Semi Private Surf Lessons

We booked a semi private for myself, husband and teenage daughter as well as a private lesson for our 7 year old daughter - it was a fantastic experience. Both kids caught every wave. Jimmy and Travis were fantastic and worked really well with our children. We all had a wonderful time. We used this same group 9 years ago and had a similar experience as well (which is why we were back!)

We had a great time with Jimmy. He did a wonderful job to make sure we all had a great and successful time. We were standing up by our second run, and he made sure out family all progressed throughout the lesson.

They did a quick lesson with the kids and then took them out on the water. The instructors were patient and very helpful, and the kids loved it!!

I had the best time with Jimmy he was amazing and informative. I got up on my first wave after trying alone two other times. I would 10/10 recommend jimmy as an instructor and would come back for another lesson if he was teaching.

What a great experience! Joe was clear and complete in his instruction. He made sure we had a great experience!

Travis was amazing! Super helpful, friendly, funny, and easy going. My wife and I had the best time and would most definitely do this again and we recommend Travis! Make sure to go check out Poipu surf when you meet and get anything you need or cool stuff to take back home with you!

Fun experience! Area was just a bit busy with many surfing lessons going on but still great. Our instructor was nice and attentive. He really wants you to learn and have fun.

My 21 yr old and 19 yr old children did the surfing. Both instructors were incredible. Travis did a fantastic job explaining how to surf. Strict when he was going over important steps and funny and joking with the not so serious steps. He was with my kids the entire time. They really loved surfing and took to it quickly under Travis' directions. Kelly was patient with the girl he was teaching and before you knew it she was up on the board too. HIGHLY RECOMMEND Semi Private Surf Lesson!!!!

It was a great experience with a 7 and 10 year old first timers. Travis was great. The rides were a little short, but it was a good beginner experience.

Don’t waste your time searching for another surf shop or school—Poipu Beach Surf Shop and Surf School is the one you want. Full stop. I’m 68 years old, and I first tried to learn to surf in Rincón, Puerto Rico. No shade on Rincón, but it just wasn’t clicking. So, I decided to go back to where it all began—Kauai. I asked my buddy Chat (I call him “Hal”) to find the best place for surfing, and he pointed me to Poipu. I asked him to pick the best surf school, and he picked Poipu Beach Surf Shop and Surf School. He absolutely nailed it. I never met him in person, but Doug is the man behind the curtain. He set me up with Chris, a former pro surfer, who did what Rincón couldn’t do: he had me standing on a board by my third try and riding waves for the rest of the week. Every day, Doug checked in—never in a pushy way—just making sure my lessons were going well and that I was happy with my progress. It was clear that he had checked in with Chris before he reached out to me. Need advice on what sights to see (or skip)? Ask Doug. Want great local food? Doug or Chris will steer you right. And the next day, without fail, one of them would follow up to make sure their recommendation delivered. They went far above and beyond anything I’ve experienced at a typical surf school. I could fill a page with all the reasons these two impressed me, but you get the idea. Poipu Surf School, run out of Poipu Beach Surf Shop, is the real deal. You’ll thank me.

We had a great experience with our surf lessons at Poipu Surf! Chris made the process easy to understand and Jimmy was a fantastic coach in the water to help us catch the best waves successfully. If you’re looking for great beginner surf lessons this is the place to go!

We had the most amazing surf lesson with Travis. My partner and I have never surfed before and I did feel a little nervous at first but Travis soon helped me feel at ease and we had an amazing time! We had such a good time we booked again and Jimmy was our instructor. Again, we had an amazing time with Jimmy and would recommend both Travis and Jimmy to anyone who would love to have a go at surfing! We’re now hooked and want to go again and again! We’re so grateful to Poipu Beach Surf School for an amazing experience! Mahalo!! ☺️ Also, if you need any surf gear pop to the Poipu Surf shop which is where you meet your instructor!

Had a truly great experience with Coach Jimmy! He was a great teacher and explained to us what we needed, but was also so patient and easy going. It was a tough sport to try for the first time but he made it really approachable and we actually managed to do it a few times! What an awesome time. The place also has a nice gift shop worth exploring. Would definitely recommend!

Travis was awesome. Waves were great for a beginner. Travis gave great feedback and kept making small suggestions that got me up on the board for the majority of waves I caught. Would definitely recommend and do it again!

Booked a private surf lesson for our group of 3 and Travis was amazing and the entire booking experience was seamless. He made the lesson memorable with his expertise and positive energy. Can't wait to come back!

