5 I can't say enough about the gang at Hans Hedemann Surf School Waikiki! Our family of 6 ( kids ages 11,13,15, and 17) from the Midwest had never been surfing before. These guys were so good at providing instructions, keeping everyone safe, and most importantly making it fun! The kids had an absolutely blast. This was after two weren't overly confident going into it! We opted to have them take photos during our session and man did they not disappoint! I can't say enough good things about Peter, Willie, and Kiva. Would recommend these guys and the surf school to anyone who is considering it! - Matt read more

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Easy to understand instructions in the surf shop and on the beach. Pete is amazing with kids! Our 9 year old granddaughter made her last 10 rides standing up while giving us a thumbs up. We got pictures, video and memories for life. Thanks! read more

Hans Hedemann Surf School-Waikiki - 1st surfing lesson - Paddleboarding Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Had a great surf session w/Kalani! Really thoughtful of our energy, what we wanted to get out of surfing, and made it a fun morning! A slight hiccup in the AM so we started our session a bit late but the surf school gave us a complimentary 2hr rental which was very nice of them! We'll be back Hans Hedemann! read more

Best of the best. Colby was Great. Our 6'3" Son with not so great agility was able to get up and surf waves in 1 lesson, and enjoyed making small talk with everyone afterwards for an hour awaiting me to pick him up. Genuine o'hana . read more

We paid $386 for two private surf lessons. The lesson ended about 30 minutes early, and one instructor was mostly absent during the session, effectively turning the lesson into a semi-private experience despite being sold as private instruction with two instructors. Another customer next to us was also complaining that their lesson ended early. When we raised the concern, staff initially acknowledged it but management later denied it and offered only $25 per person as a "goodwill" gesture. After multiple emails they refused a reasonable refund. Very disappointing experience. read more

Thanks so much!!! Had so much fun in the water and waves!! Gavin was SO patient and helpful!!!

This was my first ever surfing lesson and it was not easy but it was a lot of fun! I recommend taking the first class at 8 am because it gives you time to do other things in the day, plus it won't be as hot! We purchased our class through Viator- Surfing- Group Lesson- Waikīkī Oahu $95/per person. It was a 2 hour class with 2 instructors and 5 students (perfect size btw!) We went off season at the end of January and it was a great value! We parked at the international market place and got breakfast on the walk there (about 0.6 miles/ 14 minute walk). But we found out later that you could also park at the Honolulu Zoo (across the street)- both you have to pay for parking.  We were able to store our things in lockers during the class. And they don't recommend bringing anything valuable to the beach because no one will be able to watch it.  We watched a video presentation for about 5 minutes and then went to the beach where we stretched and reviewed the steps to stand on our board. We were given rash guards, reef shoes and surf boards for the class. It was cloudy and a little rainy but that did not interfere with our lesson, it was actually good because we had the area to ourselves.   First off, surfing requires a lot of upper body strength because you have to fight the waves moving in the opposite direction. There was more paddling than I realized but one of our instructors, Nikko, was really nice and helped pull us further out to catch the waves. While our other instructor, Charlie, gave us some tough love. He was pretty funny too! He said that I paddled like I was petting a cat and I needed to paddle like in lifting weights at the gym.. That encouraged me to put more of an effort. Their personalities meshed well together with the good cop/ bad cop persona.  At first I couldn't stand on my board because I was thinking too much about the steps/ not being a strong swimmer/fear of sharks and just a whole bunch of things going through my head.  But Nikko gave me a very valuable piece of advice, "leave your brain on land!" and he assured me that he hasn't seen sharks there before. After that I was finally able to stand on my board! I still fell down a few times but my last run was the smoothest and the best ride.  I highly recommend this class with Nikko and Charlie, you won't regret it! Also you don't need a safety jacket because it can interfere with the paddling (they do offer it but I recommend trying without it). Leave your brain on land, be brave and have fun! read more

Hans Hedemann Surf School-Waikiki - Surf lesson! - Paddleboarding Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The entire team was great from the store front staff to the instructors. The instructors cheered everyone on which really helped get you pumped to keep going. In the need everyone was surfing! read more

