Great experience!!! I booked a group lesson for my husband and myself, and it turned out that we were the only learners for the time slot, so it became a private lesson for us! The instructor is super helpful and we had a lot of fun! only downside is that the photos are expensive... read more

nothing but great things to say! My surf lesson was wonderful, Troy did a great job. He would tow me out to the waves and help me time my paddle to catch only the best waves, wonderful guy. and the photographer was wonderful as well, Chris did a great job getting the best shots of me out on the water, very friendly and helped my every need and concern! I loved my lesson and would totally recommend or come again! read more

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Aloha!! My extended family, total of 12 people, including a 5 and a 7 year old took first time surfing lessons here. Totally recommend lessons from the crew here. Professional, friendly and made sure all of us had a good experience. Cody took my 5 year old daughter on a board with him. She had so much fun riding with him. She actually managed to balance on the board and not hold his hand. My 7 year old daughter had a semi private lesson with Chris, and caught some waves on her own. The rest of the adults and teens had varied success. :-) Overall, the instructors were laid back and ensured everyone had a good time. Everyone was tired after being out on the waves for over an hour, not including land instruction time, but had nothing but huge grins and shakes for Big Wave Dave. Our own little family, parents and 3 girls took an outrigger canoe ride with Dave as Captain. Epic ride, it felt like we could have surfed up onto the beach with one of the waves! Since the 3 girls couldn't paddle, (too young) Dave filled out crew with 2 additional staff members. Our girls got to enjoy the ride while mom and dad paddled! The paddling is super fun too! And don't forget to buy photos and video from the cutie of a photographer Kat! She hangs out on the beach with a monster zoom lens and captures the experience for you! We bought all the photos and video from both the surfing and the canoe ride. They burn onto a disc or transfer to a USB drive. Totally reasonably priced and WAAAY better than what you can get with your 200 mm lens. Two thumbs up!!! read more

Big Wave Dave - Our family of surfers - Paddleboarding Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I had a terrific experience at Big Wave Dave's. The shop is directly behind the Hyatt at Kuhio beach, and their prices are much less expensive than the board rentals directly on the sand. It takes exactly 90 seconds to walk from the shop and be in the water. The people are way nicer too! They have excellent quality boards available for rent from beginner to advanced, and will cut a deal for you with multi-day rentals. This is my go to place from this point forward whenever I surf Waikiki. Mahalos to the crew at Big Wave Dave's! read more

Our family of 5 had a wonderful experience with instructors Uncle Kevin and Lee. They were super friendly, easy going and helpful. We were all able to get up, but due to individual skill levels, some were definitely better than others. Both instructors were encouraging us to keep trying and have fun! Without their help we would never have learned to surf. What a great time we all had out on the waves with these two great guys. Best time we had on the whole vacation. Highly recommend the instructors at Big Wave Daves! read more

Great staff! Very affordable. Picture quality during the lessons are awesome! We forgot to wear rash guards so we rented them for $5. I would rather pay the $5 then go buy one for $15-$30 (depending where u get it from) and never use it again. read more

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We did the outrigger canoeing on 4th of JULY! Dave's was the only one doing it and we had a blast. You meet Dave at the shop -you'll put all you items in a locker and off you go to the beach. 90 seconds latter you're on the beach. He goes over everything you need to do -JUST PADDLE!! We did three really nice waves and don't worry -the people will get out of your way. I highly suggest you go see BWD!! read more

Best place to learn to surf and or paddle board. My friend and I did both and Chris convinced us to surf first since there were waves and it was definitely the right choice! Everyone at big wave Daves is wonderful to work with and they really have great customer service. Out on the water they take pictures and got some really great shots. Definitely would recommend them to friends who want to learn to surf. read more

I can't speak for the surf lessons, but Big Wave Dave's has the best selection of quality and quantity board rentals around. My husband stopped by after renting a nearly unusable board from another spot nearby. He was able to rent basically the exact same board he uses at home (Walden Magic) that was in pristine condition. Their prices for rentals are more than fair and everyone working there was super helpful. Anytime we are back on Waikiki we will definitely rent from BWD's. Also, their coffee bar is awesome and is some of the best coffee we had while visiting Waikiki. read more

Best surf lesson! Great instructor, patient and hilarious. You can tell they love what they do.

