This was our second time at this school. This is the best surf school by far on the island. They are friendly and welcoming and make you feel like you are part of their family. Jake is the man. He is funny and encouraging and really really good with kids. They all give back to the community which I really like. This is the ONLY school to go to. read more

We had an awesome experience with Hawai'i Lifeguard Surf Instructors. Tiff gave us a great overview at the start of the lesson, and Jake and John were great to work with once we were in the water. Not only did they help us learn some basics of surfing but they were great guys to talk with in between waves. I can't recommend these guys enough read more

We had the best experience using this company for our surfing lessons! It was truly the highlight of our honeymoon!! Our instructor was so nice and we will definitely be back to do it again, thanks yall!! read more

We love this local family owned business!!! So much aloha, Tiffany did an amazing job teaching at the surf school and Jake and John were the best instructors! Both guys were so personable, kind, and gracious teachers giving off that aloha spirit the whole session. My wife and kids had the best time. Parking was easy at the shop and the beach, training was about 15 min and you are out in the water catching waves! The beach they take you to is perfect if you're just starting out. They are experts, know the area, know what they are doing and have so much kindness and patience along the way. I highly recommend, this is the one!!! Thank you HLSI! read more

I took a couple's lesson today (2 of us + instructor) and it was an amazing experience. Our instructor Jake was fun, experienced, energetic and encouraging. Everything you want your instructor of such a challenging sports to be! Conveniently located on Alii Drive, Hawaiian locally owned business, and they know the area and people because they're from right this area. Also what I loved about this surf class was that Jake was very respectful to the nature and other surfers. I didn't see that from any other surf company instructors who were there sharing the surf with us. And Jake was happy. The happiness and good energy is contagious! My husband and I really enjoyed learning how to surf in the right way. Strongly recommended!! read more

The ONLY surf school recommended to me by Big Island Locals! Perfect for all skill levels. My private lesson with Jacob totally made me love surfing. You'll be working in Kahalu'u Bay with a rock wall to dissipate the power of the waves. No undertow. Jacob & Tiffany (siblings & co-owners) are genuinely warm, funny & patient. I expected to spend all day wiping out & I did plenty, But Jacob got me STANDING! (Briefly, lol) And totally revolutionized the way I thought about surfing technique. It makes so much more sense now! Tiffany checks you in & does a 15 min "basics of the board" with 2 mounted dry boards in the office before sending you to Jacob @ the bay so you're not surfing "cold." Please arrive at the office 15 mins early to maximize your time in the water. **NOTE: the office is 4 miles from Kahalu'u Bay but on the same street (Ali'i). They do not provide transport BUT Jacob will store your devices safely @ the bay. You do not need to return to the office once finished! This activity dehydrates you quickly. Drink alotta water before hand. Check their site for occasional discounts. Thank you Jacob & Tiffany for a wonderful experience & I would absolutely rebook! read more

Excellent surf lessons for begginers and intermediate surfers. Jake and Paul took out two groups of two, and were super helpful getting us going. Jake was our instructor and was super helpful and stoked for us at every turn! Really made for an excellent time. read more

My friends and I took a lesson with Jake and, well, I'm now ready to move to Kona and commit to a lifetime of surfing. That's how good it was, for real. Tifani was super friendly and patient with us and after calling all the surf schools nearby we went with these guys because she was just the most personable and had the best vibe. The lesson itself was incredible - just complete pure joy. Jake was super sweet and enthusiastic each time we did something right, and when we screwed up he blamed it on the wave :) We all were able to stand up and slowly learn to maneuver a bit, and Jake was super helpful and clear with his instruction. He'd watch us and tell us how to improve. And he must have eyes on the back of his head cause I have no idea how he's watching us and the waves at the same time, but he is. In any case, I'm obsessed and plan on doing as many lessons as possible while here for who knows how long... Thanks, guys!!! read more