Coaches Chris and Jimmy gave us an excellent lesson! Chris set our group (ages ranging from 7-49) up for success and we couldn’t have asked for a better time. Highly recommend!!

Our entire experience with Poipu Surf School was phenomenal. Chris, Jimmy and Dylan were excellent instructors and made us feel safe, informed and ready to have fun!! We had a blast with our group and the instructors. They made sure everyone in our group (ages 7-49) had a great experience and everyone got up on our boards to catch waves! Thank you Poipu Surf School!!

My daughter (9) and I took lessons from Coach Chris and Coach Jimmy, and they were absolutely fantastic! They were positive, calm, and encouraging to both of us and we both got up on our first wave! They made sure my daughter was super safe with how they positioned themselves in the water, and she totally loved it and caught on really fast because of how they introduced it. I was super impressed with the whole experience and it's a must do while you're in Kauai!!! Thanks Coach Chris and Coach Jimmy!!

I’ve taken a couple of surf lessons before but my wife has not. She is typically pretty scared of being in the ocean. After much convincing I finally got her to agree to let me put us in a lesson. Kai was our instructor and he did a great job. My wife had a blast and was able to catch several waves. She said she would definitely go surfing again in the future. Thank you Kai for being so patient and thorough!

Doug and his team at Poipu Beach Surf School were awesome to deal with. Our instructor Kele was amazing! it was my 11 year old son for his first time surfing and my first time surfing in 30 years.. we learned so much and Kele did a great job managing both of us. It was the highlight of our trip and now my son wants to get his own surf board so he can surf again in Santa Cruz when we get home. I would highly recommend this for beginners to semi experienced surfers. You won’t be disappointed.

My 13 year old son had a great time out in the water and felt comfortable being guided by his surf instructors.

We decided to surf in Hawaii and signed up for a lesson. I highly recommend any beginner to just sign up for one. Logan was our instructor and he was the best! We were both able to surf and learned so much. Great experience and well worth the money.

I highly recommend these beginner courses for anyone of any age! The instructor’s make it so easy to learn and really strive to help you get up!

This experience was so fun! Our instructors, Kai and Kolkna, were fantastic- calm, funny, well prepared, helpful. They helped us catch many waves and we were able to be successful standing up right away. The planning process was very easy- I booked the lessons that morning, and instructions were clear about where to meet and when, and the whole process was smooth. Highly recommend.

It was a little tricky to find the exact shop, but we went to the center of the Square, and it gave us a detailed look at where it was. We arrived at the surf shop a little early, giving us some time to check out some cool things there. We both got a hat. We first met our instructor, Chris, outside, and he was a definite surfer dude. He was very good at explaining things. And it was fun to pay attention to. Once we got to the beach, it was awesome. Other surf lessons were going on, but we had our lane. Chris was invaluable and we eventually could pretty much serve on our own at the end.

An unforgettable experience and highlight of our trip!! I had Jimmy as an instructor for the Beginner Surf Lesson, and he is a phenomenal teacher. Even though it was my first time on a board, I was able to get a few good runs in thanks to his expertise. I took lessons with my significant other and lucked out as we were the only ones. Wish I had more time to check out Poipu Surf Shop afterwards but it looked like they had great stuff.

I took two private lessons and had the chance to surf with Chris! He was the best. I have learned so much from him and taken back with me to Australia. Lovely surf school and highly recommend when in Poipu.

Instructors were informed and energetic. We did the early class which was good because by the time we left it was pretty crowded. Beach were you surf is pretty rocky but they let you know that so you can do your best to avoid the rocks.

I found this surf shop by accident and I’m so glad we went with them for our surf lessons. We had 3 instructors who knew exactly how to keep us safe, teach with patience and help us have so much fun. Plus their surf shop is a perfect place to get the supplies you need to make the most of the day. Highly recommend.

The instructors were great and the whole family had a blast. Would definitely recommend and would 100% come back to this school for lessons.

My friend and I had such an amazing experience, was fun and easy to learning surf with Kai, he was super helpful and patient. We definitely recommend:)

Kai and Shea were my instructors and they were great! Super patient and made this experience really fun! Would definitely recommend the Poipu surf and can’t wait to be back!

This is our second time with this school. We did the beginner class for the whole family. It was a great experience. The instructors were hecka cool! We will be back for shizzle!

