Hawaii Scout

Hans Hedemann Surf School vs Jamie O'Brien School of Surf

Surfing · Oahu · Updated 2026

TLDR Verdict

It's essentially a tie — both score 4.9/5. Choose based on price, availability, or which island location suits you better.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Hans Hedemann Surf School Jamie O'Brien School of Surf
Composite Score 4.9/5 5/5
TripAdvisor 4.9★★★★★
Google 4.9★★★★★ (1,424 reviews) 5★★★★★ (1,267 reviews)
Starting Price $75 $85
Price Range $75–$400 $85–$209
Islands Oahu Oahu
Book → Book Hans Hedemann Surf School → Book Jamie O'Brien School of Surf

What Reviewers Say

Hans Hedemann Surf School

TripAdvisor ★★★★★

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 educati…

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 …

TripAdvisor ★★★★★

Peter was the perfect instructor for our 9 year old grandson. He was patient and kind. Our grandson was able to stand up, caught several good waves and wants to surf again!

TripAdvisor ★★★★★

Staff and instructors were really friendly. Your safety is their utmost priority. We enjoyed trying our first surfing experience. Kudos to Zarra and her staff for taking care of ou…

Jamie O'Brien School of Surf

Google ★★★★★

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 ca…

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 fo…

Google ★★★★★

One of the most fun experiences we had as a family in Hawaii. Tyler and Dakota were great instructors and all of us stood up on the boards. Highly recommend this shop for lessons …

Google ★★★★★

NOAH was awesome! Great experience for our crew. We all got great waves and got to stand for most of them :)

Choose Jamie O'Brien School of Surf If...

  • Starting price of $85 fits your budget
  • You're visiting Oahu
Book Jamie O'Brien School of Surf →

Hans Hedemann Surf School

From $75 · Oahu

4.9/5 composite

Read Full Review Book Hans Hedemann Surf School →

Jamie O'Brien School of Surf

From $85 · Oahu

5/5 composite

Read Full Review Book Jamie O'Brien School of Surf →

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