Maui Surf and Sup — Local services in Maui

Kainalu is The Man! My wife had taken surfing lessons in Waikiki years ago, and it was awful. We're both skiers and had assumed we just couldn't surf, but we both got up an hour or so after Kainalu's terrific instruction and support! We had really signed up this time for our nine and eleven year olds to learn to surf, and were kinda just tagging along. But Kainalu made it easy and fun (the surfing part, not the paddling out to where you catch the waves part, which takes some shoulder stamina) for all of us. He's also a father of young kids, and it definitely shows in the way he relates to them. Not only is his on-sand instruction very clear and helpful before you get in the water, but he's extremely enthusiastic when you're in the water and gives his all in trying to ensure you have a positive experience. For example, unlike the last lame instructor we tried, Kainalu paddles like a madman when he "launches" you into the wave he wants you to ride. He absolutely sets you up for successfully surfing, as he reads the waves to make sure you have a good one, times it perfectly to tell you to "paddle, paddle, paddle", and then gives you an awesome push off so all you really need to to is follow the on-sand instructions you practiced and stand up! Seriously. It was AMAZING to finally get to surf, and I felt proud of myself for doing my part, but it couldn't have been any easier! My wife and boys (OK, one of them gave up and Kainalu paddled back to shore with him, which was super sweet and in NO way a reflection on Kainalu's instruction but on our youngest son's lack of grit that we're working on...) loved the experience! While our eleven year old persevered and eventually went from his knees to standing up, even our nine year old who quit said the next day that he wanted to go back and try it again (!). The family photo and GoPro action shots are an awesome bonus from one of the best things we did in Maui! Thanks SO much, Maui Surf and SUP! Would...

This is a MUST DO if you’re in Maui!! My fiancée and I have never surfed before but love the water and wanted to give it a shot while on vacation. We came in with low expectations that we’d actually be able to catch a wave and stand up for a full ride. Kainalu was our instructor and was amazing! He started with safety and the basics on dry land, teaching us proper techniques for maintaining good balance on the board and having us do some repetitions before getting in the water. Once we were in the water, my fiancée and I took turns working with Kainalu to catch a wave. He’d be floating alongside at the start to ensure you were positioned on the board, he’d tell you when to start paddling and when to jump up into position. He was so good we both got up on our first wave (and many waves after that). The waves were perfect for beginners and intermediate surfers, and the views of Maui from the ocean are unforgettable. Kainalu strapped a go pro to the front of our boards to capture great pics from the day. This was by far the highlight of our trip! Don’t forget to ask Kainalu (or your instructor) for food recommendations in the area. We ended our trip with his poke recommendation…cannot wait...

Had a great time with this experience! They were able to accommodate a last-minute (within 1 week) booking at a time where lots of things on the islands needed to be secured months in advance, which was a lovely surprise. Our instructor, Sam, was fantastic. When surf wasn't favorable for first-timers in our anticipated spot, he switched locations to optimize our success and kept us updated. Communication was excellent throughout.

He started with instruction on land (where to position ourselves on the board, proper stance once upright, how to paddle) so that we could master the basics before adding the element of water. Afterwards, we got lots of time in the water with GoPro photos for each of us to commemorate the experience. He was great in identifying the best waves and telling us when to pop up (since these are skills you learn with time). We were both able to catch plenty of waves as first-timers, and felt super accomplished. Had a really fun time and would do again if we were to revisit Maui. Would...