I hate giving a one star review when businesses are struggling during COVID, but here's what happened... I make reservations online which was very easy. The lady who directed me to the website was also very friendly. Then the hurricane changes my plans so I call to cancel. The guy answers the phone and I initially couldn't hear him. I kindly asked him to repeat what he said and he states, "ma'am, can you hurry up? I have things to do here. What do you want." I didn't say anything rude back, just that I needed to cancel. I then mentioned to my boyfriend that this guy was rather rude so he calls the guy back and tells him that he was a little rude to me on the phone and should have better customer service. Verbatim, the guy says "you don't f**ckin know me bro. F*** you!". Absolutely rude to the both of us and we kept our composure the whole time. I'm sure this is a great business based on other reviews but this guys needs to be fired. Only gave two stars based on the website and lady I initially talked with... read more

All I have to say is that was a amazing experience! Our instructor Lee is super friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. He could get anyone to learn how to surf. I would come back 100 times if I could. If your are looking to surf you absolutely have to request for Lee! Super happy with our experience! Lee you are the man! read more

Surfing is something you have to try, simply because it is just awesome! I love it so much! To start off, I booked a semi-private lesson a few days in advanced over the phone. On the day of, we came about 15 minutes early to fill out some waivers and to get ready. They have a locked storage place so that you can store your belongings. Then you meet your instructor and your instructor will teach you (on land) how to get up on the surf board with a few steps. Pretty simple. This is a good time for you to figure out if you're a "regular" rider or a "goofy" rider since everyone is "footed" in one of those stances. This will definitely help you out because I did so much better when I realized I am "Goofy." Also, they allow you to rent those rash guards shirts for five dollars and I advise you to as well especially guys since apparently "it can sand your nipples off." lol After everything, your instructor will be walking you to Waikiki beach, which is only a block or two away. That is pretty much the gist of it. As for my personal experience, I had my semi-private lesson with Alika! Such an easy going, super friendly and fun guy! He is such a great instructor! I was able to stand up and catch a wave on my second try (this was when I realized I am more comfortable leading with my right foot) and didn't fall anymore. And it's all thanks to those few steps that I learned beforehand. They were small waves, but it's good enough for beginners like me. Overall, I would definitely recommend Big Wave Dave Surf Co. if you want to learn how to surf. I'm not sure how the other instructors are (probably all are great), but I really like Alika as an instructor, so I do recommend him as well! I also recommend getting the photo package. The camera man got some pretty nice photos. I had so much fun and I pretty much rented a surfboard everyday and just surfed by myself... And I must say that... I was getting better each day and was able to catch higher waves. Practice does make perfect and we all have to start somewhere, I started here. :) read more

WORST VACATION EXPERIENCE EVER!! Our family planned on having a Hawaiian surf experience before we started our Hawaiian vacation. We chose Big Wave Dave because of the positive reviews on Yelp. Nothing could have been worse. My wife and I and two kids (13 & 17) signed up for an outrigger canoe ride, and my daughter and I for beginner surfing lessons. We got one of three rides in the outrigger canoe before it sank. I mean COMPLETELY SUBMERGED, far from shore. "Big Wave Dave" was the "captain" and just yelled at everyone, telling us all to row the canoe into shore. The boat is literally 2 feet under water. It took us 20 minutes to get the boat to shore and our feet were cut up on the coral. After finally catching our breath, my daughter and I tried to laugh it off and continue with our surfing lessons. The beginner surfing lessons consisted of a guy pointing at the water and telling us to follow him. They gave my 4'8" daughter a 10' surfboard that she could not manage. Our "instructor" paddled away in front of us, caught a wave on his own, and went back to stacking surfboards on the beach. We yelled for any Big Wave Dave instructors to help us in the crowded water, but no one helped. Not knowing what to do, we paddled back to shore and left our surfboards there. Big Wave Dave REFUSED to not charge us for either the terrible canoe experience or the complete lack of instruction or assistance for our surf lessons. This is not a case of dissatisfaction with the service, there was no service! I'm glad that others have had better experiences, but Big Wave Dave RUINED our Hawaiian vacation with no sense of compassion or aloha spirit. Stay away from Big Wave Dave! There are a lot of more reputable surf shops in Honolulu. Would you really want to take that chance? read more

