Outstanding! Steve and the team were so perfect - teaching our three (16, 16 and 14 yo) the basics and all were riding waves confidently in first lesson. So much fun, we booked again same trip. Make sure you connect with Ric for quality pictures, costs extra and totally worth it. read more

Such a great an experience! Tavner and his team were amazing. I took my whole family including my 5 year old.

We booked surf lessons via our hotel in advance of our trip. The surf school reached out to us a day before and told us our afternoon slot was cancelled, but we could be rescheduled to a morning slot, or get a refund. We picked the morning slot, then received instructions to go to mile marker 19 on Lahaina highway and look for a white Tacoma. We had decided to skip the rental car and use Lyft/Uber on this trip, so that was concerning. We were able to instruct the driver about the approximate location. There was a a row of pickup trucks with surfboards near mile marker 19, so we got out and asked around for Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy. Eventually we found the right Tacoma, but I didn't have much confidence we'd found the right spot for a while. My daughter had to have a solo lesson with Kayla due to her age, while my son and I had a semi private lesson with Chad. Our instructors were great, and we were able to stand up with a couple of tries, and a few turns later the instructor had me try a smaller board so I could turn more easily. About 1 1/2 hour into our two hour lessons both my son and felt salt water stinging our knees and lower thighs from chafing against the board, so we ended the lesson early. We were also pretty tired at that point. The surf school gave us long sleeved water shirts, but knee long shorts in the same fabric would have made big difference too. Our instructor told us the chafing is because they use teaching surf boards with a material that has more friction to make it easier to stand on the board, but it also causes more chafing than boards with wax. In the hurry to catch our car ride, we forgot to bring water, but my daughter's instructor very kindly gave us one of her personal water bottles. Thank you Kayla! All in all, we had a great introduction to surfing with a lot of successful attempts to catch waves. Two hours felt long for an intro session. I wish my instructor had told me to paddle a bit more easy out to save strength for catching waves but I also tend to go max all the time until I run out of gas. Above all, I highly recommend wearing at least knee long water shorts to prevent chafing knees and lower thighs. The instructors were amazing. If Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy also were to provide pants and water given the remote location, if say they would stand way up and above the competition. read more

I'm getting back into surfing, so I booked a lesson to get some help while I build back my endurance. My guide was very helpful, and taught me an "up" I'd wanted to learn. Guardrails, the spot where they teach now, is a great spot- not a lot of rocks, chill crowd. You can also rent boards there. This company has lots of experience teaching surfers, and totally recommend them! read more

We had two families of five, with kids ranging from 10-15, along with four parents. Most of us were first timers, and Steve, Lee, and Josh were fantastic teachers, great with kids and adults, patient, and super fun. Can't say enough good things about the experience, and highly recommend them to anyone! read more

I'd give this place 20 stars if I could. My 5 year old son and I did private lessons with Lee and Philippe. They were exceptional in every measurable capacity. Philippe (a pro surfer) took such great care of my son. I was pretty nervous for my son at first being out so far but he was never more than an arms reach away from him at any given time. Within 20 minutes of the lesson I was able to relax more. It was an absolute blast. Lee was funny and informative and an exceptional host. Top 5 best experiences of my entire life. Thank you again Lee and Philippe! You guys rock read more

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I took my first surf lesson and it was so much fun. My instructor Steve was so patient, supportive, encouraging, and FUN. The owner Jason (Drayson) was Kind, friendly and expressed so much gratitude-he's been working every day trying to rebuild his business that he lost in the Lahaina Fire. Bring your friends and family and take a surf lesson or 2 today-you will love it! I will be back to take more lessons on my next visit to Maui. read more

