Surf lessons for beginners in Waikiki

Oahu, USA

High interest

Booked 2 times today.

2 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.4

· Josh_B ·

Jan 2026

Good communication and were very friendly throughout. Took my 12 and 15 year olds out and they were up on the board in no time. While it wasn't a great day for waves, they loved it.

· Evelyn_B ·

Apr 2026

The lesson was with a highly experienced instructor, Jameson was an awesome teacher and he explained how to do the basics and when he saw that I was prepared for increasing my level he just introduced new techniques! I learned a lot and so fast! Thank you Jameson. I’m so grateful!

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Overview

Learn to surf the famous waves of Oahu from a local expert steeped in Hawaiian surf culture. Experience a private, one-on-one surfing workshop in Waikiki with personalized attention tailored to your skill level. You’ll learn safety protocols and how to paddle out, balance on the board, and stand up, with a guarantee to be riding the waves by the end of your lesson. Surf’s up!

Be taught how to surf in Oahu on the famous Waikiki Beach
Receive one-on-one instruction from a local professional
Learn a new skill on your vacation
Be surfing by the end of your lesson—guaranteed

What's Included

Surfboards
Guide

Bottled water

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Statue
Kalākaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815, USA
Meeting points for surf lessons will be at the famous Duke Kahanamoku statue

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Waikiki Beach

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation

Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travelers can participate
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Supplied by

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)

Featured review

LauraLee_B

This is a great experience for surfers of any level! The patience and attention that Preston provided made me feel a lot more comfortable after not being on a board for 15 years. Plus, he is a native Hawaiian and was able to answer many random questions I had about Hawaii and Waikiki.

Reviews

4.4

based on 50 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

As always, Preston was...

Raphaiel_S, Apr 2026

As always, Preston was awesome! Also we had a double booking and no issues getting a refund. Highly recommended!

Preston was awesome. Very...

Leilani_V, Apr 2026

Preston was awesome. Very patient with my daughter and really did try to calm her down when she was panicking in the water. My daughter is on the autism spectrum and he took his time with her as much as possible. Highly recommended!

Awesome instructor

Evelyn_B, Apr 2026

They were very...

joanne_v, Apr 2026

They were very accommodating. My flight was so delayed so i requested if i can move my original 8am appt. I had a great time with my instructor Preston!

Excellent experience, my...

Kristy_T, Apr 2026

Excellent experience, my girls are hoping to have another lesson before we leave. Preston is a great instructor!

Absolutely recommend this...

Tusha_L, Mar 2026

Absolutely recommend this class. Coach arrives early and explains things very well to my two kids. I was shocked to see both of them can stand up just one hour class first time in their life.

Learn to Surf at any Age!

LauraLee_B, Mar 2026

Wanna learn to surf?

Vincent_L, Feb 2026

Hawaiian Boy Surf lessons were great. Preston is a good, patient, and expert teacher. We were each able to get up on our first wave.

All good and worked well with teenagers

Josh_B, Jan 2026

Good communication and were very friendly throughout. Took my 12 and 15 year olds out and they were up on the board in no time. While it wasn't a great day for waves, they loved it.

I was able to book this a...

Maria_J, Jan 2026

I was able to book this a day before the event, though the day the event I was contacted to move my booked slot because they booked two people at the same time. I had the flexibility to delay the booking. At arrival I waited for my instructor Jameson who gave me a very quick intro to surfing and mentioned he was asked to cover this shift for this contractor as a favor. I was told by the contractor I was going to get a place to leave my stuff but it turned out there wasn’t, but the instructor asked some friends of his to look over my stuff (which was only left on top of a container box). The lesson went great, had the opportunity to practice several times on the water with some small waves. I wish I could of have the whole surfing experience of carrying the surfboard and waxing it but I was helped all the time by the instructor, I guess to get to the water as quickly as possible to take advance of the 1hr lesson. I did enjoy the lesson.