I first joined Yelp in 2009, and never have I felt more compelled to write a review until now... nearly three years later. Seriously, check these guys out if you're looking to book some surfing lessons or rent out some boards for an hour or two or three. My best friend and I purchased the deal on Groupon, and in retrospect, I would have gladly paid the full price because they're that good at what they do. Alika was our instructor, and we got lucky as we were his only students during that afternoon session. He is awesome at what he does and truly makes you feel at ease. Although he wants you to have a good time and catch as many waves as you possibly can, he's not about to compromise your safety for it. He was really good at picking our spots and steering us away from all the traffic. You'd be surprised at how much safety doesn't seem to be that much of a concern with all the other instructors out there--there were so many close calls. This made me so thankful that we booked with Big Wave Dave's. PY was our photographer and she is seriously Big Wave Dave's secret agent/ninja! Right before leaving the shop to head over to the beach, she said she would be taking our pictures so be sure to smile and throw up some shakas! I thought I forgot to do this, but I was having such a blast out there that I guess I didn't after all. I remember paddling out on my board at one point trying to figure out where she was, but I couldn't figure it out. No one can. Cause she's a ninja! And a good one at it. The pictures turned out great! And I'm glad we got them for the awesome memories. Thanks, PY! Additionally, with our Groupon deal, we were given the opportunity to rent their surfboards at a discounted price. And although it clearly states that it's only valid on the day of session, they offered to honor it the next day! How awesome is that!? Unfortunately, we didn't get to pay them another visit since our appointment with Island Watersports ran a lot later than we had anticipated. :[ Overall, it was such an awesome experience that I'm already looking forward to booking another session with them next summer! Awesome people (especially Alika and PY), awesome service, and really some good times to be made! Thanks so much, guys! I'll be seeing you guys again soon! ---------- EDIT: PY just messaged me the other day letting me know that we received less than 50 photos on our CD (we were supposed to receive a little over 80). She simply asked us to stop by the shop to pick up another CD. However, as we are no longer on the island (sadly), she just mailed another copy to my address free of charge! Seriously, how awesome is that? That just made my day. Their service is way up there! Honest people running an honest business. It doesn't get any better than that. :] read more

