We had the honor in working with Mike today! It was such a great experience! From start to finish,…read moreMike was extremely informative and made sure we were comfortable before moving onto the next step! HIGHLY RECOMMEND this surf school! All around great vibes and such a cool way to spend the day on the north shore! Also big thank you for all the food and beach recommendations! Lunch was amazing after surfing

Thanks so much for the fun surf lessons! Mike and Zeke did…read morea great job taking my husband and son out on their first surf adventure. It was windy and choppy (and the only day we could do this) but Mike and Zeke made them feel comfortable and had them surfing pretty quickly. We will definitely call Mike the next time we're up on the North Shore. Mahalo, Mike and Zeke.

This review is for day use in rec area and not camping. Stopped here on our day trip around the…read moreisland. This seems like a great place to be outside and enjoy a beach. It was a Thursday afternoon and it was not busy! Beautiful sandy beach and tons of shade and places to lay out or sit. The bathroom facilities was good. Honestly I can't stand the crowds so if I ever stay on Oahu over the other islands I'd probably pick this area to stay away from crowds of Honolulu and north shore area.

Beautiful large area for camping, swimming and outdoor activities. Lots of families come here to…read morehang out and party. Pack a lunch and have some great breezes and beautiful view of the bay. Super relaxing.

Bought a groupon and scheduled u son/friend for a 2 hour lesson. It seemed a little sketchy bc we…read moremet at a different location. However, Ray was very nice. The boys had a great lesson. Tons of time in the water trying to catch a wave! The price was great! I would recommend to anyone wanting a fair price to learn to surf.

If you are a weirdo living in Los Angeles who has never surfed, visiting Hawaii and taking a lesson…read morewith Ray is a good way to start. Not only are the waters warmer and the need for a wet suit eliminated, but Ray is a great teacher. He'll meet you at an easy landmark and then you'll follow him to one of the "beginner" beaches for your lesson. He'll give you a simple lesson on the sand for about 10 minutes, emphasizing the simple but important ways to surf successfully. Then, it's into the water! With continued support and encouragement--and not a hint of frustration, he'll get you on your first wave, second wave... sixth wave. And, like any good teacher, give you some positive reinforcement for what you did well on each run followed by ways to get even better. And, if you ask questions, he'll have an answer--or text you later with one. Bottom line: Why take an overpriced, impersonal lesson in Waikiki when you can take one with Ray and get more for less on a more relaxed beach? Better yet, you can continue your travels up the westward side of the island after your lesson and see the beauty that lies beyond Waikiki!

Highlight of our trip! Hugo was so informative, super friendly and helpful booking us in without…read moreany reservation. We did a private lesson and it was worth every penny; we wanted to sign up again the next day. Samson, our instructor was so chill and an amazing teacher, as we both got up and rode several waves during our session. We even saw turtles swimming around us and catching their own waves - such an awesome experience all around. So. Much. Fun!! Will be back again!

Haven our instructor did great! We have never surfed before and we all got up…read more Very beginner friendly location

Where to begin?! From the booking to the end of day drop off, Ryan and Beccy were beyond amazing!…read more Booking: with COVID, we wanted to ensure our booking was 100% refundable if someone in our party had a positive result. The cancellation policy doesn't have a COVID contingency so I called and asked if they could accommodate and asked to have that sent in email as a confirmation. Ryan was more than accommodating and immediately emailed us with the modified cancellation policy and even told me to call to book versus online to avoid online fees. Booking was easy and Ryan asked great questions to understand what type of group we were and what interests we had to ensure he created the perfect itinerary for us. Day of: Pick up: Ryan called before pick to let me know/confirm the activities for the day. Ensured he had what he needed and that we packed what we needed. He was picking us up and was even 10 minutes early to ensure we were packed and ready to go right at 10 am! First stop: Snorkeling! I have been snorkeling several times but this was by far the BEST I've done. The weather was perfect and sun shining and water was crystal blue clear. The fish and coral were beautiful. We saw a pod of dolphins, a seas turtle, sting ray and so many different type of tropical fish. There were some great underwater statues/ structures and Ryan shot some great photos/ videos. Beccy was wonderful with my youngest daughter (10 years old) and ensured there was a surf board to hold into when she got tired. 2nd stop: mermaid caves! Right up the road from the snorkel spot and such a cool/ beautiful spot we did a little bit of exploring, took some great photos/videos and went to our next stop. 3rd stop: Waterfall Cliffs! Brief hike through lush forest to a cute hidden gem of a waterfall. There were ledges 8, 25 and 35 feet high that you could jump from. Most of my party jumped off one or all of them and it was amazing. Ryan took great photos and videos to capture the memories. 4th stop: Lunch at The Smoking Boar and the Coconut!! OMG, great recommendation by Ryan. The place is a family owned restaurant (Ryan and Beccy's neighbors in fact). Everyone in our party (8 people) absolutely LOVED what they ordered. I even tried a few bites of others too and everything was absolutely delicious. Even my youngest, who is the pickiest easter eva could stop eating hers and kept saying how it was the best rice she ever tasted. 5th stop: Surfing the North Shore!!!! Only two people had done any kind of surfing and Ryan and Beccy had everything we would need. Down to the surfing clothes to avoid any rashes. The waves were perfect and everyone got up on their first try! Great instruction and really attentive to ensure we caught the wave and had the best experience. Ryan took photos and videos of the kids surfing and we got some great family photos at the end in front of the surf boards. Becky went tandem surfing with my youngest and she was AMAZING with her. My daughter didn't want to stop. In transit: Ryan and Beccy were great conversationalist and the drive didn't seem long at all to each stop because we were having so much fun just chatting. Overall: I would book them every day if I knew how amazing the day would be. My girls and the rest of the party said it was the best day of the trip. Even if you're only here for a day or two, BOOK THEM! You will not regret it. If/when we come back, we will definitely be booking them again. Mahalo Ryan and Beccy for an amazing experience and day!