Response from Host, Jan 2026

We are sorry we had to bump your lesson an hour later. Those evening sessions are actually favored because of the sunsets while surfing. We are sorry you weren’t able to carry your own surfboard and wax it. We try to show good etiquette by helping you carry the heavy surfboards to the water. We did not know that you wanted to do all that on your own. If you had simply communicated that, we would have gladly let you help us. I’m sorry you weren’t able to have me, the owner of the surf school to do your lesson, we did provide you with our top rated instructor Jameson that taught the lesson. As for your belongings, we leave it on the concession stand with the desk attendant where every other surf lesson keeps there things Safely, otherwise you would of had to pay for the storage lockers provided on the beach. We hope you enjoyed the lesson and had a great experience. Mahalo

Family learned to surf quickly!

Pete_K, Dec 2025

My entire family learned to surf in under 30mins. Very safe and professional guide. He was on time and reached out before hand. We didn’t waste any time with waivers and after 10mins of orientation & instruction we were paddling out to catch our 1st wave. Everyone had fun and learned to surf very quickly - Great family fun!

Preston was amazing! It...

LISA_B, Dec 2025

Preston was amazing! It was my first time ever surfing, and he did a great job explaining the steps and giving feedback after each attempt. By the end of our hour together, I was able to stand up and ride 4 waves! Wish our trip was longer, I would have rebooked again.

Preston is an excellent...

Emanuel_P, Dec 2025

Preston is an excellent instructor. I had a one-on-one session with him, and he clearly explained how everything works, from the board basics to how the waves break at that spot on the beach. His guidance was straightforward and confidence-boosting, and he had me standing on my board on only my second attempt. Highly recommend him for anyone starting out.

Great instructor! Had a...

Martha_H, Oct 2025

Great instructor! Had a lot of fun, would recommend to anyone looking to learn how to surf or trying to improve.

Surf lessons in Waikiki

Jennifer_G, Aug 2025

Our 2 teens had an amazing time learning to surf with Preston, a very kind and seasoned pro who impressed them by his wealth of knowledge and skills surfing while doing a handstand!

Bad experience

Martha_D, Jul 2025

Vendor did not show up. Did not respond to calls or texts. Still have not received full refund. Don’t book.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. We regret any confusion caused during this period. We were in the process of securing the necessary beach permits required by local authorities, which impacted our lesson availability. Additionally, changes to our booking system temporarily restricted our ability to access bookings and contact customers directly. These steps were necessary to ensure we operate safely and in full compliance with regulations. Please reach out to us at (808)970-2046, so we can address any concerns and assist you further as well as offering a free surf lesson for all the inconvenience it has caused you. . Thank you for your patience and understanding. Mahalo. -Preston

Be careful for this activity.

maisha_j, Jun 2025

Guide never showed. We waited and then asked one of the other surf schools around and was told that the guide hadn’t been showing up for some time now. Extremely bummed that we didn’t get to experience this.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Terrible terrible terrible

Thaniya_M, May 2025

Absolutely unacceptable. Preston (the instructor/guide) never showed up at the meeting point. We called, messaged, and even left a voicemail multiple times—he completely ignored us. This was supposed to be part of our wedding anniversary celebration, and we drove all the way through heavy traffic from Ko Olina to Waikiki Beach for a surfing lesson that never happened. This was a complete waste of our time and a huge disappointment. We wouldn’t recommend Preston or this company to anyone. They are completely unreliable and unprofessional. Even Viator couldn’t get in touch with anyone from the company, which says a lot. We requested a refund, and Viator told us they have to wait for a response from the company. Good luck with that—if they’re ghosting customers, they’re not responding to Viator either. We expect a full refund, immediately. This whole experience was a joke.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you for your feedback. We sincerely apologize for any frustration caused. We were in the process of securing the required beach permits to operate legally, which affected our surf lesson availability. At the same time, changes in our OTA booking system access temporarily limited our ability to contact customers and manage bookings directly. These adjustments were necessary to comply with local regulations and ensure a safe, authorized experience for everyone. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this transition and encourage you to reach out to us at (808)970-2046 so we can address any concerns personally. Mahalo.”

Better surf lessons available on Waikiki

Noella_G, Apr 2025

We previously had a family surf lesson with another company. My 13 year old daughter wanted to go again, so I found this available on short notice, which was great. However, after booking at the time that worked best for us, we got a message to change the lesson time as they were double booked. It was difficult to find the instructor (the initial directions for where to meet up were not very clear), then the lesson itself was not great. Compared to our first lesson, there was very little instruction or advice. We should have just rented a board for a fraction of the price. If this is your first time surfing, I would go elsewhere.

