Kahu Surfing School, Best Surfing School and Water Sports in Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Honolulu, Hawaii

Kahu Surfing School was absolutely amazing! We had an hour lesson for our family of 6 which came with 3 separate instructors. Our 8 and 10 year old boys each had their own instructors, which was perfect. The other 4 of us shared one instructor who was awesome. They got us all up on the boards within 10 minutes and we all cycled through catching waves the rest of the time. Surfing was probably our favorite part of our trip to Hawaii. Kahu Surfing School played a huge role in that. We would definitely use them again and recommend them to anyone in Waikiki looking for surfing lessons.

Had both sons do two private lessons which Paulo was super accommodating scheduling them at the same time. Instructors were great working with both kids 10 &13 years old. Both stood up within minutes and had a great time

Unbelievable experience! I took my 2 boys (5 and 7 years old) for a private lesson each. They were paired with Nick and Jameson. The instructors were so kind and amazing! Both of my boys stood up on the board immediately and were surfing! This was their first time attempting to surf too! I also got the video package, and Sam was a great guy and got the best shots/memories following the boys with his drone. Overall, the entire surf team was awesome! The only problem I have now is that I cannot get my boys to get out of the water … all they want to do now is SURF!!! Mahalo and thank you Nick, Jameson, and Sam! By far, the best surf school ever! Don’t think about it, book your lesson! In life you’ll only regret what you DONT do!

My husband and I had a great time! This was one of our favorite memories from our honeymoon trip. We had Paulo as our instructor. He was a great teacher and helped us learn quickly! I got up on the first try with his help! And my husband got up with a few tries. We loved the experience learning to surf and definitely would come back if we ever are in the area again.

Kahu surf school was amazing! My instructor was super friendly, very knowledgeable, and had me standing up on my first try! Waikiki beach can be busy but my instructor did a fantastic job picking which waves to go for to get the best wave, avoid other surfers, and keep everyone safe. He was very well known and respected on the beach which was evident by how many people came up to us, said hi to him and told me I had a great instructor. The value of my lesson was great for the cost and I absolutely love the go pro footage. This was one of the highlights of my Hawaii vacation!

My kids had a great time! My daughters have already tried them last year and yet they still had a great time. My son who hasn’t surfed before was able to surf. The instructors were really good and very friendly. They all had a blast and enjoyed their time in the water! Last year we did the go pro videos. And this year we did the drone videos. The videos are priceless! They were very good and will be good souvenirs for my kids’ surfing experience in Waikiki!

Amazing first surfing experience!!! The instructor did a great job. He was very thorough and also very patient with beginners. Based on our experience and abilities, he matched us with the right board and I caught 4 waves and stood up 3 times!! I would definitely recommend this surf school, especially for beginners. Thank you for the unforgettable experience!!! I’ll never forget my first time surfing in Waikiki. ❤️

AMAZING EXPERIENCE! I’ve done a couple surf lessons in the past and this one was hands down the best one thanks to my instructor SHANE. He was incredibly helpful, patient and made sure I was able to get up on my own. He guided me thoroughly each step and kindly pointed out what I was doing wrong. I feel ready to rent a surf board and go out on my own now thanks to SHANE. 10/10 -Jacob

Honestly, I have to start by giving a major shout out and props to my instructor -Jameson- Mans need a raise for real, owner is lucky to have him as an instructor because I thought he was the owner the way he treats his clients. I was able to a book a surfing lesson last minute since another surf instructor canceled on me. So plus points to the school for having flexible times! The location I surfed at was PACKED, MAJOR SURFER TRAFFIC. That's why I want to emphasize my instructor because he made it enjoyable, and he did everything he could to get me to ride the waves. I should mention it was my first time surfing and I caught multiple waves (thanks to Jameston) Place is super friendly; family vibes, don't hesitate to book, its completly worth it! My only request to management would be to get a cuter surfboards. Aloha Thanks Team!

