Skip to main content

Maui Surf Instruction 101 at Kalama Beach in Kihei

Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Maui, USA
  • 2 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

Learning to surf is one of Maui’s most popular visitor activities, and this Maui surf lesson takes place in the waters off Kihei. Learn the history of surfing in Hawaii and the proper way to paddle your board, before heading out for the chance to stand up and ride your very first wave. With its calm and consistent ocean conditions, this protected spot is perfect for learning at any time of the year, and a local instructor will help you experience the stoke of surfing in Maui.
  • Small group surf lesson ensures personal tuition
  • Choice between group and private lessons
  • Stay safe with a certified professional instructor
  • Soft surfboard, rash guard, and booties provided

What's Included

  • Soft Surfboards
  • Instructor with Years of Experience
  • CPR and First Aid Certified Instructors
  • Local taxes
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pickup and drop off

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • 1965 S Kihei Rd, Kihei, HI 96753, USA

    Kalama Park in Kihei in South Maui - parking lot ocean side from the street from the 76 gas station. Using favorite mapping software (Google maps), enter in "Kalama Park Kihei". Once in area, you will see 76 gas station - see us in parking lot ocean side.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

There’s a specific joy that comes along with the feeling of riding a wave, where you momentarily feel as if you’re one with the ocean as it surges and rolls beneath you. By booking a surfing lesson in Maui, you’ll learn with the help of a local instructor how to experience the thrill for yourself, with the sun on your shoulders, the salt in your hair, and the warm water all around you.

You’ll be given a stable soft-top board that is wide and perfect for learning, and paddle out at the popular Kihei spot that’s known locally as 'The Cove.' You’ll be given a rash guard and neoprene booties to protect your skin and your feet, and after a safety briefing on shore where you’ll learn about techniques and etiquette, you’ll head towards the waves for the chance to experience the excitement of surfing on Maui. 

For this 2-hour lesson, all of the necessary equipment is provided to get you up and riding, and just bring along sunscreen, a sense of adventure and perhaps a camera to capture the moment.
1

Maui Eco Tours

2

South Pacific Kayaks

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Not recommended for child aged 4 and under
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.9
based on 48 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

My surf instructor Fran...

Mindi_D, Jul 2025
My surf instructor Fran did a great job in teaching our group how to surf and I had a great time! I would recommend this to anyone!

Successful first attempt at surfing!

Kent_T, Mar 2025
Our 12 and 14 year old grandkids got up surfing no problem with the great instruction they received, and enjoyed surfing the entire time. We got (paid for) great photos of them surfing. The 12 year old got a little beat up by the rocky bottom. Both were pooped for the rest of the day, so allow for that in your vacation planning. There is plenty of room for parents and grandparents to watch, but bring your own chairs (and consider bringing an umbrella).

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Surfing is a lot of fun and kids pick it up quite easily..... glad they had fun!

Great experience !

Deirdre_H, Jun 2024
Instructor was awesome, made it simple- everyone was able to get up and surf. Highly recommend! Very experienced instructors .

Always accommodating and tons of fun!

Chanthu_C, Jun 2024
Josh was such a caring, funny and awesome instructor! My siblings and I have booked with this company 4 months ago and really enjoyed it as well! We decided to take our father out for his 1st experience on his birthday and he loved every moment of it! Josh was so encouraging and goofy, it made it so much more enjoyable. The photographers were especially sweet and encouraging. I would definitely recommend them and book with them every time.

Amazing Experience!

ilana_b, Jan 2024
My son (16) and I, had the best time at our surfing lessons with Ricky Bobby and South Pacific Kayaks. This was our second time taking surf lessons in Kihea - we used a different company the last time- and this experience was far superior! Everything was so smooth and easy, from meeting the instructors at the truck in the parking lot, getting our gear, having our land lesson and then navigating through the crowd at Kalama Beach Park. That was actually the most difficult part, trying to stay away from the other surfers! We felt so well taken care of. We already plan to rebook with this company the next time we return to Maui. Note, the photographers they work with are awesome, they really capture your experience so be prepared to pay quite a bit for your surfing photos, they are pricey but impossible to resist!