For all my girly girls: *Disclaimer: no eyelash extensions were harmed in the making of this review (from surfing)* Dude. I like, totally break the LA surfer stereotype, as I was born and raised in LA and still have never planted my feet on a surfboard! To make matters worse, I learned how to swim when I was young but have become afraid of the water as an adult. Submerge my face in water? Take in a deep breath and blow air under water? You know, swim?!?! Uhm, ruin my eyelash extensions? All this to learn to surf in Hawaii? Like, totally!!! Now, which bikini should I wear? Ok first things first. Saving the moola you worked darn hard to make. They have two listings on Yelp. Same business, same location. The first one has a Yelp deal -- $69 for $99. The website advertises lessons for $99 so you're getting a $30 discount. Even better though is the second yelp listing that gives a deal of $135 for a private lesson for two people. After the bf and I confirmed our reservations (we got the private lesson for 2) and made our way to the shop, I reluctantly asked for the loser life vest because I wanted to learn to surf but didn't really know how to swim. However, I also went through the painful explanation that I "forgot" how to swim and became afraid of the water as an adult. They recommended I went without it because it would be restrictive during surfing. They said if I knew how to get back to the surface of the water, or float, I'd be okay and just to tell the instructor Cody that I didn't swim. Cody said we'd be in pretty shallow water and that he would watch me carefully the entire time. He said he would be there if he saw I was in trouble. He instructed us on a surf board on dry land before he took us out to sea. As soon as I got in the water, my petite body was like a rag doll in the ocean, being tossed and turned from every wave that hit. Thinking I was hot stuff, I wore a bikini that tied at the hip on both sides. I didn't think I was so hot when the waves KNOCKED MY BIKINI BOTTOM OFF!!! Lesson learned and great advice to the girly girls, wear a very snug bottom with no ties! Being beat by the waves at shore beat my confidence in surfing as well. As soon as we got on the board, I panicked. Cody told me not to panic when I fell off. Yea Cody, easy for you to say you swimming, seasoned surfer, you! Then he held on to my board and told me to let go to simulate what it felt like to be off of the board. Instincts set in and I came to the top and grabbed the board. Know that the board is strapped to your leg so you will never be far from a floaty!!! Confidence rebooted. He tells you when to position yourself and when to stand. I actually made it on my feet on every run, although I fell shortly after getting my feet on the board during my first run. Each run gave me more confidence and I was standing on the board longer each time. I had a blast and Cody even took me farther out to experience even better waves. Cody was very encouraging. High fives all over! He did keep a close watch on me, when someone nearly ran me over, he was right there helping me out. No need to bring the camera or the gopro (learning to surf is difficult enough by itself let alone trying to capture it) and besides they have an awesome photographer capturing your surfer moves (or lack thereof) but just be mindful that they capture the first few runs, so make them good! The CD was $60 for all the pictures. Cody said the tide is very high in the afternoon. At 4pm we were at the peak! He recommended beginners go in the morning when the tide is low. Oh wells, next time! Cody has built my confidence and makes me excited to continue to learn to surf! read more

This was my first surf lesson so I don't have anything to compare to. I took a private lesson with Cody. He was super encouraging and taught me how to stand up out in the water, while stabilizing my board over his. Thought we would do that on land but I'm glad he got me right out in the water and not waste time to over think the whole thing considering I'm a little terrified of open water. One paddle out and I was pretty tired, resulting in a very sore body for a few days after, so have Ibuprofen at hand. You go pretty far out but it's only waist deep. I ended up buying the pictures which also had 2 videos. Probably over priced but what the heck, I looked like an ant with my husband taking pictures. Glad I bit the bullet and checked that off my bucket list. Hawaii really took me out of my comfort zone but so worth it! Thank you BWD! read more

Big Wave Dave - Paddleboarding Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Had a great time and our last wave was the best. Thanks Dave. John Rich Kerrville, Texas read more

Cody was rude and unsupportive of new beginners and we paid for two hours lesson but we got about 30 mins of surfing time. Also they were trying to sell us photos for 80 bucks, outrageously and we said it was too much then they tried to lower it down to 70, 60, 50 finally... Ridiculous. Although we have to say that Waikiki was the best surfing spot for new beginners, we would never recommend this place to anyone because of Cody. Sorry we have to expose this information but we were very patient with him and his attitude read more

The surf lesson was definitely one of the highlights of my first trip to Oahu! I purchased a deal on Travelzoo for surf lesson for two. I made a reservation a few days before our trip on the phone and then we arrived 15 minutes before our lesson to sign some waivers. We rented some surf shirts for $5/ each at the location, just in case because we had never been surfing before. The bf and I pretty much got a private lesson as the other two people at the lesson got their own instructor. Cody was a great instructor and made us feel comfortable even though we had no idea what we were doing. You have a lesson on land to start off and then you set off about a block to Waikiki Beach for the good stuff. I'm happy to say that we both were able to get up and ride some baby waves! It's thrilling! I would definitely come back for another lesson. What a great experience! read more