**Avoid Josh as an instructor if you actually want to enjoy your surf lesson.** I booked a one-hour surf lesson in Hawaii along with a video package, and unfortunately, my experience was far from enjoyable--largely due to our instructor, Josh. First, when we arrived, Josh was completely unprepared. He had no idea we had paid for a video package and had to make several calls just to confirm it, delaying the start of our session. From the beginning, Josh was rude and dismissive. He rushed through the basics without properly explaining them and then hurried us into the water. Once in the ocean, he provided minimal guidance, barely correcting our mistakes or helping us improve. Despite the delayed start, he made sure to end the session right on time, showing no interest in making up for the lost time. He even refused to let us take pictures with the surfboard after the session. The worst part was the video transfer process. Josh insisted we come to his office to download the footage, which should have been a simple process. Instead, he made us install an app and then carelessly transferred all the videos--including footage from other people's lessons! Because of this, I wasted over an hour and a half sitting in his office just trying to get the videos I paid for--all while dealing with his continued rudeness. Yes, I learned the basics of surfing, but the experience was overshadowed by an unprofessional, disorganized instructor who clearly didn't care about providing a good experience. If you're looking for a surf lesson in Hawaii, do yourself a favor and book with someone else.

Awesome experience! Bought a private lesson for my daughters and I. We had never surfed before but our instructor Jameson made us feel comfortable and gave us all the tools we needed. He was very informative of the situations that could've come up so we weren't worried at all once we were in the water. Friendly. Even sent us restaurant recommendations once we were done. Highly recommend this surf school, especially Jameson!!

I had an amazing experience with Kahu surfing school. I got a lesson with Nick and got drone footage as well. I used to surf but 20 years ago pre mom days and had low expectations on catching a wave. Nick was great and supportive and I was able to catch 4. The drone pilot also got great footage that I will be sharing with my kids to show them that surfing is fun and cool at any age! I wanted to immediately book another session the following week since I was in such a natural high but my arms and shoulders were sore. I will be sure to book again this year when I get back out there. Thanks Kahu surf school and Nick for making me look so cool

As a gift I got my step daughter, who was going to be visiting Hawaii, an hour surf lesson from this place, based on the reviews. However, ten minutes into the lesson, I got a text from her saying "this is a very odd experience. The guy is super angry." I messaged the company to ask to have someone call me to talk about this experience, and they replied with the owners number and asked me to call him. I did, he was very gruff and said he'd call me back. I never got a call back. However I did start getting these messages from him. There is a review, it likely will be the one before mine, from a Greta whose experience sounds very similar to my step daughter's experience. The owner started messaging me, obviously confused about who I was, saying: "As one lady put a bad review about 3 hours ago... Ask her to please post our send a picture of her booking confirmation . So we can really believe that she is telling the truth. And it is not one more harassment from competitors. If she says that one of the kids were under 12 years old. We know she lied." this is in reference to a review on Google posted on June 11th by someone named Greta. I replied with who I am and that I would like a refund for the horrible service provided. He replied "No refund... A few lot of people try to do what you are doing. Try harder. And... Harder..." The way he talks to people both over text and in person is very unprofessional. I would not recommend ruining your time in Hawaii with this miserable human.

Had Josh as my instructor--first time surfing. Was such a great experience. Stood up on the board every wave I rode with his help. Definitely recommend this place if you're looking to surf for your first time.

Jesse was fantastic. Kept it thorough and made sure we had a ton of fun Highly recommend

Fantastic Surf school. We loved our lesson with Vance! My girlfriend and I did a 2 person lesson and felt totally taken care of the entire time. Got tons of waves, focused on the fundamentals, and most importantly had fun! Can't recommend this Surf school enough

Absolutely phenomenal experience for a first time surfer. I went during the less busy season in the beginning of October so this review is a bit late. Our instructor Ka-ʻĀina (told us his name means 'land' I hope spelt it right) was super down to earth and we had a great time. It's a short intro inside the building and you'll be out in the water within a short period of time. If you have some board experience that's transferable, this process will go by faster. Just want to give a shout-out to Ka-ʻĀina as he made it seamless, easy and fun. He's super fast on the water and his precision/speed when he pushes you to catch a wave - immaculate. We were able to stay on the board and advance further each time while falling only the first time as he gives you extra tips each time. When the session finished, I didn't even know my knee was bleeding but Ka-ʻĀina noticed it first and asked if I was okay. Super cool dude also told us the history about the area and he literally knew all the Uncs/Aunties and just about anyone walking by. Makes you think how everyone should just slow down a little bit and enjoy the environment and company - embrace the Hawaiian way! BTW if you wear glasses, consider contacts (or glass straps) cause I had to surf blind mostly and I found out it gave me weird motion sickness (im getting old). I'm sure others are more well-prepped than I am but just a heads up. And... bone up on your swimming (using your arms only especially) as towards the end you'll be very exhausted. I'm positive the other instructors there are top-tier as well and the area is beautiful with tons of things to do. Highly recommended for first-timers and returners! *Sorry I dont have any photos - we left our phones in the locker and I still regret not taking a photo at least in front of the shop.

