Both Kalani and Keoni are amazing instructors! They both ensured our safety and supplied any and all equipment for my group's first time experience with surfing. From the beginning until the end of the lesson, they were both encouraging and extremely supportive. They stressed the importance of being patient, going at your own pace, having fun, all while placing safety above everything else. If you have any concerns, be at ease. You'll be in great hands, catch some waves and have an amazing experience! And I say this as a person who doesn't even know how to swim! This was definitely the highlight of my vacation! read more

Keoni and Kalani are top notch instructors. Humble, friendly, and helpful. They made great use of the time and tailored the experience to my ability level. I signed up for a two hour group lesson since I haven't surfed in years, and the second hour I got the pleasure of surfing 1x1 with Keoni. They do some brief on-shore instruction at the beginning and get you in the water and on waves super quickly. Then it's pretty much a revolving door of action from there on out, allowing you to ride as many sets as possible during the session. The guys clearly have a love for what they do, and I saw them helping customers from other schools in between waves, which goes to show their passion and kindness. Really enjoyed talking to both of them during and after the lesson, and grateful to have crossed paths. Highly recommend these guys! read more

Ok Kalani was referred to me by another surf school that couldn't accommodate our schedules. We hit the JACKPOT!!!! My 6yr old had 6 session with him and was completely hooked. Kalani was patient, kind, so friendly, always on time and always smiling. Within 3 session my son was riding his own board and catching every wave with Kalani cheering him on! read more

North Shore Banzai Surf School - Surf Schools Near Me

if you're visiting north shore ,you've probably heard it's the place with the craziest waves! but if you're like me & don't have much or any surfing experience at all this school is absolutely awesome! I had only taken one lesson day prior in waikiki so I was still pretty nervous about going out on the water. Kalani is so patient, experienced, motivating, and positive! he knows exactly where to take you to surf based on the time of year, and that days waves. We went to a beach where the waves were perfect for learning, and many other people are doing the same. I felt like I learned so much that day. I recommend adding on the photo/video package, the photos and videos both turned out so nicely read more

North Shore Banzai Surf School - post surf - Surf Schools Near Me

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Ahhhhhmazing experience!!!! My 12 yr old son wanted to learn surfing for a while and I found this surfing school through instructor/owner's wife's YouTube channel. I wanted something on the north or Windward side so location was perfect and Kalani speaks Japanese which was a plus as well. Thank you so much to Kalani for giving my son a great experience. It really means a lot to have a great instructor teaching a lesson. My son absolutely enjoyed the lesson. He kept on talking about surfing and how he can go surfing with his friends now. He also wants his dad to take this lesson so he can go surfing with him too. This was such an amazing experience. Thanks again. read more

North Shore Banzai Surf School - Surf Schools Near Me

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Great instructor! My kids really enjoyed surfing with Kalani! Highly recommended ! Our friends found Kalani and also used him. read more

North Shore Banzai Surf School - Highly recommend Kalani for surf lessons. He was very patient with my 7 year old and aware of surf conditions!! - Surf Schools Near Me

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Kalani was a FANTASTIC surfing instructor! We had no surfing experience and he broke it down to make it easy. He was super helpful while we were out on the water and made adjustments as needed. Even better, we were able to stand up and ride multiple waves! 10/10 would recommend. read more

North Shore Banzai Surf School - Surf Schools Near Me

These brothers are the best! They've been surfing here their whole lives and give you confidence with their expertise. They work together to set you up safely for success. We were each up on our surf boards 1st try! So chill and fun, endless laughs and good vibes! And the best part is they took 4 of us privately so we catch way more waves and get individualized attention. We'll be back for more! read more

North Shore Banzai Surf School - Surf group - Surf Schools Near Me

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I have been going out w burger "keoni" for the last year. He is an awesome surf coach, great motivator. He knows "north shore" water as he grew up here. The local knowledge he has has been essential for me. His know how about the surf break, where the reef are as well as angle and direction of the wave is an invaluable lesson for a transplant from SoCal. I have improved tremendously and even started to transitioned to short board. His motto is safety first. Having him out in a bigger days had help me build my confidence in bigger surf day. I recommend him to anyone who is trying to learn, or anyone who want to advance to the next level of surfing. Mahalo shifu keoni read more

North Shore Banzai Surf School - Surf Schools Near Me

I don't even know how to capture in words how awesome Kalani and his instruction style is. I learnt not only how to surf and improve my form but also a lot about the surfing culture and etiquette and general surf guidelines. What helped me the most was the calmness with which Kalani guided me. I would highly recommend Banzai surf school. No matter what level you're at Kalani will teach you tricks of the trade. What really struck me was how he mentioned that it's like a symphony and not trying to fight the wave. The little tips after each tease helped me learn so much across the three lessons. I'm going to come back here for sure to increase my level more. Would highly recommend getting a few early morning surf sessions 1 on 1 to work on that technique. read more

North Shore Banzai Surf School - Post surf photo sesh - Surf Schools Near Me

My girlfriend and I came here for our first time ever surfing, we had a great time and our coach Keoni was extremely friendly, encouraging and fun to learn from! read more

I had an amazing lesson with Kalani - highly recommend for all. Ive been surfing for a few years and he gave me a lot of tips and advice that would've taken me months to figure out on my own. His experience and knowledge of the waves is so valuable and I felt very safe the whole time even though the waves were a bit bigger read more

Kalani and Keoni are amazing instructors. They make you feel incredibly safe and comfortable in the water and have been surfing on the North Shore since they were kids so they're very familiar with the area. My friends and I have gone out with them many times and each time they pick the perfect spot for us to learn. They are able to teach both myself (who has surfed a few times before) and my friends who have never stepped onto a board before and everyone has a blast. Couldn't recommend them more for surfing on the North Shore! read more

North Shore Banzai Surf School - Surf lessons as the sun sets! - Surf Schools Near Me

Sign up for this lesson!!! I know there are several surf lessons available. But, these instructors were truly the best. My family and I signed up to take the two hour session. We were all relatively new to surfing & our instructor somehow managed to coach all of us independently while still preparing the next person for their wave. Our instructors were such a joy. Our day spent with them made it the highlight of our trip to Hawaii!! We will be back! read more

Burger and Kalani are amazing! So patient, so kind and really constructive with their instruction. All they want is to ensure you have a good time so if you don't get up (like me) or you get it right away (like my husband) or it takes you a few lessons before it clicks (like my 11-year-old son), they adapt and instruct to your needs. Plus, they are so much fun. So grateful to them both!!!! read more

North Shore Banzai Surf School - My husband nailing that wave - Surf Schools Near Me

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Kalani was an amazing instructor. He was super chill but super focused on our safety and being able to stand up on the board. He watches you and critiques how you can do better. This is my fourth lesson in a span of 8 years, two in Costa Rica and one in Guatemala (last year was my last time) and I was able to stand every time. My friend who's never been surfing, she stood up almost every time. He's the best instructor I've ever had!!!! I highly recommend him whatever level you're on. Can't say enough great things. Thanks Kalani. We hope to be back and surf with you again. Mahalo. read more

The Best Part of My Entire Trip! My son and I were looking for a to take a surf lesson away from the crowds and with a better wave quality than near Waikiki. We decided to head up to the North Shore for the day and found North Shore Banzai Surf School and our instructor Kalani. Now we both have tried surfing before but still total newbies. I knew we wanted a real surf experience, and not just be pushed in the whitewash with the only goal being to stand momentarily. Kalani over-delivered in every possible way. We contacted Kalani at about 12 pm and set up the lesson for 1:30 pm at Chun's Reef, about 4 miles away from Haleiwa. We parked and Kalani was right there to greet us with everything laid out for us. We had a quick onshore briefing to discuss our skill level, what we were looking for, and basic safety for the area. This is important because as the name implies, there is a reef 4feet below a large portion of the area. With the turf portion completed we grabbed the boards and headed off to the surf segment of the lesson. This is where a GREAT instructor really pays off. Kalani knows the beach, knows the waves, knows the etiquette, and is constantly conveying that information to you. We stayed close and tried to take in as much information as possible, but it takes thousands of hours to know what Kalani knows when it comes to surfing. All that knowledge though makes your day learning so much easier and enjoyable. He kept us both close at all times, sometimes even with a hand or a foot on our board. And other than your paddle in or out there is no wasted energy, he knows what is a wave and what isn't for your level. Kalani let many waves roll by that I may have tried to jump on and ended up paddling for a wave that never materialized into anything rideable and he kept us off of the bigger sets until he felt we were truly comfortable to tackle something like that. After every single ride, he gives you insightful feedback that you can use and implement into your next ride. Never too much, just enough to give you something to think about and get a little better each time. This assessment on an individual, wave by wave, basis is invaluable and makes Kalani worth every penny. From the start of the 90 minutes to the end, was night and day for both my son and me. Also, we ended up extending our trip for four days, and given the extra time, I knew I had to get back to the North Shore and Banzai Surf School. Contacted Kalani again and scheduled a lesson for 3 people, including my 7yr old nephew. Again, Kalani scored a perfect 10! My nephew, who is brand new to surfing, was up and riding right away and midway through was taking long rides and looking great. I cannot recommend Kalani and North Shore Banzai Surf School enough. If you want to try surfing in a fun and safe way AND actually be better than when you started your day, do yourself and your family a favor and contact Kalani at North Shore Banzai Surf School. read more

North Shore Banzai Surf School - Post session picture with man, Kalani. - Surf Schools Near Me

Kalani is the best surf instructor on Oahu! He's super knowledgeable of the area and waves and his endless positive energy made me want to keep riding the whole day. He provided boards and rash guards for the whole group and taught us the basics on the sand before hitting the water. With Kalani's help we all stood up and were riding waves within the first couple tries and by the end of the session we were able to catch waves on our own! I can't wait to go out again and continue to improve with his help. If you are looking for an awesome local to show you the ropes, Kalani is your guy! read more

I wouldn't want to learn to surf anywhere else! Kalani and his brother had all of us surfing within an hour and they were incredibly helpful, patient, and just generally awesome. You will not regret surfing with these guys, they're the best! read more

Best surf lesson on the island! They are super knowledgeable about the ocean and surfing in general. Great for beginners and advanced surfers. You won't go wrong with Banzai surf school! read more

I'm visiting O'ahu for the first time since living here, about 14 years ago. When I asked the lovely folks at the place I'm staying (shout out to the cool and conveniently located Backpackers Inn on the North Shore!) for a recommendation, they told me about these guys. Since I wasn't comfortable booking something online, I called and Kalani answered (once he was out of the ocean, like a true surfer). He asked when I was available and then reserved me a spot for the following morning...and was even comfortable with me paying the day of the lesson. When I arrived, he had everything ready and I felt immediately comfortable and in good hands. I've taken surfing lessons before, but have never experienced being literally 'toed' (and towed) out to the waves before. Kalani used his big toe to pull my surf board to the perfect spot, then sent me on my way with some excellent advice and a push. I've never caught so many waves in just two hours of trying...what a perfect end to my trip :) These guys KNOW, LIVE, and LOVE what they do! read more