I have taken a few surf lessons and cannot recommend Hawaii Lifeguard Surf Instructors enough. We paddled out with Jake and he was such a great teacher and incredibly kind and supportive. Happy to support a local family owned business. read more

We took a duo lesson and couldn't be happier. Jake (instructor) had such a positive and welcoming vibe. Highly recommend. They also were honest with us earlier in the week when the surf wasn't great, and rescheduled us in hopes that it would get better, which it did :) read more

Rick, his daughter, and his son Jacob were amazing. They took my sister and I out for our first lessons and we both got up for first time and had many good surf runs. Jacobs positive energy and awesome attitude made experience twice as good. Mahalo bro! Ps - Go Holloway read more

Hawaii Lifeguard Surf Instructors - Surf Schools Near Me - Hawaii, Hawaii

Great family owned business that cares about you and your experience. I purchased a semiprivate lesson for my boyfriend and myself online. On the day of the lesson I checked in with Tiffany and she started out with a waiver and helped me pick out some surf shoes and a rash guard. She went over the basics of surfing in a little classroom setting and my boyfriend and I practiced on surfboards how to stand up and get the right balance before we get in the water. The session was quick, but informational. I felt confident before getting the board wet. Tiffany instructed us to drive down the beach and we would then meet our instructor. We met Jake, our instructor, and immediately felt comfortable about the lesson. He got us into the water and helped us catch some waves. The lesson was relaxed and there wasn't any pressure for us to go quickly through the hour we had in the water. Thanks to Tiffany and Jake, I was able to stand up and surf the very first wave that I caught! Even if I didn't stand up, or I fell in the water, Jake was very encouraging and offered some tips to help us (stance too narrow, not looking forward, etc.) ride a wave to the shore. It was an exhausting hour, but so worth it. At the end of our lesson, Jake told us that there was a photographer on the shore taking our picture and we should see our photos in about 24 hours for purchase. He also took our rash guards and surf shoes so we didn't have to go back to the shop and we can go on to enjoy the rest of our day. Very professional and very friendly family. I will definitely recommend this business to anyone looking to learn how to surf in Kona. read more

Our daughters had an amzing time during the private lesson. The instructors were amazing and very considerate of each one of their needs and wants (one is a little more daring than the other). Both of our daughters were able to ride several waves without falling. The girls had so much fun they were begging to do it again! So, the next morning, we came back again. Tifani, Jacob, and John were all great and the girls loved them. They can't wait to come back to Hawaii to do it all again! We would highly recommend this company for surf lessons. read more

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Great team there, and my instructor was super chill and helped me get better, and had a great time overall.

Great surf lessons! These guys did a great job getting our three kids ready to go out and surf. They start u in a classroom and teach u proper technique and have u practice on two surfboards in the classroom. Then u drive to the beach to meet the other instructors. Jake and Paul were the friendliest guys and I immediately felt comfortable sending our kids out with them. They went above and beyond to make sure they caught waves until the very end and with two instructors for three people, they got the attention to do a lot more. We witnessed other groups simply being taught right there in the water and six people to one guide. One other thing to note: we were scheduled a different day and they called and said waves were low, did we want to reschedule?! How great of them! Don't hesitate to book these guys. read more

Hawaii Lifeguard Surf Instructors - Surf group - Surf Schools Near Me - Hawaii, Hawaii

We just had the best morning with Hawaii Lifeguard Surf. They are easy to find on Ali'i Drive. When we arrived we were able to use our Yelp Discount to get our lesson for $68, yay! I also spoke with Doug earlier that day to determine whether we could surf or not, because the surf report on our original day we booked was flat. So definitely call ahead to confirm conditions. They are great at responding. Then we were given instruction there on basics and practiced standing up on the board. We also were given rash guards and booties to borrow. The girl in the office was so great and helpful. We have been surfing on and off for a few years and picked up a couple of tips. Our instructor - Kali'i was awesome. He took us out, and got us going on several waves, with good pointers along the way. He was fun to chat with inbetween sets too. Love the site they take you too. They can teach ages 3 and up, so you can make it a family experience. Highly recommend HLSI! Would use them again and again. read more

