Ohana Surf Lessons — Local services in Hawaii

For me it was a terrible „experience“ with Ohana.

I booked a SINGLE private surf lesson at Ohana and was really looking forward to it. Although I had originally booked for 10am, it was moved to 8am because the owner called me a day before and asked for it (he wanted less people on site at 10am). The next day I went to the specified surf spot that was mentioned in all their emails. After two phone calls with the boss, it turned out they had changed the location and I had to drive 10 miles north. The emails always mentioned the original address, the change was very hidden in only one email so it was easy to miss. On the phone, the boss assured me that everything was fine and that his employee was waiting for me at the new location.

When I found the new location at 8:20am, I saw the Ohana bus but no one waiting for me. A Kona Surf employee tried to help me, and I spent over 25 minutes alone looking for the place where the lesson was to take place. There were two people in the water with surfboards, but no one was looking after me or waiting for me. (I had specifically booked a private lesson and not a semi-private lesson). The owner was no longer available by phone, so I was left without instructions. In total, I spent three hours coming from Ocean view and trying to find someone from Ohana. I emailed Ohana immediately after this “experience” and another five when no one responded, over a week later. The service was really bad and no one cared that I was wasting my whole morning for nothing (I paid over 200 dollars and didn't even see a surfboard).

After two weeks and many emails I sent them I received a reply saying I would not get a refund and it was my fault as I should read my emails more carefully. The instructor had been waiting at the location for a bit but had left even though his boss had told me he was waiting for me. I was only 20 minutes late at the second location and had booked a two hour lesson. I can assure no one was waiting for me, even the Kona surf guy saw that. All in all a very sad experience, especially with Ohana still keeping the payment I made for...

We contacted Kaleo at Ohana Surf Lessons in the morning, during our recent trip to the Big Island, and he was able to accommodate same day reservation. He was very friendly and professional and provided all the information needed to make this as easy as possible. We found the location and parking without any issues. The initial instructions and getting fitted was well organized and both my husband and our teenage son were soon in the water. I was able to observe them from the rocks, by the blue church and take some photos. It was so much fun to watch. Besides Kaleo, there were a couple of other instructors and each was helping a couple of learners. We were there in the early afternoon, and the entire group was under 10 people, so it looked like each person was getting plenty of attention from the instructors. Most of all, what I observed from the shore is how fast people were progressing and how much fun they had. Seeing all the big smiles made me happy that we picked Ohana Surf Lessons. Their group of instructors were everything we hoped for: patient, friendly, safe and encouraging. As we all know, the introduction to a new sport, like anything else one tries for the first time, depends so much on the person teaching it. I highly recommend Ohana Surf Lessons, Kaleo and the rest of the team. You will be...

5 Stars – An Incredible Lifesaver and Instructor!

I had the privilege of witnessing Kaleo from Ohana Surf School perform a truly heroic act today, and I couldn’t wait to write this review. While I was watching surfers in the water, one woman got caught in a strong current, and things quickly became a bit tense. Without missing a beat, Kaleo sprang into action, paddling out to her with calm confidence. It was clear he was completely in control, and he got to her quickly and safely, guiding her back to shore without hesitation.

I was so impressed by how composed and caring he was throughout the entire rescue. Even in what could’ve been a stressful moment, Kaleo remained reassuring and friendly—his presence in the water really put everyone at ease. It's not every day you get to see someone demonstrate such professionalism and kindness in action.

If you're looking for surf lessons from someone who is not only an expert at teaching but also truly cares about the safety and well-being of his students, Kaleo is your guy. Ohana Surf School is lucky to have him, and I’m sure I’ll be back for lessons with him soon....