Waikiki: Open Group Surfing Lesson

What a wonderful experience hands down one of the best things I’ve ever done

Seth was our instructor and he was great. He explained each step of the surfing process and helped once we got started and there for every run. It was fun and energetic

Amazing experience, wonderful teachers, and fun vibes!!! Up on the board solo by the end!

Best fun ever would do it again learned alot they were great.

We've been to Hans Hedemann Surf School twice - once recently and once 2 years ago. That says a lot right there. We had such a good experience the first time that we were willing to pay for it a second time. The safety prep is done well and the instructors really stick with you out in the water. It's been a great experience overall.

Everyone was nice and explained everything we needed to know. Instructors were great and very knowledgeable.

This was honestly a great experience. Celebrated our anniversary first time surfing and had so much fun. I would definetly recommend this and is also kid appropriate. They also offered footage and video at an extra cost that was worth it.

This was an awesome excursion, so much fun!! The instructors were great, very patient. Highly recommend!!

I decided to take a last minute surfing class and absolutely loved it. The staff was very friendly, the instructor Seth was amazing. I would definitely recommend taking lessons here.

Beautiful experience I loved it thank you so much!!!!!

Had my first surfing lesson ever and had tons of fun will definitely come back in the future.

NIKO ROCKS!!!! I had the best time and went from having no experience to getting up on the board a bunch of times. It was really such a great lesson, I went back for another one two days later. So much fun, Thanks, I'll see ya next year! Photo package was totally worth it too.

We loved this experience so much! We had a group of 8 with 6 teens/young adults and everyone loved it. The instructors Nico and Gavin learned our names, encouraged us and we learned so much from them! They worked hard the entire time pushing us to catch as many waves as possible. Highly recommend!

Seth is an amazing instructor! Super knowledgeable and just a cool dude… I 180’d into riding switch and switch 180’d back into regular my 1st time ever surfing!!!🏄‍♂️

The experience was epic. The instructors were patient and kind and allowed us to learn how to get up nicely. I would totally recommend it to anyone. It was an experience I will take to all my friends and family who want to come to Hawaii to experience such a fun time.

So much fun! Great experience!

Wonderful experience and excellent instructors.

It was an amazing experience! Seth was a great instructor and very patient with the group 🫰 highly recommended for first time surfing and to learn from zero!

Overall, the surf lesson itself was good and my instructor was great. However, I was very disappointed with the photo and video package. I selected this option when booking online, but when I checked in, the staff member forgot to confirm it and I ended up with no photos or videos from my session. When I raised the issue, the response felt dismissive and I was told that if I came back for another lesson I could purchase it then, which isn’t realistic as I was only visiting Hawaii. While the lesson was enjoyable, missing out on the content I expected was very disappointing. I’d rethink booking if video and photo content is important to you.

Very fun surfing experience with Seth, who is an awesome teacher. He was friendly and patient and such a joy to surf with! Additionally, the company takes safety seriously and ensures that students are well-informed of safety precautions prior to going out to the water.

We had the best time and enjoyed our surf lessons so much!! Our coach/instructor was Niko and he did an incredible job. These lessons were definitely a highlight of our trip.

Awesome instructor and great customer service.

It’s a little intimidating but it was a fun experience. I’m not super coordinated and I was able to get where I could ride some waves 🤙🏻

It was amazing and so much fun.

Overall great experience. We were 3 in the group. We were beginners. Our instructor Willi was patient, helpful and gave constant feedback during our surfing. Only downside was the shallow water and coral rocks below.

Very friendly & helpful staff! Safety is a priority & I appreciated the education they provide prior to leaving the surf shop. The guides are patient with beginners & offer lots of tips to catch a wave!

We had an amazing experience at Hans Hedemann Surf School! Our daughters, ages 17 and 22, had a fantastic time learning to surf. Luis and Charles were outstanding instructors, patient, encouraging, and fun. Both girls were thrilled to catch some waves and felt so accomplished by the end of the lesson. The staff at the shop were also incredibly friendly and welcoming, making the whole experience even more enjoyable. Highly recommend this surf school for anyone looking to have a memorable day on the water!

Seriously so, so fun! We’d never been surfing before and were pleasantly surprised we were able to get up on the board on the 2nd try thanks to our awesome and very helpful instructor. We appreciated all the tips and tricks he gave us throughout the whole time! Only thing that was sad was we paid for the photo package and were so excited to see our photos. However when we got back to the shop and asked for the photos they were ever so slightly confused then when we clarified we bought the photo package they said their photographer’s SD card “got wet” and the photos were not salvageable. Given their initial response and then how they said it, it was clearly an excuse for just forgetting to take photos, so that was quite disappointing. And even if the camera did get wet….uhm you’d think they’d have a waterproof camera for such an activity. Anyways. So that the reason we knocked a star. But the experience itself was fun.

Our instructor was super helpful and taught us many tips. He cared about our safety but also made sure we got the best waves. Would 100% recommend.

Steals your money. Don’t book. Don’t expect any guidance around parking and you’ll probably not be able to park after circling for more than an hour. There’s valet parking available at the hotel if the zoo is full but they won’t tell you that and will instead just cancel your lesson. Had to request chargeback via my bank.