I had zero interest in learning to surf. My husband on the other hand has been wanting to try for years. So to be supportive on our anniversary trip I got us reservations for both of us to learn. It has been the best thing I've experienced in Hawaii. Niko our instructor was patient and encouraging. Now when I make a trip to Hawaii it will be a must to do every time. Thank you Niko for making our experience so great!!! read more

Hans Hedemann Surf School-Waikiki - Paddleboarding Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Great service Pete was helpful and attentive He was a knowledgeable instructor Safety was a top priority read more

Had a great time taking a semi-private lesson with Niko. He was a great instructor and provided quick feedback and help for learning how to surf. I also purchased a photo package and got a bunch of great shots! Will come back again. read more

I have been surfing before and came to Oahu thinking I would surf without a lesson, however after meeting one of the instructors, Nico in the water and saw his energy and teaching style with a group I was sold on HH. Although the price may seem steep at first, I'd highly recommend any beginner or intermediate surfer take a lesson before trying on their own, not only for technique but also safety. Edd ended up being my instructor for a semi private lesson and he maintained a great balance of information but not overbearing. All instructors are really cool and friendly 100% recommend HH surf school for anyone when is on the fence. read more

Hans Hedemann Surf School-Waikiki - Paddleboarding Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Super great people, knowledgeable and fun... Super streamlined process and well thought out lessons showing they live what they teach... all around great experience read more

Great value surf lessons! Our group of 5 had both Seth and Charlie as instructors. They were so nice and quick on pushing us into waves that there was no wait. It really depends on your speed and endurance on how many you catch. I probably got about 10? Once you get comfortable, Charlie was very helpful on giving pointers on how to ride well. We even caught a few party waves with their help! The meeting location is within the hotel lobby (looks like a clothing store). Come ready in your swim suits! Check-in is quick and rash guard, booties, and lockers are provided. We had a short introductory/safety presentation inside the shop and then a little more on the sand with our boards. read more

I finally signed up for a private SUP lesson. The prices vary depending on whether the lessons are group/semi-private/private. I chose a private lesson which completely suited my needs and was worth it to me. However, if you prefer to save more money, please know that Hans Hedemann Surf School offers group and semi-private lessons as well. Signing up for lessons was easy to do online. I even received a phone call and an email confirming my lesson. I was advised to arrive at the shop 15 minutes before my scheduled time and I did. The surf school is connected to the Hans Hedemann Surf Shop/Kaimana Surf Shop located on the ground floor of Queen Kapi'olani hotel. Staff and the vibe there was friendly and welcoming. They had lockers where you could store your personal items during the lesson. I watched a brief water safety video with 2 people that was there for surf lessons and then I left with my instructor, Peter, a SUP (and paddle) toward the beach. Peter immediately started providing helpful tips on the way (e.g. how to stabilize your board while carrying it to the beach when it is windy.). The private lesson was well worth the money. Peter was a wonderful teacher, knows a lot, is patient, kind and very encouraging. Within about 30 minutes, despite my fear, I was able to confidently stand up on the paddle board and SUP. I highly recommend Hans Surf School for SUP Lessons. read more

I selected a group lesson with the photo option and I don't regret it! There was a drone flying around capturing our moments on the board and it takes a couple days for the videos and pics to be sent to your email. Loved having Sergio and Nikko for my first time surfing! Thank you guys! read more

Incredibly rude staff and poor experience. Showed up on time and was met by a rude staff member that constantly rushed us. She repeatedly said statements like "You're wasting my time," and "Hurry up you're already late" when we showed up on time to the lesson as reported in the email sent to us. There were no instructions send to us ahead of time to show up early to the lesson. We were constantly thrown around by the staff who were arrogant and impatient. In the lessons, the instructors were blatantly ignoring us and leaving us behind. Overall, disappointing experience and way too expensive for the horrible quality. I'd recommend going with Moniz Family Surf instead! read more

Everything about this school is amazing, fun, informative, and passionate. Well worth the cost, highly recommended. First time surfer and caught 4 nice waves with this team, thank you!!! read more