Have never surfed before and loved learning how to surf with Dave. While picking up spam musubis at Iyasume Misubi, we randomly saw their stand about 5 feet across from us in the alley. They also had a Yelp deal at the time, so we went for it and talked to them about scheduling a surfing lesson. We started with a quick 5-10 minute dry lesson in the alley, where he showed us how to stand on the board and we practiced getting onto the board. We then walked our boards down to the beach, about a 5 minute walk (I'm 5'2 and didn't have a problem carrying the boards down). Surfing itself was awesome - their staff was really nice, and helped us with the timing of when to catch the wave. We'd get to a nice spot in the water, hang out for a minute, and then their staff would tell us when to get ready and hop on, and then help shove our boards into the wave. It made our first surfing lesson immediately gratifying and really fun! Oh, there was also a dad and his 8 or 9 year old daughter surfing - the staff were also really nice to the kid and the water was so shallow, if you fell off your board my head was still above water, so not scary and really chill. read more

Booked surfing lessons with Big Wave Dave after coming across a deal on Groupon and reading the reviews on Yelp. The staff was friendly and super accommodating from the moment I called to make a reservation. The instructors were great - patient and informative before we even got out to the water. Everyone in our group felt comfortable in the water and we were able to catch many waves, which were captured in videos and photographs (you pay separately for these, but they're totally worth it). Only downside was that our canoe ride felt rushed and everyone paddling was being yelled at to paddle harder. (I thought this was funny though, since I was one of the people in the canoe that didn't have to paddle, and I just enjoyed the ride). :) Still giving 5 stars, because our group booked mainly for the surf lessons, and we were happy with that part of the package. read more

Jimmy needs to understand that some people are just slow to learn- kept telling me what a terrible swimmer my wife is and telling my wife what a horrible surfer I am. She was so embarrassed, she did not let us finish our lessons. Wish he was more calm and less name calling was involved. Anyways, I am sure they are very good people. read more

We found out about Big Wave Dave through Yelp, and booked a lesson for our entire family, 2 adults and 2 kids age 7 and 10. Only my husband had surfed before (once in 10 years) and by the end of lesson we were all catching waves. When we arrived we were placed with Alika and Coty, they provided a brief and informative tutorial on land and then we went the beach. Both instructors were so patient and encouraging and provided helpful suggestions. We had the best time and would take lessons from them again the next time we are back in Oahu! Before arriving, bring a water shirt to prevent your chest rubbing on the board, if you forget yours, no problem you can rent them for $5. Thank you for an amazing experience! read more

Since i know that my days left in Hawaii are numbered, and I'm no longer pregnant, I've been super proactive about checking things off my Hawaiian bucket list. One of these things was to go surfing, or try at least. I saw a Groupon deal for Big Wave Dave's, and we were also staying down in Waikiki so I figured this was the best time to do it. If you buy a Groupon you will need to call and make your reservation with the shop, you cannot do it via online. I don't recommend just showing up and telling them you have a Groupon voucher, because they do get busy and the classes fill fast. Just a little FYI. So I was scheduled for the 10AM class, I arrive a few min early to rent a rashguard since I don't own one. Tony came out and told me he was going to be my instructor. Tony has excellent vibes about him, he's really encouraging, and laid back. He showed us how we were going to be paddling out to the break, how to stand up, how to turn around, and then we headed off to the beach. Paddling out what the hardest part. It was far and if you don't work out a lot or use a lot of upper body strength, then this might be difficult for some. For me, it was just tiresome. We then waited around for awhile for a wave that was big enough to ride to come along. Sometimes this can take awhile if it's a calm day. Tony made great small talk and then was quick to tell you when to get ready. When it was my turn, I caught my first wave and was able to stand up and ride it all the way in....until a small child was in my way and it was run his ass over, or sit down and just turn around and try again. I opted for the sitting down to avoid running over said small child and we both avoided hurting each other. My second try out on a wave, I was also able to stand up, thanks to Tony for his encouragement, and I rode it till it dissipated. So, I was 2/2, not bad for my first try. I went back and returned my rashguard, I bought the touristy pics they take of you out there surfing for the first time, and I highly recommend going through Big Wave Dave's shop if you are thinkin about giving surfing a try. I'd totally come here again if I had a friend that wanted to go out. I think it's worth the money, the whole staff was rad, and they really do want to help you learn to surf while you're out there. read more