Great instruction!

Charlotte_S, Jan 2024
Our instructors were awesome. We were up and surfing by the third try. They were patient and taught us very simple techniques.

Best experience!

Krystal_A, Jul 2023
Great with my kids, very friendly and professional. Started on time. Hands down would Choice them again.

Great experience!

Patricia_B, Jun 2023
Very friendly and knowledgeable guides. Explained everything thoroughly. Group ranged from age 27-60 and everyone was successful in mastering surfing. Great experience!

Fun experience

Kylie_K, Mar 2023
The surfing instructors were fantastic. They were very quick to teach the basics and must knows of surfing prior to getting in the ocean. This was done in a timely manner which gave more time to surf. We felt safe throughout the entire experience. They offer a photo package at the end which is very expensive ($75 per person). The photos and videos are great quality however price seems a bit steep, especially when we paid for $25 per person on our other Maui excursions that offered photo and video packages.

Great Surfing experience

Manishkumar_P, Mar 2023
Jordan at beach boys was amazing. We were anxious to send kids for surfing lessons due to high tide. Jordan was professional and made it easy. We felt that our kids were in safe hands. The kids where able to surf in an hour. They had great time.

Awesome Experience!

David_W, Feb 2023
Great experience and highly recommended. Personalized instruction and just a fantastic time in general. Louis was fantastic, and David - we love the photos, thank you so much!

A highlight of our trip to Maui!

Christa_S, Oct 2022
Had a blast surfing with Keoki! Took my dad for his 70th birthday because he’d always wanted to try it. Our instructor was very patient, and super nice, and my dad was thrilled when he was able to ride a few waves! Buy the photo package- it was totally worth it, and our photographer David did an exceptional job of capturing the memories. Mahalo for an amazing experience! Highly recommend!!!

Fantastic! Our teens had...

April_K, Aug 2022
Fantastic! Our teens had a great time. Highly recommended for all ages. Our kids want to do it again.

Response from Host, Aug 2022

Great to hear.... Surfing is addictive...... Mahalo

Surf's up dude!

Ryan_M, Jul 2022
Our Son has tried to surf in the past and never got past his knees on the board. With these lessons, he was standing on the first wave he took. We immediately recommended the surf lessons to a family we met on the Road to Hana

Highly recommended! I wouldn't surf with anyone else on Maui!

tylerpwheeler, Jul 2022
Our instructor was amazing! We were in the most crowded line-up I have ever seen at any surf spot, but he was able to expertly position us and get us up and surfing right away. Local wisdom and real Hawaiian strength from him made our experience the best. Our photographer also helped us navigate the crowds and get us back in the line-up safely and quickly. Mahalo to both!

Great experience!

Cole_G, Jul 2022
My kids had a blast! Their instructor was friendly and very knowledgeable. My son wants to go again!

Great experience!

Michelle_S, Jun 2022
My kids had a great time surfing. Perfect place for a beginner surfing experience. Their teacher was great too!!

Great Introductory Surf Lessons

Phillip_T, Jun 2022
Great introductory lessons. My two girls and I had a blast. The instructor was excellent and we got into the water very quickly.

Great learning experience

Yao_Z, Jun 2022
Good instructor/instructions, provided all equipment needed and excellent value. Make sure to ask the instructor question, they are knowledgeable.

Response from Host, Jun 2022

Mahalo many times over!! Surf lessons are naturally fun so this is a customer favorite - especially with families having a good goofy time together.

Do it!! You’ll love it!!

Stephanie_R, May 2022
The kids Had a great time they were able to get up on their boards and surf. They looked great. Instructors were very helpful

Response from Host, May 2022

Thank you so much for the review. Surfing is so much fun..... Guests laugh so much and enjoy. It's a goofy fun time!

Better than we even expected!

Christy_F, Jan 2022
Jordan was a great instructor! It was the first time for all three of us, and we all were able to stand up and surf fairly quickly. It made me want to surf again someday!

Response from Host, Jan 2022

Mahalo for joining us for some great Maui surf lessons....so glad you had fun and got to surf some waves Jordans a great instructor and really enjoys what he does . Thank you for joining us.

