Standing up on your first wave in Waikiki is one of those things you remember for good. Ohana Surf Project runs their lessons out of the Waikiki Beach Marriott, just a few minutes on foot from the hostel, and takes you to a quieter stretch of the Waikiki lineup instead of the crowded part everyone else paddles into. Board, gear, and a certified instructor are all included, and beginners are exactly who this is built for.
Two-hour lessons. Open group $120, family $145, exclusive group $150, semi-private $160, private one to one $205, all per person. Board and all gear included, daily year round.
Waikiki is where surfing was taught to the world, and its long, slow, forgiving waves are still about the friendliest place on earth to stand up for the first time. Ohana Surf Project has been teaching here for years, and their surf center is inside the Waikiki Beach Marriott on Kalakaua Avenue, close enough to the hostel that you can walk over in your swimsuit. That closeness matters more than it sounds. No transport to arrange, no morning to write off, just a walk down the block.
Lessons run at 9 AM, 12 PM, and 3 PM every day of the year, rain or shine, and every lesson is a full two hours in the water. The instructors are the real draw: the team has over 150 years of combined surfing experience between them, and the lead instructors each average about 15 years of teaching. They start you on the sand with ocean safety, surf etiquette, and how to position yourself on the board, then take you out to a less crowded stretch of the Waikiki lineup that they use instead of the busy main break. Most first timers get to their feet within that first session.
How you learn is up to you. Open group lessons are $120 per person, shared with other beginners, and are the best value if you are travelling solo. Semi-private is $160 per person for two students with their own instructor, exclusive group is $150 per person for three or more, and family lessons are $145 per person for at least one parent and one child aged 12 or under. The private one to one lesson is $205 and takes all ages and abilities, so it is the one to book if you are not a confident swimmer or want to ride tandem with an instructor. Experienced surfers can step up to professional coaching, either with a senior instructor or, at Level 4, with a pro surfer including video analysis. Bring a swimsuit and a good attitude and they handle the rest.
Lessons run at 9AM, 12PM, and 3PM daily, all year, and every lesson is two hours. Professional Coaching Level 4 runs 2.5 hours. Ohana runs rain or shine.
Honestly, a swimsuit and a good attitude will do it. A towel, reef-safe sunscreen, and a change of clothes make the walk back more comfortable, and the board and all the gear are provided.
This is the closest activity on our whole tour list. Ohana Surf Center sits inside the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort at 2552 Kalakaua Avenue, which is around the corner from Waikiki Beachside Hostel on Lemon Road. You can walk it in a few minutes with nothing but your swimsuit, so there is no rideshare, no parking, and no early morning drive. Check in at the surf center a little before your lesson time. A courtesy shuttle is also available from select Waikiki pickup points if you are meeting friends elsewhere in the neighborhood. The map below shows the walk from the hostel.
It is one of the closest things we book. Ohana Surf Center is inside the Waikiki Beach Marriott at 2552 Kalakaua Avenue, around the corner from the hostel on Lemon Road, so you can walk over in a few minutes. A courtesy shuttle from select Waikiki pickup points is also available.
Most first-timers do get to their feet within that first session. Waikiki has long, gentle, forgiving waves, and your instructor starts you on the sand with the basics before lining you up for waves in the water.
Two hours. Every standard lesson is a two-hour session, and the only exception is Professional Coaching Level 4, which runs 2.5 hours.
If you are travelling solo, the open group lesson at $120 per person is the best value and puts you with other beginners. Semi-private is $160 per person for two students with their own instructor, exclusive group is $150 per person for three or more, and family lessons are $145 per person. Private one to one is $205 and gets you an instructor to yourself.
For open group, semi-private, exclusive group, and family lessons, yes, and the group options are ages 13 and up. If you are not a confident swimmer, book the private one to one lesson instead. It takes all ages and abilities and tandem lessons are available.
The surfboard and all the gear are included, along with your instructor and coaching on ocean safety, etiquette, paddling, and technique. You just bring a swimsuit, and a towel and a change of clothes if you want them.
Lessons run rain or shine, every day of the year.
You will receive a full refund with at least 48 hours notice of cancellation. Group bookings of 9 or more people are subject to a 72-hour cancellation policy.