These guys are amazing - took a surf lesson after trying and failing to surf for years and Chris got me tuned up on the basics, and gave me a rec for what turned out to be an amazing hike up one of the local ridges. Highly recommend - my only regret is that I got back from the hike too late the next day to rent a board and go out again. read more

Great prices for board rentals and friendly staff. Their shop is right around the corner from the beach (less than a 5 minute walk). They also open up pretty early if you want to get in the water before it gets too crowded. Mahola Big Wave Dave and crew! read more

Positives: "Uncle" Neal provided the best on-land surf lesson and was there with me in the water till I got up on the board. Ask for him by name if you choose this company. The video was pricey but very well done and I got like 40 Hawaiian songs on the DVD as well as stills. Negatives: Otherwise, they were unprofessional. They weren't prepared when we got there (nicely put, it was chaos), the cashier was a bit of a know-it-all, 'Dave' mostly talked to a co-worker about other employees and his company on the canoe ride, they kept my cc# w/out my knowledge or permission like I was running a tab! I was over charged and Alika took pictures of our group on his personal iphone said he would forward them, but somehow could not manage to even after a couple texts reminding him. read more

My husband bought a deal through groupon for a surf lesson and an outrigger canoe ride, (as did all the other people in our class/group.) I am a chickenshit, seriously i am. I can barely swim , and only did the Outrigger Canoe part, not the surf lesson. The Outrigger canoe ride is good exercise, and can be fun, if you aren't a wimp like me. I did enjoy parts of it, and conquered a bit of my fear.(If my husband hadn't been with me, i probably would have completely freaked out, instead of only partially freaked out) Dave and his lady are totally mellow and cool, and my guy loved his surf lesson. Too bad the water was so packed with people, it kind of impeded the their surfing. read more

I was with my girlfriend looking for a musubi place when I saw their prices posted on a surfboard. Quite reasonable and you get an awesome deal with yelp! The staff is really friendly and walk you through the process. This was my first time attempting to surf so I just signed up for the group lesson. Comes with a board, an hour lesson and I think it's $5 bucks for a rash guard rental. If no one else is there for a lesson, it's group lesson price for a private lesson! The instructors are pro's and provide quick feedback if your surf is less than successful. They also have someone come with you to snap pictures/shoot video with a gigantic camera. All that can be purchased on a CD. Good times! Highly recommended. read more

I bought a Groupon for a group surf lesson and outrigger canoe ride for one. I was so excited because I've living in Hawaii all my life and always wanted to know how to surf. I sent an email that day inquiring about a reservation. No response. I then called them two days later to inquire about a reservation. I was then told that I had to pay an additional fee for tax (in addition to what I had already paid to Groupon). Okay whatever. Then when I attempted to cancel the morning of I was told that they had a 24 hour cancellation policy. So why didn't they say this when I made the reservation? So now I have a $55 Groupon that I can't even use? I hope this isn't how you traditionally treat people and that is just an isolated incident. read more

Very nice and supportive staff and patient instructors. They work really well together, like a family. :-) Even though there were 8 people in our group, I felt that they all pay attention to everyone equally. If this is your first time surfing, splurge on a CD of the "evidence." It's $60 for 1 person CD but so worth it. I think I'm going back today for a private lesson. There's a check-in deal on yelp that helps a lot. Oh, don't forget to rent a rash guard ($5.) read more