Not the best surfing experience

Amaya_G, Nov 2021
The instructor was very experienced and the class was ok. However, the weather didn’t allow me to have a good activity due to the timing they recommend to have the class. They are not well-organized and they lack of professionalism. They messed twice with the class schedule with no compensation. Lastly, another thing that I did not like is that the instructor wasn’t vaccinated and this had to have been mentioned prior to the class.

Response from Host, Nov 2021

Aloha - Weather we cannot control unfortunately. Our surf lessons are in an area with a gentle rolling wave which is best for beginners. Its a lot of fun and provide a great starting point for learning the essentials. Some people are under the impression you need BIG waves to learn. Not the reality as the light gentle rolling waves provides the best environment for a safe and enjoyable lesson. Thanksgiving is a very busy time - very busy. We do our best to deal with guests in a professional manner. Some show up late, early, wrong day, have small kids (private lessons for safety),etc. As a result some days are more challenging than others. Our lessons take place outdoors and we follow the state protocols with respect to health guidelines. A quick phone call to us to find out would have answered your questions. A request could be put in place. I do recall this day, and during the reschedule we offered either a reschedule or a refund for you. Thank you for your feedback, we will review and update our protocols as necessary.

A wonderful time for our family to learn surfing together!

Yang_L, Aug 2021
Four of us had a great time learning how to surf together. The instructor was very nice, relaxing and patient. He was funny too. A wonderful family activity to wrap up our trip to Maui. Two thumbs up!!

Response from Host, Aug 2021

We agree - Surfing is such a nice family activity. Glad you participated and surfed@

The experience of a lifetime

Cherylle_F, Aug 2021
The instructors were very engaging and made the experience more memorable than expected. We were able to catch multiple waves and paid a low price for professional pictures to keep with us forever.

Response from Host, Aug 2021

Your surf lessons are in an area where the waves are gentle;e enough to learn yet still a lot of fun. Glad you had fun and caught waves!

Great time!

Jimi_H, Aug 2021
We had such a great time during our private surf lesson with Jordan. He was great at teaching us the ropes and encouraging us along the way. So much fun!

Must do

Niko_K, Aug 2021
An overall great experience while in Maui ! The instructor was so cool, relatable and knowledgeable.

Response from Host, Aug 2021

How nice. Thanks Niko! Come see us again.

Great experience

KArey_H, Aug 2021
This was such a great experience for my daughter and my friend. pictures will be number if it lasts a lifetime and the instructor was very knowledgeable and helpful. My only complaint is it was very hard to find them in the beginning. Make sure to look for the black truck. "Beach boys" what is the name of the company.

Best surf lesson !!

Kelli_P, Jul 2021
Great experience and well worth the money. My husband and I caught a ton of waves and had a blast with the local instructors they made us feel safe and taught us quickly so that we could enjoy the water .

Response from Host, Jul 2021

Aloha Kelii..... Glad you had fun and got the authentic experience with some local instructors. Next time, consider out Surf Safari! Mahalo

First time surfing success!

Heather_M, Jul 2021
Fantastic!! The guys had us up and surfing in no time. Keoki was super patient and attentive to each participant, watching each person and giving tips to ensure our success. The guys were friendly and kind from beginning to end….local guys that were all about the Aloha spirit! I highly recommend them and I will be booking with them again when in Maui.

Response from Host, Jul 2021

Aloha Heather - thanks for taking the time to review. Keoki is a great instructor and loves to share the "Aloha". He truly is a kind soul.

Worth it! Glad we did it!

Josh_D, Jul 2021
Definitely worth it, both time and money. So glad to have done it. Spent roughly 10 minutes on land, rest of the time was spent catching waves in the water. Totally cool. Photographer was out there capturing photos available for purchase after.
Likely to Sell Out

From $108.03

per person

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

Book ahead!
On average, this is booked 19 days in advance.

Compare Similar Experiences

1 / 3
Current
Likely to Sell Out
Maui Surf Instruction 101 at Kalama Beach in Kihei


2 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$108.03
Group Surf Lesson at Kalama Beach in Kihei


2 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$108.61