With over 20 surf schools in Maui alone, it can be difficult to determine which is the best option. Maui Surfer Girls set themselves apart from their competition in part due to their preferred location. They are located eight miles south of Lahaina at the picturesque Ukumehame Beach Park and are among the very few schools permitted to teach at the beach park location. Consequently, when you choose Maui Surfer Girls, you won’t be surrounded at every turn by tourists or other surfer students.
Class size is also different for Maui Surfer Girls as they have a four to one student to instructor ratio. This happens to be the smallest class size in the industry! Add to this the fact that Maui’s best surf instructors, with over 40 years of instructional experience, call Maui Surfer Girls home, and it’s easy to see why class participants rave about their experience learning the craft with this school. While other surf classes aim to teach the skill quickly and in a large group setting, getting as many students through as possible, Maui Surfer Girls does things a bit differently. They make every student part of their ohana or family.
Maui Surfer Girls is also one of the oldest and most respected schools in the region, and they take great pride in their customer satisfaction as well as the overall quality of their instructors. They have been ranked extremely high on several review sites and even received the Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor from 2013-2020.
While the name of the school is Maui Surfer Girls, the classes are open to anyone from first-time students to intermediate skill longboard surfers, aged five and older, male or female. Each session is two hours long and comes with surf lessons. Surfboard, bootie, and rash guard rental are included in class cost. Classes take place Monday through Saturday from 8 to 10:30 am.
Maui Surfer Girls is Maui’s only female-owned surf school in the area and many of the instructors are female, but again, they will teach anyone aged 5 and older, no matter their skill level. Participants have a few choices when it comes to class options, Private Surf Lessons or Semi-Private Surf Lessons, Group Surf Lessons, Couples & Honeymoon Surf Package, as well as camp options including their Intermediate Level Kids Camp and Women’s Day Camp.
In addition to lessons, guests can book a surf photographer to capture all the fun of their surfing experience, allowing guests to focus on the task at hand, learning the skill of surfing without worrying about documenting the event. Depending on the class size, participants can expect to receive around 40 high-resolution photos from their experience via a downloadable link.
While surf skill isn’t necessary to take part in either a private or group class, Maui Surfer Girls aim to ensure complete safety for all these students. This means that all class participants must be able to tread water and feel confident swimming in the ocean. Students don’t have to be extremely strong swimmers but should be able to keep themselves safe during the lesson. Anyone aged 11 and younger who isn’t a very confident swimmer is advised to book a private lesson. This will allow the instructor to stay with the person throughout the entire experience. All guests who are prone to motion or seasickness are encouraged to be prepared by taking non-drowsy seasickness medication before their lesson.
In addition to offering surf lessons, and photo packages, Maui Surfer Girls also features an Etsy shop that features all sorts of merchandise available for purchase, which guests will love to take home. These options include hoodies, hats, t-shirts, jewelry, decals, and more, all with the Maui Surfer Girl logo prominently displayed.
Insider Tips:
-A minimum of 48 hours’ notice either via phone or email is required to cancel your reservation. There is a 15% cancellation fee for refunds. No refunds are given within 48 hours notice but rescheduling is complimentary with over 24 hours notice if class space is available.
-Maui Surfer Girls was established in 2001 and the mission of the company is to build self-confidence in women through the sport of suffering. They have been nationally recognized for their local girls’ surf camps, and for offering scholarships for said camps to teen girls who would otherwise be unable to attend.