Our tour wasn't perfect but we still had a great time…read more Pros: 1. Our guide was full of interesting stories. 2. It was cool going to more hidden spots. Many of the places we went to, we were either the only ones there or there were just a handful of others. I really appreciated being able to experience places that we would have never found on our own. 3. Some of the activities were beyond our comfort level, but the guide always gave us an alternative that we were more comfortable with. We did push ourselves beyond our comfort level, some more than others in our group, and I have to say that in itself was a rewarding experience that I will treasure, even more than some of the sights we saw. It was terrific bonding experience. Cons: 1. There was less communication than I would've liked before the tour. Our guide said he would follow up the day before but he never did. I had provided general input on what we preferred but none of it was confirmed ahead of time so we really had little idea of what the day would include. As a result, we weren't exactly sure how to dress or what to bring, and there were parts of the tour we would've been happy to skip. 2. The guide didn't bring any life vests. Most of us weren't comfortable swimmers and this really inhibited us from enjoying the water activities to the fullest extent. I would say this was the most disappointing part. (Note: If you hike through any tropical areas, wear bug spray -- no matter what anybody tells you!) Overall, it was still a memorable experience that I will reminisce about fondly. I feel like we got our money's worth and we'd try Mahina Hawaii again.

This review is for Malaekahana State Park Campground. It's quiet and feels somewhat secluded. You…read moredo need a reservation to camp overnight. Note: the gate closes at 6:45pm, so you'll need to plan accordingly. There are some spaces you may be able to park right outside the gate, but I don't think they're considered official parking spots. Double check signs! There are some large sinks throughout the campgrounds which allow for washing dishes, fruits, and vegetables. It's also a great place to freshen up for the day. The bathrooms were clean for a beach bathroom and there are some showers inside the bathroom space as well. The water is cold! The bathroom was pretty well stocked with toilet paper, though it can get low later at night. Bring extra toilet paper just in case. There was no hand soap. The beach was beautiful! It is covered in reef, so it's not a great swimming spot. Perhaps when the tide is high you may be able to go out--but be extremely careful of our precious coral reefs. Great space for lounging on the beach! As always, remember to pack out what you pack in (and grab some plastic from the beach too!).

Looking for a affordable weekend with the family? Look no further. If you are a kamaaina, you can…read morestay in the small Hale that sleeps 4 for $50 a night! It's roughing it but I survived a two night stay and so can you! The Plantation Hale comes with nothing. You basically have a place to sleep. No amenities. There is an outdoor shower (cold water only) and toilet (byoTP- toilet paper) both shared with others. Each Hale comes with a fire pit which is super cool! We like Hale 1, 2 , and 3 because it is ocean front. Bring everything you need as if you were tent camping (grill, sleeping bags, coolers, etc.). If roughing it is not your jam no worries. They have plantation suites which have indoor toilets! If you don't mind roughing it there are also tent only areas which is very affordable. The best thing about staying here is that the bay is awesome! My kids loved it so much we are going back again in a few weeks.

Details/ Background: Took one private surf lesson (1-2…read morehours) while in Hawaii. I'm a novice who's had 2 or 3 semi-private lessons about once per year for the past two NJ summers. My last surf lesson- over a year ago- was unfortunately stressful and resulted only in killer full-body workout, 100% falling in the water. I've been wanting to try surfing in a warmer climate and different instruction to rekindle my excitement and hopefully catch some waves!! Very happy with my experience with Hans & my instructor, Jimmy. What I appreciated about Hans: 1. Scheduling: was able to book the day before. If hoping for semi-private or group, plan in advance. 2. Facilities: clean, attractive, decent merch, easy parking across the street by Honolulu Zoo. After the session, there was clear protocol for discarding / sanitizing used rash guard + shoes. 3. Introduction: quick but thorough PowerPoint presentation with examples of what to do / not do while in the water, followed by on-land demos. What I appreciated about my instructor: Jimmy was easy going, confident, and catered to my experience and stamina (I am relatively very healthy but don't workout or swim regularly). His vibe made it easy to relax and apply simple techniques to the time in the water. Jimmy shared stories from his person experience and prior students that were insightful and relatable. Jimmy is a natural encourager and demonstrates a genuine confidence in his students in their ability to surf. Jimmy also demonstrated an intimate familiarity with the beach and water. He was able to pinpoint the distance out into the water that would yield the best result for the appropriate amount of effort based on my goals. My surf goals for this session were pretty mild-- #1: get out there #2: have a good time, feel comfortable and ENJOY #3: catch 1 or 2 waves (even kneeling would have been great). With Jimmy, I easily surpassed my goals-- got out there had a GREAT time caught several waves (standing) and finished about half to the very end of the wave, coming back down on the board for smooth completion. I would definitely recommend Jimmy for instruction at Hans Hedemann Surf School. I only wish Hawaii wasn't so far from home or I'd already book my next session!

I was nervous to try surfing but as soon as I showed up all of my nerves were gone. Charley was a…read moregreat guide and I knew I was in good hands. I did a private lesson as I thought I would need the extra attention. Charley got me up on the very first wave! It was pretty cool We were staying at Turtle Bay Resort and this is the surf school at the resort. It is open to the public as well. Check them out!