10/10 recommend! I've never surfed in my life, nor am I very coordinated. I was able to get up and ride a wave a handful of times! Steve was the instructor and not only was he very knowledgeable, he was funny and friendly and defiantly made me feel super comfortable out on the water. The price is just right, very affordable and they give you everything you need. I had an amazing time and will definitely try again next time I'm here! Tip: sign up for the first class of the day... it's early but far less crowded than the mid-day classes. The photographer, Rick Larsen stands on the beach and gets all the action shots! After it's over, for $25, you get all the shots he took emailed to you. Making us look like pros out here! read more

Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy - Surfing Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

My boyfriend and I booked surf lessons at the Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy on May 4th, 2022. Check in was super quick, they even had a photographer offering to take photos of us during our lesson ($25/person), in my opinion, it's totally worth it. They provide water shoes, UV long sleeve top, and the board. Kayla was our instructor and she was amazing!! She coached us before we got in the water - water safety, where to stay in the water, how to stand on our board, dismount, speed up or slow down l, etc... she also gave continuous feedback/instructions when we were in the water, which was incredibly helpful. My boyfriend and I were able to ride 90% of the waves she set us up on. And cherry on top, she so friendly and was awesome person to hang with overall. Thank you for an incredible experience, we will definitely be back! read more

Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy - Surfing Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

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My kids (21 & 12) decided last minute they wanted to take surf lessons while on Maui. I signed them up for semi-private lessons. Communication was great via phone and text. Extremely friendly and informative. Once we arrived and checked in they met their instructor Inaldo. They both caught multiple waves and were so happy with their experience. Inaldo was super patient with my 12 year old and gave my 21 year old some information about boards and sizes and encouraged them to keep surfing. If ever on Maui and have a thought about surf lessons don't hesitate or think twice book your experience with this company. read more

Earlier today I had the distinct pleasure of taking a surfing lesson with Rafa and it was an absolutely fantastic experience! Rafa is very knowledgeable, has the patience of a saint and overall was an excellent teacher. In addition, everyone that i interacted with at Royal Hawaiian was great. This is a very well run group that is dedicated to making their students successful and I would highly recommend this academy. read more

Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy - Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy - Surfing Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

I don't give five star reviews very often but I would give this place six stars if I could. The instructors are incredibly friendly, energetic, and knowledgeable. They want you to have a good time and won't force you to do anything you are uncomfortable with. You get to learn at your own pace. There's also very little hands off learning (maybe 5 minutes). Most of the time you are actually out there surfing and you're learning from actually doing it. Amazing experience read more

Aloha, my family just returned from Maui and wanted to share our experience that we had with Royal Hawaiian surf academy. As you know they did loose their shop in the fires in 2023 so they are doing in mobile. They are trying very hard to get the business back. They are great team and bottom line they make sure that you have fun and safe. If you are looking for surfing lesson in Lahaina area, give them and yourself a chance. read more

Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy - Surfing Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

Outstanding company with thoughtful, patient instructors. A very good and safe experience! read more

This place literally blew us out of the water! I'm in my 40's and thought it would be fun to try this with my super active teenagers. I never imagined I would get up, let alone on my first wave. I felt super ready and had such a great time. We were all smiles! I would recommend this anybody! Lee and Steve were the best! We were so spoiled! read more

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We loved our surfing experience so much; our kids came back the next day for more! We scheduled a private lesson (due to our son's age & their requirements) & semi-private lesson for my other son & husband. They all had the opportunity to take on multiple waves & had an incredible time. Ricky Larson captured amazing photographs during their time, while I took videos from the beach. When we asked our sons which experience from our trip they wanted to do one more time, they both said, surfing immediately! I called and requested Dreyson for our younger son's private lesson because he had been so great with him the day before. We lucked out & our older son was able to get a private lesson with Tavner (instead of his group lesson) because someone didn't show up. They had the best time, & we felt very safe having our children on the water with them. We could not recommend them more read more

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Had an amazing experience learning to surf at Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy. Our instructor JB was fantastic! Felt very comfortable with the safety rules and surfing steps before he took us into the water. I was able to get up on my second run- and it was smooth surfing from there. Great experience- would highly recommend!! read more

Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy - Surfing Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

