A
Good location great teacher, he was patient with us and helped us alot we felt safe and relaxed would recommend
Great instructer max very good with beginners
Private Surfing Lessons in Waikiki
+2 photos
At a glance
- Duration
- 1h 30min
- Price from
- $96 / person
- Location
- Oahu, United States
- Rating
- 4.9 / 5 · 219 reviews
- Languages
- EN, ES
- Group
- Private
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Confirmation
- Instant
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operator
- Oahu Surf and Skim School
- Meeting point
- Meet at the Moku Surf Shop and your surf instructor will meet you there and start the surf lesson.
Description
Our surf lessons in Waikiki offer a one-on-one experience between the student or group and a dedicated instructor, making them unique. This approach ensures that our lessons are tailored to the individual needs, skill level, and goals of the student. By providing personalized attention and feedback, we offer a customized learning experience that is not always possible in group lessons. Our lesson plans are designed to allow the student to learn at their own pace and focus on areas that need improvement. We offer flexible scheduling options to accommodate busy schedules, making our lessons convenient and accessible. Our unique and effective approach provides an excellent opportunity for students to improve their surfing skills while enjoying the beautiful beaches of Waikiki.
Schedule & prices
- Runs
- Every day
- Start times
- 17 times a day, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM
- Next available
- Wed, Oct 14
- Adult (ages 13–64)
- $96
- Senior (ages 65+)
- $96
- Youth (ages 8–12)
- $96
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
Prices are per person when two book together; a solo traveller pays $135.
Larger groups pay less per person.
In demand: 118 of the next 402 departures are already sold out.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 7.
Tour Options
What's included
Included
Use of sunscreen.
Use of surfboard.
Use of wax.
Not included
Gratuities
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.9
219 reviews
How it compares in Oahu
- Rated higher than 76% of 467 reviewed tours in Oahu
- Starting price $96 is 10% below the typical $106 for tours of similar length in Oahu
Excurgo comparison of 846 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does Private Surfing Lessons in Waikiki take?
Private Surfing Lessons in Waikiki lasts about 1h 30min.
How much does Private Surfing Lessons in Waikiki cost?
Prices start at $96 per person for this Oahu experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. That is the per-person price when two book together; a solo traveller pays $135. There are 2 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does Private Surfing Lessons in Waikiki run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, with 17 departures a day between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
Does Private Surfing Lessons in Waikiki sell out?
It can: 118 of the next 402 departures are already sold out, so booking ahead is a good idea.
Can I cancel Private Surfing Lessons in Waikiki for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Where does the tour start?
The meeting point is Meet at the Moku Surf Shop and your surf instructor will meet you there and start the surf lesson. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
What languages is Private Surfing Lessons in Waikiki offered in?
The experience is available in EN, ES.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 4 travellers can book together.
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is Private Surfing Lessons in Waikiki worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.9 out of 5 across 219 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Oahu Surf and Skim School.
Reviews(219)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
A
A very good hour. It...
A very good hour. It was a lot of fun. It is an experience that one should definitely have at Waikiki Beach.
M
Awful experience/Rude Instructor
If I could give this experience 0 stars, I would. I booked a group surfing lesson for a group of 4. When we arrived, the instructor first went over safety tips inside their surf shop before taking us out to the ocean. The group lessons do not require prior experience by any members of the group, and the company only provides one instruction per group, regardless of experience. When we arrived at the ocean, I had a harder time than others in my group, which caused me to be farther behind in the ocean. The instructor had to paddle back to me, and in doing so, became extremely rude and cross. He said in a harsh and loud tone, "Did you forget everything you learned in the safety class?" When I advised the instructor that I was doing my best, he responded in the same tone that I needed to "try harder," and he "couldn't be responsible for me and the others if I was that far behind the group." This experience caused me to end the lesson after 10 minutes. When I asked the company for a 25% refund due to my experience and not having a lesson, they denied. I provided feedback to other workers at the surf shop that IF they are going to continue to offer group lessons, they need to either a. have more than 1 instructor for novice/beginner groups or b. require that groups of 4 have prior experience.
Operator response
Michaela, I’ve been doing this for 15 years, and I’m not going to apologize for being direct when someone’s safety requires it. You were drifting toward a jetty while lying on your board and not paddling with the urgency needed to move away from it. Meanwhile, your other three friends were continuing farther into the ocean. So yes—I paddled back to you, and yes—I told you firmly that you needed to paddle harder and move. What exactly would you have preferred? That I stay beside you giving slow, gentle, one-on-one instruction while your other three friends paddle out unsupervised? That makes no sense. A 4-person group lesson is cheaper specifically because the instructor’s attention is divided between four people. You cannot book a group lesson and then expect private-lesson attention when you discover that you need considerably more assistance than the rest of your group. The ocean is beautiful, but it is also rough, physical, and constantly moving. Waves don’t stop. Rocks don’t move. Other surfboards are flying around. If you fail to react and end up getting pushed into a jetty or hit by a board, you’re going to be a lot more upset than you were because an instructor told you firmly to “be quick and paddle harder away from the rock and towards the rest of the group.” We clearly describe our lesson options. It is each customer’s responsibility to assess what level of instruction they need and book accordingly. If you need slower, constant, individualized attention, that is exactly what a private lesson is for. You were given the option to continue. You chose to stop. Your other three friends continued and had an excellent lesson. We take legitimate criticism seriously. But I’m not going to pretend that urgently telling someone to paddle away from rocks is poor customer service. Sometimes safety requires urgency.
B
First Wave. Biggest Smile. Core Memory.
Max was the epitome of “surf is life.” From start to finish, he was professional, patient, passionate, and genuinely invested in making the experience special. Most importantly, he was amazing with my 6-year-old daughter, Paisley. He knew exactly how to make her feel comfortable, encouraged her every step of the way, and turned her first surfing experience into something she’ll never forget. This ended up being one of the best memories of our daddy-daughter trip, and Max deserves a huge amount of credit for that. We came for a surf lesson and left with an experience we’ll talk about for years. P.S. — Do yourself a favor and add the drone video with his partner OG. The footage is absolutely incredible and captured moments we otherwise never would have had. Totally worth it! Thank you, Max and OG, for an unforgettable experience!
H
Great workout
Great workout today especially for the kid. It is way more difficult than we thought but still had a lot of fun
F
Surfing
Definitely had a great time learning how to surf, incredible instructors they have
K
Great team
We had this surfing lesson booked and unfortunately we’re late to our start. Max was amazing and explained that we should consider rescheduling, in a very professional kind manner. I highly recommend booking with this team. Even though we didn’t go surfing , we got a great friendly experience.
L
Max did a great job with...
Max did a great job with my 10 year old daughter! She wanted to learn how to surf so bad while in Hawaii and the private lesson with Max was just perfect for her. Would use them again if we return to Hawaii!
R
Max and the guys were...
Max and the guys were great! We had a great lesson at Waikiki Beach with Max and then had some laughs with the guys back at the shop. Highly recommend the experience, thanks!
C
Highly recommend!
Max was great for my first surfing lesson. Not easy teaching an old guy and he was super patient with me.
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from$96
4.9(219) Free cancellation