My family had a lesson with the instructor, Skylar. My sister and dad had a good experience here, and caught a substancial amount of waves. However, my experience was mediocre. I don't know if surfing is not my thing or if I was overwhelmed by the crowed beach that day. The one thing I liked about the lesson was the structure of it. The lesson begins with an on land demo. There were two main things I believe should have been covered in this demo more: turning the surfboard and how to carry the surfboard in and out of the shore. In the next part of the lesson, you go to the beach and begin catching waves. My sister was the first one to surf in our rotation. He told me to paddle out with them, so I did. I tried to turn but could not and ended up directly behind them. Skylar was irritated with me and said, "Always to the side never behind." To which I responded, "I'm sorry I can't turn." When Skylar came to help me; he seemed happier and tried to calm me down. I was able to catch a small wave, but was afraid to stand up. Later, I asked for Skylar's help with turning. I tried turning, but failed again. Overall, I did not have the best experience. I wish the surfing school had more patience with people who are not fast learners.

Terrible experience. Instructors are good. Business owner is unethical. Find a better school in the area.

Did a quick 1 hour lesson just as a refresher with Jameson. Jameson was friendly and encouraging. Looking forward to going back to Hawaii to surf one day. Meet up location was a little confusing, convenient and walkable distance from our hotel but was a smaller not obvious office inside a residential building. Nonetheless it was a good experience overall thanks again Jameson!

Nick was a great instructor. He was really nice, helpful, super chill, and patient. He made surfing feel safe and fun. He carried the surfboards in and out of the water for us, which was very helpful. He also helped us paddle and turn our boards in the ocean.

Super easy to book online. Prices were really good and the instructor was so patient. My son had a hard time paddling out and the instructor was so helpful. First time out and my son was actually able to stand up and catch a few waves! Great place!

My 9 year old daughter had a private beginner surf lesson with Skylar. He went straight into the lesson and gave examples that were simple for her to understand. We walked to the beach and off they went. She stood up many times and Skylar made sure she caught waves. She reported that he was nice and she was very happy. Overall a great teacher and representative of Kahu surf school. The only thing I would say is to make sure he introduces himself to us because I am leaving my daughter in his hands and that makes a parent a little more comfortable.

Everything was perfect. Kind and patient teacher, good info, worked at my pace, good rate. 100% happy. Mahalo and aloha.

I don't know how good of a surf instructor Paolo is but based on a recent Marketplace interaction I had with him, I would not recommend dealing with him. He seems to have a chip on his shoulder and my interaction was NOT one that exemplified the Aloha Spirit. He did not meet me at the agreed upon time and I needed to followup with him to see if he would show up. He then proceeded to tried to shift the blame to me for not wanting to talk to him of the phone. I handle all my Marketplace transactions via text until I am comfortable with who I am dealing with. In any event, if you deal with Paolo from Kahu Surf School, proceed with caution.

Do not use these people. I paid over $100 for a video of my daughter's surf lesson. The lesson was May 30 and I still have not received it. They don't respond to emails or return phone calls. HUGE SCAM!!!

Terrible service. The practice surf boards were old and dirty. The place was also dirty and the kid just woke up and kept yawning the entire time he was explaining how to surf. Very unprofessional and not worth it.

Our 9 yr old son had his first surf experience with instructor Jason. It was amazing! The intro lesson on land was quick and very well done. Once in the water, he was carefully supervised and well supported the entire time. He stood up on the first try! Then caught several more waves with Jason's expert help. Our son said Jason was very nice and encouraging. From the shore I saw loads of high fives out there! Hands down, this was a great Hawaiian experience! I recommend Kahu Surf School for anyone of any age or skill level looking to get on a surfboard in Waikiki. Mahalo, Jason!

Ka'aina was a great teacher for my kids. He was punctual, patient, and encouraging during their lesson. Even 4 on 1, he was able to get everyone up on their first surf rides and by the end I could see them becoming surf lovers. I would highly recommend Kahu and if you're lucky get Ka'aina. The wife and I are going to check you out when we're back on the Island. Mahalo

We had such a blast. Addi was awesome. The GoPro videos turned out great. Fun for the entire family.