I come here regularly for equipment rental whenever I'm in Maui. The front desk guys, are always friendly and helpful and really treat you like family. On this visit they gave me a Kazuma board to use and it was amazing. I liked the board so much, I rented it a second time. No nonsense, competitive rental & lesson rates too! They recently moved from the old location on Prison Street to 505 Front and it is so much more convenient to the beach and I don't have to carry my board quite so far. Definitely the place to go for surfing or SUP lessons or equipment. read more

Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy - Surfing Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

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My sons (16 & 18) had such an amazing experience with Royal Hawaiian. They did a two hour private lesson and the instructor had them up and surfing right away. They had so much fun and can't wait to do it again. The photographer got so many epic photos of them in action so we can relive the experience! We will definitely be coming back to Royal Hawaiian on our next visit. I highly recommend this company! read more

Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy - Action shot! - Surfing Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

Great surf experience with our instructor. We had a blast learning how to surf. My nephew and I were able to catch some waves, my husband had a little bit of a hard time.. but it was so fun!! Definitely recommend this place. read more

These guys were AWESOME!!! Love their vibe and they were so kind to our family of 3. We took our 7yo daughter surfing for the first time and she did a private lesson with T and he took great great care of her. He tried so hard to make our shy girl smile. He might've gotten a few teeth to show by the end of their session. We did a semi-private lesson for me and my husband and Josh was great and super encouraging. Would highly recommend this company and these specific instructors. Get the picture package it's totally worth it!! read more

Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy - Mother daughter shot - Surfing Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

HANDS DOWN BEST SURF SCHOOL IN THE ISLANDS. our twins were surfing on LESSON ONE. Our instructors were amazing! We had Josh, Kayla, Kaimana and Dreyson and Eitan and all the managers was just awesome organizing it all. Kids had so much fun. Don't look elsewhere. This is your on stop shopping for the best experience on Maui! read more

Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy - Dreyson - Surfing Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

First time surfing and had a blast! My boyfriend and I went together for semi-private lessons (just he and I) and learned so much. Our surf instructor was not only informative and helpful, but incredibly patient while we learned and kept us engaged the entire two hours. Thanks, Tavern! Ps - if Ric is taking photos, buy them! We paid $25 each and had over 100 great shots! Thanks, Ric! read more

Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy - Surfing Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

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We had two families with Dre, Tavner, and Kayla and we all had an amazing time They made it seem so easy and by the end the kids were catching their own waves Great instructors and people. If you are looking to have fun, learn how to catch a wave and learn about surfing then this is your group read more

This place is amazing, my son took lessons and had so much fun that my daughter went two days later. They were entertaining and had a photographer available as well. read more

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I booked a private lesson for my wife and daughter. They had a great time, and the instructor Lee was fantastic. Both of them were able to stand up for waves in the last half of the class. I also recommend getting the photo package offered. They shoot the lesson using a massive telephoto lens and you really get some terrific surfing photos. Everyone was super friendly and helpful. read more

We had the the best interaction with Kimo, the owner! He was such a pleasure to talk to. We love you! We had a great time in the water, surfing. The instructors were great, surf shop was nice and clean. Would recommend it to anyone visiting Maui. Awesome time guaranteed! read more

My kids had a great time in the surfing lesson, however, it was a rough start to the morning. Although we arrived in time, our instructor was a no show. After being delayed, the manager stepped in to teach the lesson. During the time in the water though, she left my kids in the water by themselves to deal with an accident in another group's lesson. I understand the need for management to be available for accident reports, but perhaps an alternative would have been to call in another manager to cover the office in the event something like this were to happen. Unfortunately, from a parent's perspective, it felt like safety was not the priority in that moment. Although we were offered free board rental during the remainder if the week to make up for these mishaps, our time did not allow for us to use that. Again, my kids had a great time, and if that were the only factor to base a review on, then the rating would have been higher. read more