Service was great. Very friendly staff. Teachers were accommodating and positive. Really appreciate how kind, funny, flexible and supportive they are with the kids. My 5yo daughter is anxious and nervous about trying new physical activities but Niko was super great with her and had her on the front of the surf board the whole time. There was also an instructor with my 7yo nephew who surfed on his own board. Everyone had a blast. I didn't know much about Hans Hedemann, but was pleasantly surprised to have the Hans Hedemann himself as my instructor. He is awesome and so easy to talk to. How cool to learn about his story and the surf school. The spot for surfing has the most perfect waves for learning. I would go to this surf school again for sure! read more

The surf experience was good but the instruction was terrible. We didn't learn that much. It was just a few minutes (under 3 minutes instructions on sand) and off to the water we go. We sometimes have to fish out instruction from our instructor. It felt like he was just passing time and not really being a good teacher for beginners like us. read more

So much fun learning to surf. Such a great experience my kids want to do it again. Everything was great. From the check in to the safety review and instruction we received was smooth. Ted and Kiva were the best. Very patient and although we had a larger group (8 total, 3 of us and a family of 5) they still gave us good pointers and many chances to catch some waves. Be sure you get there at least 30 minutes before to get your gear, rash guard and reef shoes. And if they ask you about pictures, get them. Such good memories. read more

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I purchased this through my hotel I was staying at. It's my first time learning to surf. The surf instructor is great. Teaching you step by step on getting on the board and standing up on the board as well. You're out in the ocean and the waves are small and not rough. Don't do what I did which is wearing board shorts that don't stretch. Wear shorts that stretch will make it 10X easier to stand. They have lockers for your belongings and they give you water shoes and UV long sleeve top as well so the instructor can find you out in the ocean as there are other surf lessons being taught. Great spot for first timers. read more

Awesome ! I got up on my first lesson . I can't wait for my next session. The instructor and staff were great.

Five *****!!!! Mom and son, ages 55 & 14 - Surfing lessons were an absolute must for our trip to Hawaii. My son and I did a group lesson with Peter our first day, then my son tried a bit on his own but we decided another more private lesson would get us to the next level. He went out that afternoon after our semi - private with Peter and absolutely crushed it - he's a surfer! Mom could probably use another lesson next time maybe - but Mom has had THREE surfing lessons before this over the years that were no where near as good and she never really got it or was taught properly!!! Thank you so much, this is a no BS REAL surf lesson, not a group that will just push you for a quick pic. They teach etiquette, safety and wisdom. Mahalo guys we loved it!! read more

I think I have found my new passion in life! I am now obsessed with surfing! I have to be completely honest, when my mom booked these lessons for us I was hoping that I was super bad, but I had so much fun that now I am hooked! Maybe it was our instructors Charlie and Moe or maybe it was just natural talent that made me fall in love with surfing. Maybe it was a mix of both. Our instructors were super nice and helpful! Most of the people in our group struggled and they were patient and encouraging the entire lesson. Even though this was my first lesson, they made it so easy for me to get up on the board and catch some waves. I wish I had purchased the video package because now I don't have any pictures of me killin it out there. Definitely booking another lesson when I am in Oahu! Totally worth every penny! read more

Both instructors were insanely helpful and supportive! They made sure we were safe at all times, but also pushed us to our fullest potential! I can't wait to come back again! read more

Great experience. This place makes it really easy to learn and welcomes you with open arms. They are safety related and patient.

The staff was extremely accommodating and friendly. They squeezed us in for their last surf time available. Sergio was our instructor and he was rad. Mahalo read more

Overall a good experience. There were two instructors with a group of about 8 people. Three young girls (late teens-early twenties) showed up late and slowed the whole group down which was a bummer since everyone else showed on time and completed their paperwork and videos. The instructors were encouraging. Didn't understand needing to paddle the long way out it made everyone very tired before we even attempted the waves. The three late-comers received the most instructor attention. Overall I would do it again but with a smaller group. read more

I took a private lesson from here the other day, the instructorI had was soooo good!! He was really helpful and nice! I even managed to stand up a couple of times I highly recommend this place. The pictures and drone footage are really cool read more

My lesson with Gavin was so much fun. The surf wasn't great that day, but with Gavin's help and instructions I was able to surf! I appreciate the location HHSurf uses, as the surf break is not overly crowded like other locations in Waikiki. They have lockers for your gear and videos of previous lessons playing while everyone is getting ready - it was nice to see what we would be doing in advance. I'm going back for lesson #2 tomorrow! read more