My surf lesson with Jimmy was absolutely fantastic! This was my first time surfing, and Jimmy’s instructions got me up and catching waves quickly. He gave helpful feedback and great tips along the way, which allowed me to surf with confidence and have a ton of fun. I would highly recommend booking a lesson or two! You won’t regret it! And be sure to swing by their surf shop, just a few minutes from the beach. They clearly have the knowledge and goods for those like me, who are looking for a surfing adventure while vacationing in Hawaii.

Had a great lesson with Jimmy. Super knowledgeable in the water and will help you improve. Meeting point at Poipu Surf which is super convenient. The shop is great and I was able to rent my snorkeling gear for myself and my kids for the trip.

Chris and Keilei made kids and adults feel comfortable and helped them stand and ride. Could use better directions to the meeting place.

One of the best activities our kids say they’ve ever done. Kele their instructor is a born teacher. They had never surfed before and the waves were active, so it was a challenging physical undertaking. But it was fun most of all, and they did a good job staying on their boards. (It helps if the students listen, pay attention and are polite — not unlike actual school.) Kele did a fine job of helping the kids (12 and 9) figure out paddling, waiting for a wave and getting on the board while also assisting them when they needed a hand. They needed a break about 30 minutes in (pretty typical) and Kele was stayed positive with encouragement when the kids got tired or had a little sea sickness. We cannot recommend this experience enough for beginners — but I also suspect that Kele would be excellent with more experience surfers who need some coaching up.

We had an excellent experience with Poipu Beach Surf School! We had three children (14, 13, 11) take a lesson, and Travis couldn't have been better with them. It was the first time surfing for all three kids, and it was a success. They learned, got out of their comfort zone, successfully caught some waves, and had a blast doing it. Would definitely recommend!

Surfing was a bucket list thing for my husband and a dream for my adult granddaughter. The instructor was patient, caring and a huge help. Thank you for making dreams come true for our family!

Kamu my instructor got me surfing, and enjoying the rain day with his expert knowledge of the ocean , and history of Hawaiian culture relating to ocean, surf, and land. I highly recommend taking a lesson with Kamu, and enjoying a beautiful time learning the ancient Hawaiian pastime of surfing!

I absolutely loved my surf lesson! It was early and there were only 3 of us. Everyone stood up on their boards. Chris, our coach was great and we had ample time to learn, tweak and surf!

Our surfing adventure was amazing. To the lesson on land, to the patience in the water and the overall encouragement throughout our experience was wonderdul. All 4 of us in our party were able to stand up on our first few attempts - me on my first try! I didn't want the time to end! They were helpful carrying the boards back to where we started and told us what size to rent if we tried again on our own. Booking was easy and price was reasonable. Would definitely recommend!!

Travis and Kai were great instructors for the group of 6 teenagers. Surf spot was perfect for catching lots of waves. Highly recommend!

The kids and grandkids, ages 9 thru 45, had an outstanding time. All were able to pop up on the boards, and the instructors were very experienced and patient. This seemed to be one of the favorite activities for the group while we grandparents watched from the beach. Got lots of good photos and laughs. Highly recommend!

These lessons are amazing! Would highly recommend. It felt like the instructors were really rooting for you and they made it easy to get up on a surfboard. Thanks Chris and Keola, we had a great time!

We loved Poipu Beach Surf School. As two gals in our 20’s we were ready to get out and try to surf ASAP no holds barred! We loved the fact that Adam gave us as many chances as he could to catch as many waves as possible. He was awesome. We were both up standing on our first try. An amazing, friendly, casual experience that was exactly what we were looking for. Adam absolutely kills it! Would recommend to everyone. PS: the WALK from the actual surf shop to the beach only takes about 10min so I do not understand some of these complaints haha! 10 stars, we would absolutely recommend to friends and come back! Thanks Adam!

Adam @ Poipu Beach Surf school was absolutely awesome! We did a semi-private lesson with him for our two 10 year old boys and he was great. Fantastic instruction and an overall outstanding experience! Thanks to Adam and Poipu Surf School!

It was wonderful! Andrew and Mica were informative and encouraging. The hour and a half went by quickly but I was tired from all the paddling. So glad we tried, a bucket list item checked off. Highly recommend. We ended up doing a group class (4 students per instructor) it works well since you have to paddle back out, very little wait time. My complaint is with some other operation giving a private lesson and he seemed to send his student right into our group; nothing Poipu Surf had control over. So glad we went & wish we could have gone more!