Just ended our lesson in Maui with the RH surf academy and had so much fun! We were in a group of 6 with K. The instructions were clear and our safety was a priority from start to finish. K did an awesome job and cheering you on and guiding you to catch a wave. It was my first time ever surfing and I am super uncoordinated in general but was able to catch a few :) overall super fun time! read more

What an AMAZING experience! Our 3 kids got the time of their lives with surf instructors who love what they do. Tavner and Kayla had all 3 of them standing on the first try. Kayla towed our youngest back and forth allowing her to get just as much time on the waves as our bigger kids. You guys Rock!! Also, a shout out to the excellent photographer they've got out their taking EPIC action shots! Thank you all!! read more

My kids, sister, and myself had such a great time with our instructor KeAli'i. He was very informative and made sure we knew the steps to getting up on the board before we got out in the water. It was a blast. He made all of us feel comfortable joking around with the kids and just a very happy guy. read more

Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy - Surfing Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

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Ke'a (sp?) was an awesome instructor for us and led a much better surf lesson than we got on the north shore of Oahu a few years ago. He took the time to teach us each step in getting up, what to do when standing, where our weight should be and when and how to bail if we had to. The operations at Royal were top notch and I can't recommend this outfit enough! read more

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We had such an epic day of surfing with our lesson from Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy in Lahaina. Customer service was top notch, photographer was great, and our instructor Lee was funny, encouraging and just a great teacher. We both got up on our first waves and caught almost every single wave. It was my niece's very first time surfing and my second time after going 4 years ago. Highly recommend Royal Hawaiian Surf‍‍ read more

Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy - Right before our lesson - Surfing Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

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This was my second time surfing with them and it's still such a fun experience. I brought two friends who never surfed before and our instructor, Steve, was the best. He knew exactly what he was doing while keeping us laughing as we fell into the waves. We started out of the water on how to get up on the board, common mistakes and safety guidelines. We got our surfboards and went out in the water, staying at the buoy while one of us met Steve to surf one at a time. All of us had different mistakes that we were making that Steve could pinpoint and correct. By the end, all three of us were up on our board and surfing together. read more

We got the group lessons and it was great! If you want to have a good time and are in the mood for some really funny dad jokes - Steve baker is your guy! Lessons were so good and then I went back to surf on my own. Richard at the front desk was super helpful. Definitely going back. They are good people having a great time! read more

Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy - Surfing Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

Awesome experience. Super positive. Check in was fast, went right to the beach for a quick lesson. Instructor Baker is the man!!! Our group only had 5 people, Baker could see that the group did not need to spend a lot of time on the beach, he got us into the water quickly and on waves in no time. Baker took time with each member and made sure all were comfortable. The entire staff is awesome. Spend the extra money and hire the photographer, Rick sent us 72 very high quality pictures, totally worth it. Hands down the best surf school in Maui, can't wait to go back next summer. We will defiantly use Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy and will ask for Baker to be our instructor. read more

This is exactly what I was expecting from surf lessons. They were all very cool, knowledgeable, friendly, and supportive. It was easy to get up and riding the waves in minutes with their instruction. Kai was especially awesome and made the time my wife and I spent there very nice. If you're looking for a place to get lessons or just rent a board, do it from here. read more

So awesome. Signed up for private lessons for me and my 7 year old. Had Tavner and Kea 2 days in a row. Both of us were up on our boards right away and enjoying waves the whole time. Go private / semi-private to get more direct instruction and more waves. My son can't stop talking about it! read more

Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy - Surfing Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

Royal Hawaiian Surf and Travner are awesome. My 20 daughter is afraid of the ocean but T's perfect mix or humor, knowledge, and calmness did the trick. She had an amazing day and now wants to spend more time in the ocean. Thanks team RHS read more

We decided to add an afternoon of surfing during our trip to Maui. We were lucky enough to have DJ who was thorough in his explanations and encouraging throughout. We all got up and road the waves in our group of 4. It was a ton of fun, some exercise, and definitely worth it if you have a few hours to spare. read more