added bonus, something the family will remember forever. This is a service oriented business and the entire staff understands that. It isn't easy satisfying all of the various families, kids of all ages, people of all experiences. From the fittings to the questions to the instructions. It is a ton of work. But you would never know that. The service is excellent and delivered authentically with a smile. read more

Carlos was a great instructor, every wave got better and better after his advice! We were all beginners & truly got the hang of it after Carlos's teaching. Morgan was a also a phenomenal photographer!! Awesome experience. Great staff. Definitely recommend bringing your own wetsuit. read more

Waves Hawaii Surf School - Paddleboarding Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

8am semi-private lesson for the nephews (ages 7 &13). They were the only 2 in the group and we're up and surfing in no time! The digital pictures they took turned out great & we had instant access to them. The boys LOVED it. read more

It was a great way to learn, a great lesson for our family. We had fun. My husband and son went out on their own the next day. They were humbled by the sea and confident with what they learned the previous day. read more

We really enjoyed working with this company while staying in Kihei. They were easy to work with. Booking process is easy and flexible. I was able to get a private surfing lesson for my son and rent a paddle board the same time. They always answered the phone which made everything faster and more efficient. Great customer service. We were very lucky to have our lessons with Eddie. He is simply the best! read more

The whole crew was awesome. My 11 year old son and I took lessons one day, and we had such a good time, we immediately booked lessons for the next day. Huge shout out to Sasha, our instructor. He made it so easy for us to learn the basics, especially at the beginning, when we were just trying to find our feet. By the end of the second day, we were more than comfortable on the board, with great balance, and we were even able to complete turns - both to the left and right. Can't say enough good things about these guys. Great operation. read more

My husband has always wanted to go surfing, so we thought what better place to do it than in Hawaii! We booked through Expedia & it was a super easy booking experience. I was super nervous, but very quickly our instructor, Carlos, made us super comfortable! He was very engaged and kept giving us tips while we were in the water so we could get better and better. We seriously had the best time ever & would definitely do it again!!! Thanks Carlos!!! read more

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My two children had surf lessons with Waves Hawaii Surf School. They had a fantastic time and learned so much. They both were standing on their board and riding waves after 20 minutes of instruction. It was one of the highlights of our trip. We will definitely be back for more. Thank you! read more

Our daughter took a private lesson with Carlos. He was super personable and knowledgeable! We will definitely be back and request Carlos!

We LOVED our experience with Waves Hawaii. We came back for round two with the kids this time. Carlos was amazing with my nervous, first time 4 year old and my 6 year old! My 4 year olds favorite part was when "my teacher put me on his shoulders on the surfing board" The rest of the crew was just as genuine and awesome in teaching us and making sure we caught a lot waves. Uncle John stopped by and talked with us after and made sure to let us know some great spots to eat and his niece Morgan took some AMAZING photos and videos of us so we could have the memories and just be in the moment with the kids. By far my favorite thing to do in Maui. Mahalo! read more

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Great to experience! Eddie was an amazing instructor the whole family had a blast and we were all up and surfing really quickly. 100% recommend. read more

I went here with a family five and had an AMAZING TIME. Our two instructors were beyond kind, helpful, and sympathetic. 100% recommend! !

They were courteous, approachable, professional and I stall patient!!! Will definitely book again. To the photographer they had your pictures were exquisite!!! Thank you so much!! HIGHLY recommend this company you cannot go wrong with them!! Can't wait to do it again! read more

My dad, sister and little cousin took surging lessons last week, and it was the cutest thing to watch! They had 2 instructors and both of them were so nice. One with little cousin, and 1 with my dad and sister. It was hilarious to watch the two oldies learn the basics and get ready for the water, my dad was so nervous! Overall I know they had a fun time and it was a really cool experience for them! I wish I did it! But I was too scared :/ Now I know for next time, the area that they do they actual surfing is really shallow. So I won't freak out. Haha Next time I'm in Maui, I will for sure check them out and book a lesson, gotta try it out, I know I'll be terrible, but it's worth a shot! read more