Big Wave Dave - So much fun!!! - Paddleboarding Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Well we took a family surf lesson a couple days ago. Found them on yelp. As we arrived they informed us that they made a mistake on our reservation but they would fit us in. We then proceeded to wait 45 min while the instructor ran upstairs and ate lunch. Once we finally walked over to the beach is when the instructor realized we didn't have enough surfboards. He then had to go back to get them while we waited another 20 min. As we walked into the water the young kid that was suppose to take pictures of us said "ok let's get some good pics"! Then he disappeared leaving us with no pics of the whole family just a couple of the kids at the very end!! They did discount the pics from $80 to $40. The staff is very nice its just they are not very organized!! read more

Had a blast surfing and stand-up paddling during our time on Oahu. Everything went smoothly from check-in to instruction to catching our first waves. We did semi-private lessons for both, and the experience was outstanding. During the surfing lesson, both my husband and I were able to ride multiple waves into shore. The photos were fun, too! After a quick lunch, we went back out for our stand-up paddling lesson, and we were able to paddle alongside a pod of spinner dolphins, among sea turtles, and through beautifully clear water. Highly recommend! read more

Alika is a totally awesome teacher and I had an awesome time. Very relaxed experience, able to grasp basics right away and even though I was really worried about rough winter surf we went down the beach to an easy spot for SUP lesson. Even wiping out at the end of the lesson was great experience since you gotta learn how to get back on board. Highly recommended for a perfect Hawaiian experience. Also photo/videographer was very gracious about what I needed since I didn't want their full package. Just talk to him beforehand so you're not surprised. I was super crunched for time so he kindly dropped off my DVD for me at my hotel. read more

BIG DAVE WAVE is fantastic. I found BDW through Yelp searches from southern New Zealand, looking for a surfing experience for my 9 year old son. He had never really been in salt water before and definitely not on a surf board. Chris took a fully buzzed, hyper, non-listening, non-stop talking, 9 year old and I suspect has hooked him for life. It was evident that the private lesson included not only surfing, it covered ocean life, environment and also some life lessons. The success was so evident, my son was standing on his board within 3 minutes of hitting the waves (I thought I was watching the wrong surfers). My sons overwhelming enjoyment and enthusiasm was such we rescheduled our 2nd day to fit in another lesson. I have never seen him so keen to repeat an experience, ever, he absolutely loved it! The entire team's enthusiasm and care was amazing. We bought the photos from the 1st lesson, however seeing the improvement after the 2nd lesson bought them too as they tell as much a story as his smile. I cannot rate or recommend BDW high enough, an investment well worth the money. Thank you! read more

My wife and I got a TravelZoo deal for a outrigger canoe and surf lesson lasting two hours. We had been on Oahu a few days and were really looking forward to this. Big Wave Dave did NOT disappoint. When we arrived they were organized and had a place to store your gear as well as accessories (like a rashguard for my wife) for rent at reasonable prices. They hooked us up with Uncle Neil (who apparently used to manage Don Ho's business affairs) who was a kind, funny and observant character. He was extremely thorough in teaching us the basics of paddling, turning and getting up on land. This was great for both of us and made us feel super comfortable instead of nervous. We carried the boards out and both successfully got up for multiple long rides on Waikiki's famous surf. Uncle Neil was super stoked for us and equal parts Aloha Spirit and Certified Instructor. The outrigger actually wasn't ready to go out that day because Dave, its Captain, had some matters to attend to. This was actually a blessing for us. Uncle Neil hung with us until we were both pooped out and the office gladly scheduled for us to jump into the outrigger for an early morning ride the following day. Super accommodating. Lastly, they shoot photos and videos during the entire adventure so you won't miss your wave-riding chaka-throwin' self in live action. Aloha and thanks to Big Wave Dave for a memorable experience! read more