My family of 4 had a small group lesson with Jake and Keahi that was fantastic. They were both very welcoming and helpful and made the lesson very pleasant. They were very good at providing guidance and specific advice to each of us that allowed each of us to catch many waves and to improve our technique during the lesson. We also really appreciated their aloha spirit and the information the shared about Hawaiian culture, the Hawaiian islands, and surfing. We had such a great time that we requested a second session with them the next week, and Tiffany was very helpful in organizing and setting up the second session - which was every bit as great as the first session. Really grateful to Jake, Keahi, and Tiffany for our surfing experience. I'd highly recommend Hawaii Lifeguard Surf Instructors. read more

I've had surf lessons here a couple of times and each experience was great! It's a family owned business and Jake was an amazing instructor. The cove they take you to is also very beautiful and a calm place to learn how to surf. I highly recommend! read more

I had the sincere pleasure of being able to learn the art of surfing from this company ...... i'm an avid water person , but wow did i learn a lot ! Jake, our surf instructor for the day showed so much aloha and knowledge it was unbelievable.....for two hours he helped my friend and i to catch waves , learn the history of the island , and his knowledge of the water ..... his local style energy should be bottled up and sold .He was so personable and engaging ...i haven't laughed that hard or had that adrenaline rush ever .... TIffany , the main woman in charge before our surf experience was so inviting and welcoming...... this will be the only surf company /school i will ever recommend to my friends and family who are visiting the big island ..... they are locals ... with local mentality and aloha everyone should experience this while visiting read more

Great family-run business. They clearly enjoy sharing their love of surfing. Rick was personable, his daughter gave good instructions for getting to the beach site and the land-portion of the lesson, then Jake (son) was great coaching us on the water. All friendly, personable, knowledgeable, and positive. My brother and I both had a great time--and got up many times--and recommend them! You can see my brother's review on here too. read more

Hawaii Lifeguard Surf Instructors - Surf Schools Near Me - Hawaii, Hawaii

I wasn't really all that interested at first, but I'm glad I gave in to the wife, who really wanted to try a family surfing lesson before we left Hawaii. She did the research and chose Hawaii Lifeguard. We made reservations, but we were delayed a couple of different mornings when Rick cancelled due to lack of waves. He said they didn't want us to waste our money. We were happy for the honesty and rescheduled. When the waves were finally up one day, we made the trek down to their office, just south of Kona. Tifany did a demo lesson for us and we practiced our footwork on boards they had on the floor. Then it was off to the beach, a few miles south. Our instructors were waiting for us by the side of the road. Our family surf lesson had finally begun. The instructors were cool guys, obviously comfortable in the water, and expert surfers themselves. They were patient, laid-back and made us feel safe and confident. Amazingly, I was able to catch my first two waves with ease. After that, I had few wipeouts, but then caught one or two more. The rest of the family did just as well. At one point three of our family collided on the same small wave, getting a bit tangled up but no harm done. Our instructors were hooting and yelling encouragement, calling it the "family wave." At another point, I did a rookie move (I was a rookie, after all) and stood up on the rocks in the shallows after a wipeout. I stepped sideways on a sea urchin, and our instructors gathered round to inspect the wound, saying "Wow, he stepped on vana!" After a few minutes of picking out the spines, I decided to go our for more waves. Even though it was a minor wound, they were calling me "experienced". I don't have allusions about any valor on my part, but I appreciated the thought. And then, after a few more waves, it was over...Bam. An hour that I had been slightly dreading was now one I wanted to do over again. A sign of a good lesson if there ever was one. read more

Today my 9 year old son had a personal surf lesson with Jon who was super attentive and calm with him. They went out for the perfect amount of time for my child. It did not feel rushed. My son was also super tired simply from paddling out. read more