Waves Hawaii Surf School - The crew ready to surf! - Paddleboarding Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

This is an incredible school. I was super nervous to surf, but my 22 yr old nephew wanted to and I didn't want him to do it alone. My husband and I are both in our early 40's and went with him. I had such a great time. They put me at ease immediately, and the instructors were incredibly attentive. They gave good feedback after each run, helping me adjust so I could catch a wave. I made it all the way in to shore -twice- and actually jumped to switch sides on my board! The instructors made this the awesome experience that it was. Danilo (probably misspelled) is one of the younger instructors at 14- and he was amazing. This is a truly stellar operation and I give it the highest recommendation. read more

Eddie and his team of instructors are the best. They are incredibly knowledgeable about surfing, the ocean, etc and are committed to safety. They are also super fun and friendly. I'm pushing 50 and not the most in shape person and they do not judge. They encourage and support. They're all so cool! No matter how you show up they're help you! I've surfed with them two years in a row now and each time they are able to successfully get me up and surfing. It's so fun! I plan to come every year and will always use waves Hawaii! Best on the island. read more

Waves Hawaii Surf School - Paddleboarding Near Me - Kihei, Hawaii

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Can't overstate how much we would recommend Waves Hawaii for your surfing lessons!! It was a fun experience, Val was great with my kids (8 & 9 yrs) and provided a fun experience for our whole family. Bit of background...our hotel concierge unknowingly had cancelled our reservation (a whole other story) with Waves Hawaii. We were out of bed early for our lessons, arrived on time, only to be informed that our reservations had been cancelled. Val was incredibly accommodating and although all of the instructors were booked she hopped in the water and helped us herself!! There was no obligation on her part to do so. She truly went above and beyond to give us an awesome experience and to offer us the opportunity to surf for the first time. Highly, highly, highly recommend. read more

My cheeks still hurt from smiling for two straight hours! As others mentioned we were up and surfing in no time. Carlos, our instructor was awesome, he knew just how to coach us so we had confidence and success. We did a semi-private lesson for three adults, two beginners and one with some experience. Easy to book, very professional, and just great people overall. Jon's pictures were incredible, we've already shared with family and friends. Would highly recommend. Even if you think you can't surf, you will with Waves Hawaii Surf School! read more

Waves Hawaii Surf School made my 1st time surfing easy and fun! I signed up online for 2 hour private lessons for myself and for my husband based on the great reviews. At Kalama beach in Kihei (across from the 76 station), after a 5 or 10 min of on-land briefing and practice (where Eddie came up with some variants for me to get up and off the board due to my 6-month-old knee replacement) we headed into the beginner waves on the sandier side of the wavebreak (because of my knee). The water was shallow enough to have Eddie stabilize me/the board and give me a push start for my 1st wave and I surfed in on my first wave! Yay! It was way easier than I'd thought it would be! Eddie and Phillipe were super supportive and enthusiastic, great at feedback/tips and progressing me incrementally and pretty quickly to standing up unassisted, paddling and catching my own wave, and later working on turning, speeding up/slowing down by moving up/back on the board... It was awesome! My husband had more difficulty getting/staying up and balanced on the board but got in several longer wave runs once he was balanced and more relaxed. We switched instructors about 1/2 way thru the lesson so Eddie was helping my husband on getting up on the board and Phillipe was helping me with turning and catching waves on my own... The shallow water (low tide was around 6am and our lesson was 8-10am) made it both easier to have an instructor stabilize you and for you to get up and onto the wave but also harder to get off when you ride in and the water goes from waist high to only knee height and the shore is rocky-- make sure you get the dismount correct - I had a couple hard landings when jumping off onto my feet and hit my back on a rock while doing a backwards flop. A later lesson time with a higher tide will probably be deeper/less of an issue. Waves provides rash guards, booties and board for the lesson. Wished I could have stayed in the water longer to practice on my own after the lesson, otherwise it was perfect! PS Just for reference I'm 61 and my husband is 59 but we're both pretty active/sporty. read more