Compared to my previous lesson (I walked in to a beach stand), this shop (which is hidden in an alley) tries a lot harder to make my experience great. My instructor Alika (Oahu-born) was genuinely friendly and warm, and made everyone in the group feel at ease (some of them definitely lacked confidence) during land instruction. I got lucky as Alika took me out first (to accommodate my tight timeline, which I appreciated a lot), and boy he tried hard to get me as many rides as possible. Everytime he would swim back towards shore to get me back to the wave faster (as opposed to the typical scenario where you paddle hard to the instructor, which can take a lot of time for the inexperienced). And he was constantly adjusting my position on the board and reminding me to dodge the whitewater (it became unnecessary but nevertheless appreciated). And never did I feel any impatience from him (and my last experience definitely gave me that feeling). The attentive service made me feel spoiled (it could be bad for some ppl, but you can always ask them to do less for you). Because of that I was able to get 6-7 tries in like 45 minutes, and stood up half of the time. The only thing not so smooth about the experience was the confirmation process, as they only contacted me the night before. I can understand that for a group lesson (and I had a Yelp 50% coupon), they have to juggle many balls, and once they contacted me, the remaining back and forth was all very fast, and I was able to fit the lesson into a tight schedule. I assumed surf instructors are bored with teaching newbies (how can they not be, when they have to do the same basic instruction over and over again), but I definitely didn't feel that from Alika. I think he derives pleasure from seeing newbies up and surfing. It's really the true Hawaiian spirit in display. read more

I took two surf lessons in one day: the first at Pacific Soul, and the second here. They are pretty different, so you may want to choose the one that is right for you. Check out my Pacific Soul review here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/pacific-soul-surfing-honolulu?hrid=86VHtL6ddY0myexOZpnJ0w&utm_campaign=www_review_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct) Pro tip no matter where you go: WEAR THE RASH GUARD! Big Wave Dave was a much more relaxed environment than Pacific Soul, which may have its pros and cons depending on what you want. The on land instruction was MUCH shorter and less complex. They teach you to jump up with two feet at once instead of standing up one at a time, and jumping worked much better for me. As this was not my first lesson (of my life or even of the day), it was plenty of on land instruction for me. If it is your first time or if you are very nervous, you may want more before you hit the water. I caught significantly less waves than at Pacific Soul. However the water did seem flatter and no one can control the ocean to make waves appear for you (unfortunately!). Generally, the group lesson was a bit less organized and our instructor wasn't ready to get all of us pushed off when a set came through. At Pacific Soul the guy was way more intense which lead to me catching every set. That said, I stood up and rode the full way on all 4 waves I caught with Big Wave Dave which was definitely NOT the case at Pacific Soul. It is much, much more crowded in the water here than Pacific Soul's spot. It's almost dangerous. There are simply more hotels and more people in the area - this was a major, major difference between the two. The boards at Big Wave Dave are covered in a thin layer of Styrofoam which eliminates the need for wax and makes sure that it isn't slippery at all. This made it much easier for me to hold onto the board and get my footing than at Pacific Soul. It does chafe big time though so that is the trade off - I have rug burn on my knees and inner thighs. Ouch. Big Wave Dave is also a couple of blocks from the water, so you will need to walk to the beach once you pay and get your on land lesson. They bring the boards for you so that it is very easy. read more

My uncle purchased group surfing lessons for my boyfriend, my sister's boyfriend, and himself using their deal on Yelp, $69 for $99 and they all had the time of their lives! It was such a memorable experience for them! Cody was their instructor, and he was a very nice, local guy, who told us her surfed all over the world! How cool! Jeff, the photographer, got memorable shots of the guys surfing...and falling! Haha! Perfect for the scrapbook! While we waited for them to get their intro to surfing, I was able to meet the owner himself, Dave! I commended him on the awesome website they have and how user-friendly it is. Chris, the guy that works in the store, told us about the history of Big Wave Dave Surf Co. and their humble beginnings. He also recommended other things to do while on our stay. This is an awesome company and I would definitely recommend them to anyone who wants to learn how to surf! Also check out their deal on Yelp, totally worth it! read more