My bf and I had an hour surf lesson with Preston who taught me how to ride my first wave! Initially I was a little disappointed in myself for not being able to get it down but after about maybe 4-5 tries, and switching to Preston's board which is wider and grippier, I was able to ride a wave all the way through! I rode approximate 3-4 really good ones and that was satisfying. Preston was supportive, calm, and patient the entire lesson and I appreciated that as a first time learner/surfer. Wonderful experience with him. He also helped my bf (self taught and never had formal lessons) by giving him pointers such as pumping with your front foot and when to ride the wave. We also got lucky with some amazing waves today! Lots of fun!

I went surfing with Kahu Surf School for the first time with Kurt and it was AMAZING. Kurt was so nice and friendly and took time out to really teach me and my girlfriend the art of surfing and aloha. Kurt was really patient with us as we were total noobs. But he made it so fun and I really would love to surf with Kurt again next time I visit Hawaii! Also if it's your first time surfing, the 1 hour surfing lesson is plenty. It may not sound like a lot but you get super tired paddling out to the waves so just a heads up! Anyways shout out to Kurt for making it an unbelievable experience! Maloha!

Paid for 2 hours only received one hour lesson - would not recommend -owner is rude- Attached photo of our purchase because the owner wants to act like my review isn't valid-

Addy taught me everything I needed to know to have a successful first time ever surfing. After teaching me the basics, I was successfully on the water riding waves for the first time!

Did not enjoy my experience. The guy was pushy and unpleasant. He kept criticizing me for being slow and yelled at me when I messed up.

Paulo a great instructor. Me and my cousin had signed up for a 1 hour lesson. My cousin did great. I was not the best but I never gave up, and he never gave up on me. His guarantee of being up to stand up on the board while riding the waves does not disappoint whatsoever! I had my issues in the beginning and he gave easy-to-understand pointers on instructions on how to do better. Short intro on the basics and into the waters we go! I was expecting him to waste time with a boring safety lecture but he was quick about everything so we could maximize our money! Don't see much of that these days. If you want a good surfing experience, especially if you're brand new, Paulo is for sure the one you should go to. The next time I'm back in Waikiki I'll be sure to grab another lesson with Paulo!

I had a great experience with Cody. He gave us a concise lesson on the surfing basics and then we hit the waves! This was my first time ever surfing and I had a lot of fun. When my mom and I were paddling out really really slowly, Cody would help us, so we were able to maximize amount of time spent surfing.

This is our first time in Hawaii. My daughter she wants to Surf so we did enroll her at Kahu Surf School. Our trainer Noam he handles the kids very well and she had a great time. We will be back to see you guys again.

Booked a lesson for my kids and paid for the video package. After the lesson the instructor told me that the clips for the camera on both boards were broken and I should ask for a refund because that shouldn't have happened. I contacted the company and received no response. So I paid for the video package and got maybe 3 short clips of my son, none of my daughter and a few pictures. The instructor was just fine but I probably would not use this company again. Also, maybe it's the case with all surf lesson places, but the boards looked very worn and fairly crappy.

Took a 2hr private with Paulo. I really liked his teaching style: Less talking, more doing. We wasted no time and after a short intro on what to do we hit the waves. Actually came back the next day, rented a board and hit a few waves myself. Very happy I took this lesson and the video serves as great feedback on what to improve on. Also a very memorable experience, surfing in Waikiki next to the Duke Kahanamoku statue, a surfing legend and pioneer.

Since the owner is denying that we had ever booked a lesson, I am attaching the email confirmation from him. His first reply was so rude and inappropriate, he actually deleted himself.

Had a lesson with Ka'aina with me and my girlfriend today. He was great and had awesome energy. My girlfriend was a little nervous to surf but he made her feel relaxed and had great fun! Highly recommend!

My partner and I had a surf lesson with Paulo during our recent trip to Hawaii. He was effective in getting us to ride the waves by the end of the hour, but he was quite rude. He was yelling at us for small things, and he seemed quite impatient overall. He didn't show any sympathy for me when I fell and scraped my hand. Overall, we had fun when we finally got to ride the waves.