My friend and signed up online for a group lesson in early February 2012 - we signed up only 24 hours before the day we wanted to go. Got prompt responses from HLSI via email, and were instructed to call the morning of our lesson to confirm that conditions were good for surfing. We did, and Tifani informed us that we had just one other girl in our group - bonus for us, because that meant we'd have 2 instructors for just 3 students (all first time surfers). The first half hour of the 1.5 hour lesson is at their office on Ali'i Drive, where Tifani went over the basics (i.e. different ways to stand up, where to stand on the board and why, etc.) using a practice board on dry land. They also loan you water shoes and rashguards if you don't have your own. She told us where to meet our instructors (just a short drive down Ali'i Drive to Kahalu'u Beach Park), and we spent the next hour in the water with Russell and Kalani. They were both very patient and kept a watchful eye on us as the current was fairly strong that day. After a few wipeouts, we were all able to stand up and ride a couple of "ankle snapper" waves. :) Another one of their instructors, John, was there to take pictures of us. The pictures are posted online for you to view and purchase if you'd like. Not sure if he's there every day, so you may want to ask if he's going to be there the day of your lesson. It was a nice surprise for my friend and I, because we are both professional photographers and we were a little bummed that we wouldn't have any pictures of our first attempt at surfing (or so we thought!). One tip - if you just have a couple of people and can spend the extra $$$, I'd get a semi-private lesson. With less people, you get a little more help/instruction and more attempts on waves. Since we lucked out and had only 3 students and 2 instructors, it wasn't really an issue, but if you happened to be in a bigger group, the more you'd have to wait your turn as you can have as many as 3 students to 1 instructor. My friend and I both agreed our lesson at HLSI was the most fun activity we did during the week we spent on the Big Island - when I go back and want a surf lesson, I know who I'll be calling! read more

I cannot say enough good things about Jake and Tiffany. They have been doing this for a long time and their confidence makes you feel at ease in the water, even though I was a first time surfer. Tiffany was so kind and willing to help with whatever I needed while Jake was so compassionate and eager to make me feel comfortable. Thank you so much to both of these amazing humans for an experience I will never forget. I wouldn't think of going anywhere else in the future and I hope whoever is reading this won't either. read more

Great experience! I've surfed with Hawaiian Fire on Oahu before, and during that lesson they moved me up to a smaller 8' board, so HLSI let me do the same (after some convincing, and my promise that I was up for a challenge and was looking to learn, not so much stand up all the time on an aircraft carrier). I had a blast. We did the 2 hour semi-private (just me + my husband) and we had a blast. The waves were a little funky, but with Russell's help I was able to catch several waves, and even stand up (finally!) on my smaller board. I had a TON of fun, and really started to get the feel of when I was "in" the wave and when to stand up. It has really prompted me to get a board here in California and practice, so I can come out and take a more advanced lesson and learn even more! Thank you!! read more

Amazing! Coach Jake was awesome with our kids, and they both rode several waves. Truly a fantastic family-run company - do not hesitate to book your surf lessons with them! read more

Friendly, knowledgeable, patient, encouraging! Not enough nice words to say about this amazing team. Not to mention it's family owned

I had researched Big Island/Kailua-Kona surf lessons for my son and daughter. Both of them were on swim team for many years. A friend of my daughter's joined us but did not have the water sport background. Hawaii lifeguard Surf instructors were the best choice for all of them. None of them had taken surf lessons so they were complete novices. The dry land lesson with Tiffani was upbeat and great fun. John, Jake and Paul took one student each and the personality fit was perfect. Each instructor was very encouraging and very mindful that the students were novices. From the pictures, you could see them shouting instructions and cheering. Such wonderful memories and what a thrill! Everyone had a ride or two and even if they were nervous, the instructors are competent and calm. They are American Red Cross Certified and Certified Lifeguards. It gave me peace of mind watching them from shore. I could not thank them enough for a wonderful experience. read more

Booked a surfing class, but due to flat water it was cancelled and refunded within minutes. They obviously value a good experience more than making money. Great service!! read more