Response from Host, Apr 2025

Hi Noella, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're really sorry to hear that your experience with us didn’t meet expectations. We always aim to provide a fun, safe, and informative surf lesson, so it's disappointing to hear we fell short in your case. We apologize for the scheduling change and any confusion around the meeting location — we’re already working on making those instructions clearer and improving our booking system to avoid double-booking in the future. As for the lesson itself, it’s important to us that every student, especially younger surfers, feels supported and learns something new. We take your comments seriously and will be reviewing this with our team to ensure we’re consistently providing the quality instruction we’re known for. We’d love the opportunity to make this right — if you're open to it, please reach out to us directly,, and we’ll do what we can to offer a better experience. Wishing your daughter all the best with her surfing journey, Preston Naparan Owner,

So Great!

Xiomara_P, Apr 2025

Visiting Hawaii for the first time. Signed my kids (11 & 13) up for private surf lessons with Hawaiian Boy Surf School and was very pleased. My kids were surfing in no time! Confident enough to rent boards after and surfed the rest of the day. Preston (instructor) was great with them. 10/10 recommend. MAHALO!

Great time, lot of fun!

Jordan_M, Apr 2025

It was a great experience! Our instructor gave us a quick demo of the basics and took us out to the water and helped us get situated on the boards. He was very personable and made it his main goal to catch as many waves as possible and we had a great time!

Our instructor was...

Erica_T, Mar 2025

Our instructor was AMAZING! He was so kind and patient with the girls and helped them both feel comfortable and confident on the boards and in the ocean. What an amazing experience for us all!

Awesome lesson with Preston!

Brice_G, Mar 2025

I am 14 years old and just had my first surfing with Preston! This was only my second time surfing and an incredible experience! Caught so many waves! Thank you Preston!

Loved that you don't need...

Khanhu_V, Mar 2025

Loved that you don't need to carry a surfboard -- it's already on the sand and ready to go. Preston responds very quickly. I wanted to change my time slot the night before my lesson and he was able to accommodate.

We had a spectacular time...

David_L, Mar 2025

We had a spectacular time surfing with Preston. He was a great teacher who was friendly, patient, and knowledgeable. We couldn’t have asked for a better surfing experience.

Had an amazing...

Joel_W, Mar 2025

Had an amazing experience! The instructor was super knowledgeable and patient. I stood up on my first wave and caught many more. We even had turtle swim up to us while waiting for a wave!

Highly recommend this surf lesson!

Cara_H, Mar 2025

This was a great introduction to surfing. Our instructor Scotty was extremely positive and encouraging. He gave us lots of helpful tips that allowed us to be very successful. I think it made a big difference being a small private lesson compared to the companies that take out several groups at once. We did the two hour lesson and were able to catch several waves! After this lesson we felt comfortable enough to rent a surfboard and went out the next day and had so much fun. This lesson was a highlight of our trip for sure and I highly recommend booking through this company.

Amazing experience

Kylee_S, Mar 2025

Preston was an amazing instructor for my 12-year-old. Our first one hour session went so well, that we ended up booking a second session the next morning. My son is now confident enough to surf on his own. The one on one instruction was amazing, especially compared to what I could see of the other commercialized surf schools on the beach. We even had another family on the beach approach us and ask how to book with Preston after seeing my son and his class. Overall, it was an amazing experience, 10 out of 10. Thank you so much Preston!

10/10 Recommend- Personalized, educational, and fun!

Robyn_R, Feb 2025

Amazing experience with Preston! We booked the two hour lesson early in the morning, and it couldn’t have been better. It was easy to find him on the beach, we went over the basics in the sand, and then got right in the water. He gives you four simple steps, and my husband and I were catching waves in no time! Preston could read the water very well, and gave us some tips and tricks to help us learn for ourselves. Definitely recommend the two hour lesson vs one hour, it gives you tons of time to improve your skills. Would 100% book with Preston and Hawaiian Boy Surf School again! Very personalized experience compared to larger surf schools, and you get to support a local business.