Great lesson for the twins. Highly recommend using Kahu. Patient and super friendly for first time surfers

If you're brand new to surfing, look no further. Hire Paulo! With decades of pro surfing experience and a no B.S. approach to teaching, you'll get much more value than the typical Waikiki surf schools nearby. Paulo rocks! He is definitely a seasoned instructor and doesn't waste time on the beach talk, talk, talking through things - his goal is to do the basics on land but get you in the water as soon as possible. Hubby and I did a semi-private lesson, so we could learn together. Paddling into the waves for the first time took some doing, and I consider myself a pretty fit person on land. The water is completely different, and Paulo did a good job demonstrating and directing every step of the way. The moment I successfully popped up onto the board after a great push from Paulo, I was hooked. The feeling of the wave carrying you and the energy within it (even in baby waves) was incredible. Paulo was skilled in telling us each what to do and when, and I feel that the semi-private lesson provided just the right amount of attention. While one of us was paddling back, the other was getting pushed into a wave. The lesson flew by but at the same time felt like time stood still. Paulo gave us enough positive feedback and constructive criticism along the way to point us in the right direction. At the end of the lesson, he gave us a good number of tips on parking nearby, the local scene, and good spots to practice. I was on cloud nine after the lesson and couldn't wait to get back out there again -- after powering down some calories at Duke's nearby. Thanks to Paulo, our first experience was incredibly positive and was just the jumpstart we needed to start practicing and getting more confident in the water.

I cannot say enough about Paulo, he was phenomenal! My husband loves to surf, I am afraid of waves, so Paulo had his work cut out for him trying to teach me to surf........he did it!!! I caught and stood up in at least 7 waves with him after a few falls, he remained calm and gave clear instructions. I highly recommend anyone looking to take lessons book with Paulo. Thank you for the amazing memories!!

Paulo has a great program and is tailored to his students skill level. My son (21) and I (56) were given the basics on the sand then off to catch some waves.... and we did catch waves. Paulo is straight forward and makes sure to let you know what you are doing right and wrong. His style of teaching is guaranteed to make you remember the proper steps to ride surf on your own. Highly recommend this school.

My daughters and I were out with our boards this morning. We accidentally steered our board incorrectly. Immediately, Mike with Kahu Surf School started yelling and telling us to learn how to learn how to surf and yelled "go home!" My girls both started crying and freaked out. He kept yelling at us and turning around and saying - go home! My daughters both didn't want to surf any more and got so scared that a grown man was yelling at us. I said sorry to him over 4 times, but he wouldn't stop. I would never entrust children with Mike. I will be checking to see if he even has a license to teach surfing.

My surf lesson with Addison was awesome. I stood up every time! Talicia who made my reservation was very nice and helpful! I would definitely go to Kahu surf school again.

Amazing school learned a lot and the teachers are so nice and we even got to see a baby turtle would really recommend I had the coach addy

It was my first surfing experience, I chose Paulo among many others and it was great! He has great skills to explain you everything and with his help it's much easier to start catching waves. See you next time in Waikiki Obrigada Paulo! Thanks for everything!

Addison was awesome. They rearranged their schedule to fit me in last minute and I'm so glad I took a lesson! Super fun day.

Paulo was a great instructor, he really helped me get back up to speed quickly and I caught five or six waves in my one hour private lesson. I'm very happy with the lesson and would recommend this outfit to anyone.

I booked a 2 hour semi private lessons for my daughters on Christmas Eve. They absolutely loved it. One is 10 and the other 15 and were up and surfing very quickly. I would highly recommend them! Thanks !

Decided to squeeze in a private lesson before my flight, Mike was an absolute allstar teacher. Never thought I could surf but I did!!!! I rode three waves and had sooooo much fun. Go , you won't regret it !!

I went surfing for the first time with my boyfriend and Kurt was our instructor. He was really patient and showed us all the details that we should pay attention to as beginners. When we were out in the water Kurt was very encouraging and both my boyfriend and I caught our first waves!

Ka'āina was absolutely AMAZING with my daughter! We are from St. Louis, MO USA... she's 12yrs old and had never even thought about surfing. After about 7mins of instruction on the beach, they were off! She got up on her very first wave! It was so much fun to watch. We booked a 2nd lesson for her, spur of the moment, because she was absolutely hooked! The waters looked calm at first, but Ka'āina was able to get her in the right spot to catch a few great waves on our last day here. Norah actually cried happy tears when we left... it was such a great experience and I would recommend it to anyone who's visiting Waikiki! We love you, Ka'āina, Mahalo!