Had a successful surf lesson that left me and my husband wanting more! Was really nervous at first, but our instructors knew their stuff. They had all been surfing since they were little, so it was like second nature to them understanding which waves were best to catch and how to improve our technique. Basically, they tell you when a good wave is coming, tell you when to start paddling and give your board a push to get to the right speed. They had us use the largest boards (10 feet!!) because of the milder waves, which gave us stability and momentum. We were able to catch at least 6-7 good waves in an hour. We did a semi-private lesson, which we felt was a good speed for us. Highly recommend these folks - and don't forget to tip!! read more

My husband and I have never surged before and so we decided to try them. We were not disappointed. When we first arrived we had some liability forms to fill out and then we were shown a small clip on how to get to the beach to meet the actual instructor. We were taught the basics while in the classroom. When that was over we were sent to the beach. Out instructor was Jacob "jake". He was very nice and easy going. We felt very comfortable with him. If anyone we know is coming to this island I would recommend them whole heartedly. If we ever come back ourselves we will continue to use them. We were both able to ride multiple waves with him instructing. We were very pleased with the experience. read more

AWESOME!! Best surf instruction, both for kids and 60 year olds! I caught lots of waves, and am a novice out of shape surfer. Jake is fantastic! read more

They are easy to find on Ali'i Drive. Safe and the friendliest surf lessons in Kona! Dry, classroom intro and real professional Surf instructors that are Lifeguard Certified! read more

Great experience. Helpful "classroom" session followed by great hands on coaching. Highly recommend.

Took our family of four out surfing with this fantastic crew. The instruction was wonderful and the personal attention was aw3some on the water. They were kind to cancel and reschedule our trip because there was no surf on our original day. These guys are second to none. I would go again. The boards are great for beginners. We surfed from the turtle snorkelig area near mile marker 5. kahalulu. read more

Safe and sane surf lessons! Dry, classroom intro and practice was very helpful for our two keiki, age 10 and 13. Liked the low key, but close by support of Kelii as the two were successful riding many waves and gaining confidence. Our youngest keiki begged to go a second day and is hooked! read more

Awesome people - Jake was a great instructor, both my fiancé and I were able (with a push-off boost) to successfully surf at least 5-10 waves and even improved over the course of an hour. Definitely recommend. read more

I did a private lesson with Jake and it was so much more than expected! First coming out the water looked pretty flat, but Mother Nature took care of us and gave us some waves. Jake made sure I was comfortable on the board, gave me lots of good pointers, and made sure I was out riding every wave I could possibly get on. 1000% would recommend to anyone who's coming to Hawaii and wants to learn how to surf! read more

Hawaii Lifeguard Surf Instructors is the best group on the water. They start in the office with an orientation and safety overview. They equip you with the right gear and they watch over you in the water to teach you right and, to ensure your safety. I can't say enough! read more

My wife and I moved permanently to Kailua-Kona about 6 months ago. Learning how to surf has been on my bucket list even though I will be 59 years old in a few weeks. I was feeling a bit discouraged after a couple of lessons with different surfing schools and sub-par instructors. Then a local friend of ours recommended HLSI. So, I decided to give it a try at the beginning of January 2017 now that we settled into our new home and environment. The lesson started with Tiffani teaching me about the site with a map and a basic surfing lesson in the classroom. The other schools never did that. Then my first lesson in the water started with my friendly instructor Jake. His instructions were spot-on. Not only does he tell me what I am doing wrong, but he tells me what I am doing right and how to improve my situation. Very helpful and informative. After my first lesson with Jake, I decided to have my weekly lesson with Jake. We just completed my fourth lesson yesterday. I'm having so much fun. It's a tough sport, but when you start off with a great instructor like Jake, it becomes fun. So, if you are thinking of trying surfing and having fun, I highly recommend HLSI. This is not a boot camp. It is a fun surfing school with informative instructions. Enjoy!! read more