Semi-private Surf Lesson At Ka'anapali Beach

Exactly what I was looking for! Aldo was helpful and calm, and I got up after a couple tries, and surfed 5 or 6 more waves. Perfect day. Good weather. Great lesson.

I booked lessons on back to back days for my teen daughter (she had such a good time after the 1st day that she wanted to do it again). It was a great experience and I’d highly recommend. Nick was great at communicating and Sebastian was an awesome instructor. She got the hang of it very quickly, I’m sure due in large part to the quality of instruction. Thanks for such a great experience! It was the highlight of her trip.

Connor and Azure were fantastic instructors. They were so good with our 2 kids. In our first lesson, all of us were on our feet shredding waves. We even learned new Maui slang words like "crip" and "cherry"! They provided insights into how the waves of the ocean work and how to properly ride them. We had such a great first lesson we rebooked for later in our trip. We are hoping to come back to Maui soon and continue learning how to surf!

We booked a semi-private surf lesson a week in advance, expecting everything to be organized when we arrived. Instead, when we checked in, the instructor told us we were at the wrong location and directed us to another beach. After going there, the staff at that location told us we were actually in the wrong place and needed to go back to where we originally started. After wasting valuable vacation time going back and forth, we returned to the original location. This time, the instructor said, "Oh yes, you're in the right place," but then informed us that he didn't have enough instructors available for our kids, despite the fact that our lesson had been reserved for over a week. He said he would process a refund and appeared to do something on his phone, but no refund was ever issued. I ultimately had to contact Viator directly to get the refund resolved. Mistakes can happen, but what was most frustrating was the lack of organization and communication. Being sent to the wrong location, then back again, only to find out they couldn't honor a paid reservation they had accepted a week earlier, was extremely disappointing. I hope they improve their scheduling, communication, and customer service so future families don't have the same experience.

Our surf instructors, Inaldo and Jesse were AMAZING! This was our first time at attempting to surf and they helped to make our experience so fun and memorable. We would highly recommend!

Great with kids, made some great memories!!

My 10 year old daughter and I took a semi private lesson. It was her first time surfing, they did a great job pushing her into waves and pulling her back out . We had the great time, highlight of the trip. Thank you!

The lesson was for my 9 year old son. They did an amazing 1-on-1 lesson with him. The first experience was so good that we went back for a second. 100% recommend.

Nick and his crew were awesome. Gave great instruction to our kids who were beginners. They loved it so much they had to do it 2 days in a row. Thanks for making our trip special when trying surfingfor the first time!

Walked by and chatted with Nick who was super cool and encouraging me to learn how to surf. Good location and close to my hotel (Marriott Ocean). I booked a 1on1 session online- very easy and quick. Next day, met owner Nick and my instructor, Sebastian. Sebastian walked me through instructions and gave me excellent advice. Solid gear and super positive group of people. We hit the water, Sebastian gave me a couple more pointers, launched me on 1st wave and got up easily. Waves were perfect, board stable and instructor top notch. After an hour I was gassed, but Sebastian towed my out so I could catch another wave and finish strong - Mahalo! Im 61yo, and wanted to learn how to surf for years. Thanks for making it happen Nick and Sebastian. Highly recommend.

My family absolutely loved taking surfing lessons. The instructors were knowledgeable and helpful! 10/10 recommend!

Our surf lesson was such a fun and memorable part of our honeymoon—we’re still smiling thinking about it. Sean was an incredible instructor: patient, encouraging, and great at explaining everything in a way that made it feel approachable, even as beginners. He struck the perfect balance of keeping things relaxed while also helping us actually get up and ride some waves. And Christen absolutely nailed the photos—seriously beyond what we expected. She captured the whole experience so beautifully, from the action shots to the candid moments, and now we have the best memories to take home with us. Couldn’t recommend this experience more—it was such a special day.

We had the best time at our private surf lessons with Island Style Adventures! We had so much fun on Saturday that we booked again for Wednesday! All of the team members we worked with were amazing. Thank you Nick, Inaldo, Kingston, Rafa, Conner and Azure! They all make you feel like a champion surfer - even if you aren’t great. I have to admit that these guys are part of what I will miss most about Maui. They make you feel like Ohana. Mahalo ISA team! We hope to see you soon. And thanks Christin for the fun photos!