Great experience for first surf lesson with Hans Hedemann Surf Inc. The entire vibe and energy from the moment we arrived was awesome. The meeting area was clean, organized, and everyone there had a welcoming attitude that made us feel comfortable right away. You could tell they genuinely enjoy what they do and are happy to have you there. Before heading to the water, the instructions were clear and easy to understand, which was perfect for beginners. Our instructor Seth was fantastic. He walked us down to the beach, explained everything step by step, and showed a lot of patience and encouragement the entire time. His calm approach and positive energy made the lesson really enjoyable and helped build confidence in the water. The experience felt professional, fun, and very well run from start to finish. We also purchased the photo package for only $35, and it was absolutely worth it. They even included some video footage, which was a great bonus and made the experience even more memorable. If you’re looking for surf lessons in Waikiki, do not go anywhere else. Highly recommend Hans Hedemann Surf School.

The instructor Gavin very patient with us over weight novices. Paddling out is very hard. These surfers are very strong. Remember to bring tip money or you can Venmo. The water is shallow and there are coral rocks below so no head first diving. Winter is time for baby waves so good for novice. All equipment included.

The perfect entry learning experience! Super fun and thorough with excellent guidance the whole way through!

Our instructor was Ella and she was very friendly and knowledgeable. Our surf instructor was Sergio and he was great and made the experience so much better. I highly recommend coming here. I am a solo traveler and got to meet some really cool people to catch our first waves together.

Charlie & Keaton were very attentive to guide my son’s (Jaris) first attempt to surf in Oahu’s Pacific Ocean. Tq for going the extra mile in your service!

Had a group session for surfing lesson. It was a great time. Instructor Kalani is great with instructions. I was able to stand up and ride a wave a little by end of the day. Satisfied with the experience and will highly recommend.

I highly recommend these lessons for beginners. They break things down simply before you go out to the water and review everything again on the water. The water itself was perfect for beginner surfing and the perfect temperature.

Great experience with a fantastic teacher! Even as someone who has never surfed before I was able to stand up on my board and surf a small wave! It’s a lot harder than it looks!

We had an incredible time at Hans Hedemann Surf School in Waikiki! From start to finish, the experience was smooth, welcoming, and so much fun. A huge shout-out to our instructors, Niko and Peter, who truly made the day unforgettable. Both Niko and Peter were super knowledgeable, breaking everything down in a way that was easy to understand whether you were brand-new to surfing or brushing up on your skills. Their passion for the sport was obvious, and their teaching style blended clear instruction with a relaxed, upbeat vibe that kept us confident and smiling the whole time. They were also patient, encouraging, and genuinely fun to be around—the kind of instructors who make you feel safe while still pushing you to catch that next wave. We couldn’t have asked for a better team to learn from. If you’re in Waikiki and thinking about surfing, don’t hesitate—book with Hans Hedemann, and ask for Niko and Peter! You won’t regret it. 🌊🤙

Great experience. Staff was awesome. Beginner friendly. I was able to stand before the end of the lesson. Great gear! Also good recommendations

This was an amazing experience. The instructors were super encouraging. Nico was an amazing instructor and gave the best tips and feedback. Worth it!

Niko was amazing. Was extremely helpful and knowledgeable not only about surfing but how to teach to a novice like me! He was also very patient with my daughter and was able to get both of use surfing 🏄‍♀️ 🌊

The instructors are experienced and know how to have fun! As a complete beginner, I had no expectations of getting up, but everyone in our group was up riding waves quickly. We surfed for about 1 hour and 15 minutes of the 2 hour experience (safety video, walk to beach, and dry land practice took the first 45 minutes). We split into small groups of 1-3 per instructor. My instructor, Niko, was great at tailoring instructions to individual's needs. I learned a lot and enjoyed this immensely! 10/10 recommend!

Me and two other guys had a blast surfing we had a 2 hour lesson and our instructor was very helpful he taught us all of the right techniques in order to succeed at surfing.

2 hours for the first lesson was great to not tire out. Gavin was a patient instructor. Had a good time!👍 Planning to work on more practice.

We loved taking a group lesson so much with Hans Hedemann (HH) school that we decided to go again the next week!! Each class was unique based on the instructor, teaching style, time of day, and wave size. For our first class we had Charlie (Charles) who was a great instructor and really laid back. Safety is number one priority with the HH school, which I really appreciated. I struggled getting up the first time for a long period of time but everyone in the class (my friend and one other person) were all beginners and had no issues getting up and down. Our first class was Sat morning at 8 AM - where the waves were small and no one was out in the water. The HH school takes you to a spot where usually you don’t have a lot of school and have some privacy (and less stress) of running into other surfers. The principal is the same with skiing, once you make it “down” - get out of the way for others to go as well. Perfect small waves for the first class and we had a lot of fun!! Our second class was with Sergio, who showed us a different technique for getting up (and this was a bit easier for me) and I was able to fully ride the waves on Thursday at 2 pm. It was much windier and the waves were bigger but it worked out better since we had a bit more “experience”. There were two other schools out there but we rarely had any “close calls”. My friend and I did the group class both times and the second time it was just us two - so it was more of a semi private lesson. Both were amazing instructors and I couldn’t recommend this school enough!! Our other friends will be going as well this week. Mahalo!!

It was an incredible experience! Charles is an exceptional coach. I was fortunate enough to book a group class, but unfortunately, I ended up doing it alone. 🤣🙌 The unforgettable experience of surfing on our way to the beach was simply unforgettable. We spotted a massive turtle peeking underneath the water. It was so enormous that I can hardly believe it! Every moment of it was worth it. Thank you all so much! ❤️

It was a fantastic experience! My son was in good hands with his surf guide and he taught my son well and gave him encouragement.

Just came back from an awesome very first surfing lesson with @Gavin Hogan in Waikiki, Oahu. I was with my two daughters, age 14 and 17. Gavin was super cool and sweet, we all felt safe and all of us were standing on the first wave 🙏💪