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! We did a different surf school the last time here...don't do that....use these guys. This was a great experience we did 2 days my 10yo had so much fun. The drone pic package is WAY WORTH IT! read more

It was so fun from start to finish. Everything you need is provided and the staff was awesome. Would definitely do the surf lessons again!! read more

My group had great time surfing with Seth and Niko. They both were excellent instructors and were great company as well! What an amazing setting in Waikiki with a great view of Diamond Head. read more

Thanks Mo for a couple of great lessons! Wonderful group lesson and then a private a couple days later to tune things up. I got some key basic skills and I'm excited to put them to use over off Bodega Bay back home! read more

My dad, my sister, and I came here for a group surfing lesson. None of us had ever surfed before, and all of us were able to stand up by the end! The instructors are fantastic, and give individual feedback even in the group lessons. Highly recommend if you are a first time surfer just wanting to try. The lesson was supposed to be two hours, but we were probably only in the water for about 1. That was more than enough though, the surfing itself is pretty exhausting. The other hour is spent going over safety/basic instructions, as well as travel time since the surf school is a few minutes away from the beach. read more

Such a good lesson with RP the instructor. He was great with everyone in the group and went thru everything thoroughly. Definitely coming back for another lesson read more

I am a very big yelper, so I read all the reviews on all the schools before choosing this school. Honestly, I wasnt too sure about choosing this school, because there weren't a lot of reviews on yelp making me think maybe they are not popular. I stayed a few days at queen kapiolani hotel, so I had seen their shop. When I wanted to go for surfing but didnt want to wait like 3 days to find a spot at some other places with more reviews, I took my chance and booked it with them. And I have to say this was the best surprise of my life. I did a 2 hour private lesson with Kama, who is a wonderful surfer originally from Hawaii. You are expected to arrive 15 min early at the queen kapiolani hotel at their shop. The lesson starts with little orientation at the shop with a slideshow. (I did watch some YouTube videos and read some stuff before going so I could get the most of the lesson). They give a rashguard and reef shoes. Once I was ready, we went to the beach with Kama which was about 5 min walk. Initially we did some stretches and try paddling and moves on the ground. Then we were onto the water. I have to say I got to stand up on the board at least 3 times, and got up to my knees probably another 3 times (because I was too sacred to stand up initially and at the end because I was tired) and bodyboarded my way back to beach at the end. I wasnt expecting I could do this much with only one lesson! AND I AM A COMPLETE BEGINNER. I am also very much not in shape. So if you sound like me, give it a shot! Kama was wonderful, funny, gave me very good tips about surfing. Paddling for 2 hours can be tiring, and Kama literally carried me around with my surfing board with me on it when I felt tired to give me a break. He is the best teacher you can ask for. He is also vert fast and makes most of the lesson for you. I opted in for the photos and videos. I got about 60 photos and 15 videos capturing my successful stands. Wonderful way to remember this day. Totally worth the extra 50 bucks. We watched my videos on the way back to the shop on a large screen. It was grand. Overall, I had a beautiful and memorable time in Waikiki thanks to Kama! Ask for him. You wont regret it. read more

Our Grand Nephews' first for many things including a plane ride, being in Hawaii and of course a surf lesson at Hans Hedemann Surf School. They loved it and were able to stand on the first try! Steven and Lauren were excellent instructors, making them comfortable in the ocean and alleviating their fears. It was a wonderful experience, one they will remember! Thank you to Hans Hedemann Surf School and especially Steven and Lauren. read more

My daughter and I had our first surf lessons and we had a great time. We learned the basics of surfing and got up in no time. Connor and Sabbath were amazing. They were supportive and gave us tips to make us better with each wave. We got the photo and video package and totally worth it even if pricey. The videos from the drone with the Waikiki beach and hotels in the background is epic. I've been telling everyone that plans to go to Oahu to go with Hans Hederman Surf School. Side note: My only suggestion is to wear gloves if possible. B/c of the corral and rocks, I cut my finger a little when I fell once. read more

Hans Hedemann Surf School-Waikiki - This fall makes me look like I'm doing push-ups on the water. - Paddleboarding Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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