For a 5'4", 120 lbs woman, the ideal surfboard depends on skill level: beginners should start on a 7'0" to 8'0" foam surfboard - the web, this outlet put me on 11’ surfboard I can hardly move, did not catch any waves, kids did ok

My daughter and I did the surf lessons and the instructors were all great. She is 11 and did not get to stand up the first day so we booked again and got the instructor she thougth she'd do best with and she got up her second day!

Included swim shoes, rash guards, instruction, surfboard. Safe, fun & relaxed. Maholo to the team for making it a fun day!

We had the most amazing experience with ISA surf. our 3 teenage boys were all smiles the entire time. Shawn and Azure gave great instructions, Christin captured every wonderful moment in pics. Lifetime memories!!!

Shawn was great! My son, husband and I all had a great experience! He was super patient and so encouraging! Such a fun day! The entire crew was so great! Highly recommend!

Hands down one of the BEST experiences we had in Maui! We did the semi-private surf lesson at Ka’anapali Beach with Island Style Adventures, and it was absolutely unreal from start to finish. If you’re even thinking about trying surfing—go for it. And do it with this crew! Nick was super easy to reach, and helped us reschedule our lesson when the weather didn’t behave. Shawn and Aldo were next-level instructors. Super laid-back, incredibly patient, and just the right mix of encouraging and technical. They made it feel safe, fun, and honestly way easier than I expected. Everyone in our group was up riding waves, and the vibes were pure aloha the whole time. On the ride back to our hotel, our 12 and 14 yo boys were saying “bro I LOVED those guys!” 🙌😌 And Christin—WOW. Not only was she so kind and easygoing, but the photos she captured are priceless. She somehow caught all the best moments (even the ones we didn’t realize were happening), and now we have incredible memories we can actually see forever. What really stood out was how personal the whole experience felt. It never felt rushed or overly “touristy.” Just good people who love what they do and want you to have the best time possible. If you’re in Maui and want something fun, memorable, and totally Hawaiian—this is it. 10/10 would book again in a heartbeat. Mahalo to the whole crew for such an awesome experience!

Absolutely phenomenal experience. Ricardo & Kingston helped our 3 kids so well, ages 8, 11 & 13. Nick was so easy to work with & really impressed us. It was such a personalized experience tailored on the spot to our kids, who are all so different. One of our kids would need a little extra TLC & we were unsure how they’d like surfing. Every single kid was ALL SMILES & raving about when can we go again. It felt very safe, which was importantly to us. 100% ABSOLUTELY book this experience. The kids liked this better than snorkeling, ziplining or swimming in the pool! THANK YOU NICK, KINGSTON & RICARDO for making the trip so special.

Wonderful staff, everyone had a blast (group ages 10-16). Would recommend to anyone traveling to Maui who wants to learn how to surf!

Great experience and instruction for my teens. Beautiful location, although parking is expensive. Both of my teens got up and each had 5-10 second runs with one lessons

This was a complete waste of time - I was so excited to try this surfing lesson, but it was a lousy experience overall and frankly felt unsafe. To start, the instructions to meet the instructor were wrong: after struggling to find parking in a crowded shopping center, I wandered up and down the beach looking for the umbrella they said in their instructions. It was nowhere to be found, and I had to ask several people if they knew where it was. Finally, I found the instructor who was sitting in an obscure spot on the corner, clearly not looking for anyone. It seems like he was hoping I couldn’t find him and maybe forfeit the lesson. He pulled a wet rash guard out of a backpack and said to put it on. This was pretty gross and unsanitary. We spent all of 5 minutes on the beach “learning” and went out to pretty deep water. I expressed that it didn’t feel safe as this was my first time trying to surf, and he’d said this was a rocky/coral area. However, the instructor (Reid) kept saying to go out further. I went with it and tried to call him to ask for instruct Ion but he ignored me and kept going. When I was knocked off my board by a pretty big choppy wave (again, I had no idea how to even balance while paddling out), the instructor didn’t look out for me at all. I tried to ask for help and instruction on how to balance/ride with the waves, but he didn’t give me any info. He just kept going and seemed amused when I’d inhaled salt water after taking a big tumble. I struggled to get back on my board without any guidance, and again without instruction at all. I feel like a YouTube video would have provided me with more info. As I told him, I’m sure all of this was easy for him, but as I was there for a beginner lesson, I wanted to actually learn something while being safe. I felt very unsafe and said I wanted to go back to the shore to recompose. After heading back, I asked again if we could go to try some small waves, and I didn’t need to even get up onto a wave if it was too high. He said we’d need to go out further than last time towards some pretty big waves (probably about 4 feet). I asked again how to manage when large waves come, and basically was told to go with it. We went out again but I didn’t feel safe going out as far as he wanted - it looked like experienced surfers were in that spot with big waves, and without much instruction and feeling like the instructor wouldn’t really help if something went wrong (as he already had not), I asked that we not go further. After a few minutes, I said let’s call it a wrap early. This was a complete waste of time, and did not make me feel safe at all. Unfortunately, I would not recommend this experience to anyone.

