Sep 21, 2025
Excellent Surf Instruction for Beginners! - I had a really great first surf lesson with Jitan as my instructor. I’ve done board sports like snowboarding my whole life but never tried surfing before so I wanted to give it a shot on my trip to Maui. Jitan was a very patient and positive instructor and he noticed I was very comfortable on the 12 foot board, so after catching a few waves on the 12 foot board he let me try out the 10 foot board. I was standing up on the board confidently with his guidance! You have the option of riding your board for the rest of the day if you want, which I really wanted to do but couldn’t because I had to check out of my Airbnb by 11am, but it’s great that they offer that as an option. They also give you a free hat at the end of your lesson. Pictures were taken from shore with a DSLR and were very high quality. They cost extra. Overall had a great experience and would highly recommend this excursion with Maui Waveriders!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sep 10, 2025
Amazing first time surfing! Highly recommend - Our son (14) wanted to learn to surf, so we booked him a two-hour private lesson. He was absolutely thrilled because he was able to ride his first wave after just a short time and, after two hours, he was already able to pick and ride waves on his own without any help.
My wife and I (both over 50) then decided that we wanted to give it a try too, so we booked a two-hour private lesson. Ole, our surf instructor, explained everything to us really well on land and then in the water. We were also able to ride our first waves after just a short time and had a lot of fun.
Thanks to Ole and the team at Maui Waveriders.
Nico, Caroline & Carsten from Germany
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Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sep 7, 2025
MWR is the best! - Took my kids (10 & 7) here to go surfing for the first time and they’re now hooked! It’s a perfect place to learn with shallow waters and small waves. Al and Sol were the absolute best instructors! So good with the kids and gave them so much confidence! They were up and riding in no time and doing tricks by the end of the lesson. They loved it so much that we went back and did another lesson and then just rented boards a third time! Would 100% recommend MWR!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sep 1, 2025
Surf school/instructor - Kihei, Maui - Kazuma was an excellent surf instructor for my 14 year old son who hadn't surfed before. We arrived with an 8ft board, but Kazuma explained that it might be too small for beginner. He taught my son on a 9ft board and a 10ft board - my 14 yr old son is 6ft:)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Aug 8, 2025
Al's the man 🤙 - Had a fantastic time! My instructor Al was great, super chill, coached perfectly, and was super encouraging. They also have a photographer that will take really nice photos for you and then you can buy them at the end.
Thanks again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jul 20, 2025
Great Surf School and Rentals - I had an awesome time learning to surf at Maui Wave Riders! After just three classes, I was catching waves on my own and even learned a cool trick — though honestly, you could probably get there in just two classes depending on the weather.
The instructors are incredible — they don’t just teach, they really connect with you in the water to help you grow and get comfortable. Big shoutout to Clara, who was super friendly and made surfing one of the best experiences ever.
The front desk staff are super welcoming, helpful, and made everything really smooth from check-in to rental. They’ve got everything you need, and the boards are great quality.
They also take great photos of you while you’re surfing, which is such a fun way to capture the experience and progress.
After my lessons, I rented a board and had an awesome time catching waves solo. Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced surfer just looking for a quality rental, Maui Wave Riders has you covered.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jul 6, 2025
Great private lesson! - Great instructor! Knew what he was doing, caught several waves despite meh surf conditions. Pro tip: get an early morning (6/7AM) lesson for better waves.
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Jun 14, 2025
Amazing experience - Sol was an amazing instructor. I learned so much from her including some surfing etiquette rules. The waves were perfect to learn how to surf.
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May 31, 2025
Highlight of our trip! - From the moment we walked in, we were warmly greeted and checked in. By that point, the nerves had picked up and I started doubting if I was really capable of surfing. My instructor was upbeat, fun, confident, and helped me feel comfortable and confident immediately (both on land and in the water). This experience was a TOP HIGHLIGHT of our trip!!
🌺🤙🏼Mahalo Maui Waveriders Kihei for the incredible experience…and for being a top highlight from our trip! …until next time!! 🤙🏼🌺
Review provided by Tripadvisor
May 31, 2025
Learned to surf at ages 60, 16 and 19 years of age. - My two teenage children and I learned to surf. The instructor was helpful, though at my age I never mastered the sport despite my snow skiing—but not snow boarding. This was during Covid and the beginners learning area was packed then and in the AM just a little over crowded in my opinion. But as it is a public area I don’t know if that could be changed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor