Best Surf Lessons in Oahu — Top 3 Ranked (2026)
Ranked by aggregated TripAdvisor + Google reviews · Updated April 2026
Jamie O'Brien School of Surf is our top pick for surf lessons in Oahu — rated 5/5 across TripAdvisor and Google. North Shore Oahu Surf School is a solid runner-up, starting at $100.
Book Jamie O'Brien School of Surf — From $85 →Rankings
| # | Operator | Score | Price | Best For | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jamie O'Brien School of Surf Top Pick | 5/5 | $85+ | Best Overall | → Book |
| 2 | North Shore Oahu Surf School | 5/5 | $100+ | Runner-Up | → Book |
| 3 | Hans Hedemann Surf School | 4.9/5 | $75+ | Budget Pick | → Book |
Jamie O'Brien School of Surf
Best OverallSurf Lessons · Oahu · $85–$209 · 5/5 composite
Pro surfer Jamie O'Brien's branded school at Twin Fin Waikiki. 90-min lessons at Publics.
“Where to start? From the first phone call to wrapping up, Noah, Dakota, and Elijah were incredible to work with! My two disabled children had private lessons and they were taken care of - individualized lessons, advancing based on their com…” — Google · ★★★★★
“Just the best and patient and friendly bunch of instructors!! I lost my GoPro in the middle of the ocean and thought it was gone forever until Owen pulled a miracle and found it for me! Make sure to ask for photos as they take the best acti…” — Google · ★★★★★
North Shore Oahu Surf School
Runner-UpSurf Lessons · Oahu · $100–$225 · 5/5 composite
North Shore at Chun's Reef. 100% stand-up guarantee. FareHarbor confirmed.
“We had a great experience. Koa did a great job teaching my teens and they were up and surfing in short time. I would definitely reccommend.” — TripAdvisor · ★★★★★
“The absolute best experience! We had two younger children and they were amazing to work with. We all got up on the boards and the instructors were very patient and helpful with all instructions. It was a beautiful day and a memory we will c…” — TripAdvisor · ★★★★★
Hans Hedemann Surf School
Budget PickSurf Lessons · Oahu · $75–$400 · 4.9/5 composite
Established Waikiki school. Locations in Waikiki, Kahala, North Shore. Private with Hans $400.
“We had a nice time with the semi-private surfing lesson in Waikiki! There were only 3 of us in the group. Peter was our instructor, and he made the two-hour session fun and educational. The lesson felt very personalized, and the competitive…” — TripAdvisor · ★★★★★
“The instructor Gavin very patient with us over weight novices. Paddling out is very hard. These surfers are very strong. Remember to bring tip money or you can Venmo. The water is shallow and there are coral rocks below so no head first div…” — TripAdvisor · ★★★★★
How We Ranked These
Rankings are based on composite scores aggregated from TripAdvisor and Google reviews, weighted equally (50/50). Operators within 0.1 points are considered tied and ranked by starting price. Operators without published review data are listed last. We update scores monthly from live API data.