Awesome experience and instructor. My kids and I had blast. We really felt that our instructor wanted to spread his love for surfing.

Awesome experience and staff! My wife never surfed before and they got her up and surfing. She was extremely hesitant. They took there time, made her feel comfortable, and she had an absolute blast. We definitely recommend!

Reef was great with our kids! Patient, fun, and they had a blast! My daughter now wants her own surfboard. This was definitely a highlight moment of our vacation!

Fantastic experience, coach was very good with my Daughter (7). She was surfing waves and says it was her favorite part of the trip.

My husband and son had a fun surf lesson! They were both able to catch some waves and enjoyed their time. They both got some pretty fierce rashes on their thighs from the boards (from sitting on them waiting for waves), but that had healed in a couple days.

My 10 year old daughter took a semi-private surf lesson with Reef. He did an amazing job, kept everything super safe, and my daughter managed to stand up and surf a couple of sets! Semi-private lesson is 1 instructor for up to 2 students. Super personalized experience. She had a blast making her dream of surfing come true! I would highly recommend this activity and Reef as an instructor. Great company and activity!

We had a great experience overall, especially thanks to our instructor, Chase — he was amazing! The lesson itself was fun, engaging, and my son absolutely loved learning to surf. Chase made the experience memorable and connected well with our family. That said, the check-in process could be improved. We arrived at 10:00 AM for our 10:30–12:00 lesson, but no one was there to greet us. It wasn’t until about 10:20 that someone arrived (I was told later that it was the owner?) and he told us to wait by the beach and someone would get us for the lesson. By 10:50, we were still waiting when we saw Chase finishing up another lesson. Thankfully, he noticed us and got things started right away, but the late start did throw off some of our plans for the day. If you're booking, just be aware there might be a delay. I'd also recommend trying to schedule an earlier time slot if possible. Despite the rocky start, the quality of the lesson made up for it, and we’d definitely do it again — just with a bit more buffer time.

This is by far one of best beaches in the world, great location for beginner surfers and easy to get to. Definitely check the weather, morning was windy and waves were messy/choppy which is unusual, but Nick was flexible with changes we made to the lesson. My daughter was still able to catch a few waves during her private lesson…look forward to going another day at this perfect surf spot!

We booked a private surf lesson for our two kids (ages 9 and 7), and it was hands down the highlight of our trip. The instructors were beyond fabulous — incredibly kind, patient, and so encouraging. From the moment we arrived, they made our kids feel comfortable and excited to hit the water. To our amazement, both kids were able to stand up and ride waves right away! 🎉 It was pure joy watching their faces light up with confidence and pride. What really stood out was the extra attention and care the private instructor gave to our 7-year-old. As a parent, I felt completely at ease knowing they were in such safe, capable hands — truly above and beyond. The vibe was relaxed, fun, and professional. You can tell they genuinely love what they do and want to create a memorable experience for every family. I can't recommend Island Surf Adventure enough, and we’re already looking forward to booking with them again on our next trip to Maui! If you're thinking about surf lessons for your kids (or yourself!), this is the place to go. 🏄‍♂️🌺🌞 Extra bonus was they had a photographer there and we were able to get some super clear and up-close photos for us to remember for a lifetime!

The kid's had a ball. They even surprised themselves at how good they got. I would highly recommend Island Style Adventures for anyone just beginning surfing lessons!

Our 7 year old son did a private lesson with Juan. He was an amazing coach and had a lot of patience. I was worried 1.5 hours would be took long for our son but he loved every second of it! Mahalo!

Nick and the whole ISA team were amazing. All 6 of us got up for several long wave rides. Highly recommend this team.

The beach was had a lot more coral and was very shallow compared to the Kihei beaches which meant more coral injuries from falling off the board. It was also hard to paddle back over the waves. Both my kids were frustrated that there wasn’t more instruction out there. We did the semi private lesson. Their instructor was late on timing to tell them to paddle and then he would just yell for them to fight for the wave. There was no tips on technique or what they could do better. This was very expensive for an hour and a half while most places do 2 hours. Wouldn’t recommend.

Our experience with Reef, our instructor, was absolutely incredible! From the moment we arrived, he made us feel at ease with his clear, easy-to-understand instructions that even beginners could follow. His patience and encouragement truly helped boost our confidence in an unfamiliar environment like the ocean. Reef’s extensive knowledge of surfing was evident in every tip and adjustment he gave us, but what truly set him apart was his genuine passion for sharing not just the sport, but also the history and culture of Hawaii. He took the time to answer all of our questions, not only about surfing techniques but also about the local traditions and way of life. Reef is a phenomenal instructor, a great ambassador for Hawaiian culture, and someone who clearly cares about creating a positive and memorable experience for his students. If you’re lucky enough to get Reef as your instructor, you’re in for an amazing class. He deserves every bit of recognition and, honestly, a raise for the way he goes above and beyond!

Jonah was an amazing instructor, easy explanations, patient and very nice. We would have more lessons with him anytime. They are 1.5 hours & have a nice set up and give you the water shoes to borrow. We had a blast and we are 69 and 64 years old!

We had an awesome time with Nick and Reef on the nice easy surf of Kaanapali. They both were awesome to hang with and had all 3 kids (aged 12, 10,7) up on their first try and caught endless waves throughout our lesson. They even had them going backwards and doing 180's on the board. A definite favorite for the kids and us on our Hawaiian vacation. We will definitely be back next time in Hawaii!

This private surf lesson was a highlight of the trip! Nick, our instructor, was so friendly and made me and my husband feel confident in hitting the waves! I would recommend this to anyone!

This was such a fun experience! Nick, our instructor, was so friendly and made me and my husband feel confident to hit the waves. By the end of the session we both were up and surfing! I would recommend to anyone and would do it again!

My 8 year old son had an amazing time going out surfing for his first time. Spencer helped with a private lesson, and my son was able to catch a ton of waves over an hour and a half. He's really excited to come back next year.

My teenager took lessons from this company and did the very basic, how to stand up on the board etc. once out in the ocean I was watching my son literally just by himself.. no guide nothing. I asked my son how it was afterwards and he said the guy was not attentive at all. Even after he was done he never said anything to him.. he was nowhere to be found. Useless! This was a private one on one.. just a waste of time and money.

Overall an awesome experience with great instructors. We were informed and shown that a photographer was present and would take pictures. Photographer was gone after lesson and never contacted us, as we were told they would. Would have been nice to have some pics of these memories.

Tremendous experience. From booking through the lesson, the staff was very friendly. My daughters were surfing within 10 minutes! The instructor made everything very safe and took great care of my kids out on the water while making it really fun.

Boys had the most amazing time! It has been the highlight of the trip so far. Instructor was patient and very thorough. Made us feel very safe. Thank you!!

The instructor was nice and informative but we signed up for a semi private 1.5 hour lesson and it only lasted an hour. When I asked why, he said it included the land lesson etc. I didn’t want to make a stink and embarrass my daughter but they started at 10:25 and finished at 11:30. If you are paying for 90 minutes, the lesson should last that. It was an expensive activity and my daughter had never surfed before so I was willing to pay for semi private but feel I didn’t get what we paid for.

My 3 boys did the lessons. He was so good working with them. Such a great experience!!! They all loved the experience of surfing

Juan did a great job on instructing and finding waves. Waves were good and boys caught a lot. Thank you!