Surf Lessons get your Social Media video & photos you Surfing HI.

The best feature here is the two-students-per-instructor format. Eddie Fiel, the owner of Island Fiel Surf, and instructor Johnny Noel keep the lesson small, so you get more direct help than you would in a large beginner class. I also like the 10 to 15 minute beach demonstration, which covers both surfing basics and ocean safety before you enter the water.

I like the practical gear package, too: an NSP surfboard, reef shoes, a quality Excel rash guard or dry-suit top, and a secure locker for your belongings. The included photos are another nice touch, especially if you want a social media clip without paying for a full video package. The main consideration is time. This is about one hour, with roughly 5 minutes for equipment and 10 to 15 minutes on land, so your actual water time is less than the headline duration.

Key points to know before you book

• Two students per instructor: Small groups give Eddie Fiel or Johnny Noel more time to correct your stance, help with paddling, and send you toward suitable waves.
• A real safety briefing: The land session covers surfing fundamentals and ocean safety before you enter the water.
• Useful cold-weather gear: Excel dry-suit tops or rash guards and reef shoes are supplied, with dry-suit tops especially useful in fall and winter.
• One wave about every five minutes or less: The lesson is designed to keep you active rather than waiting through long stretches.
• Free photos included: You receive photos of your surfing, while GoPro footage and edited video cost extra.
• Private activity with weather protection: Only your group participates, and poor weather brings the choice of a new date or a full refund.

A small-group surf lesson at Pau Hana Sailing

You meet at Pau Hana Sailing, 1651 Ala Moana Boulevard in Honolulu, and return there when the lesson ends. The meeting point is near public transportation, which helps if you are not renting a car, though you should allow enough time to arrive ready for a water activity.

This is a private activity for your group, but the instruction itself is built around only two students per instructor. That distinction matters. A private booking does not mean you get a one-on-one class, yet two students sharing an instructor is still a strong setup for beginners who need repeated corrections and encouragement.

Eddie Fiel leads the operation, and Johnny Noel is the additional instructor. Both bring more than 10 years of surf experience and local wave knowledge to the lesson. The most useful part of that experience is not a long talk about surfing. It is the ability to judge conditions, choose manageable waves, and help you avoid wasting energy.

You should expect about 5 minutes to get fitted with equipment. Then comes a 10 to 15 minute land demonstration. Ocean time starts when you enter the water, not when you arrive at the meeting point.

What happens during the 10 to 15 minute land demonstration

The beach briefing covers the fundamentals of surfing and basic ocean safety. The teaching is adjusted to the students, so a complete beginner should not feel expected to know the correct stance, paddling rhythm, or board handling already.

I value this part because beginners often lose time in the water trying to remember several instructions at once. A short land demonstration gives you a chance to see how to position yourself and ask questions before waves, wind, and nerves complicate things.

Eddie and Johnny are described as patient instructors, and questions are welcomed. That is especially helpful if you are uncertain about how to lie on the board, when to paddle, or how to respond after missing a wave.

The lesson also includes ocean safety rather than treating surfing as only a balance exercise. You still need to listen closely and follow directions. The sea can change quickly, and no lesson can remove every risk from a water activity.

Equipment that saves energy in the water

The package includes an NSP surfboard, an Excel dry-suit top or rash guard, reef shoes, and a secured locker for your belongings. The choice of clothing depends partly on conditions. In fall and winter, the dry-suit top can help you stay more comfortable if the water or air feels cool.

Reef shoes are useful protection for your feet and make standing on the board more comfortable for many first-timers. You do not need to arrange a board rental separately, and you have a place to secure personal items while you are in the water.

The provider makes a point of avoiding oversized paddle boards. Large boards can feel stable, but they may also make you tire quickly. A board that is easier to manage lets you focus on paddling, timing, and standing rather than simply hauling equipment through the water.

That approach may feel less forgiving than being placed on the biggest possible board. Still, the small group and paddle assistance are meant to balance that choice. Your instructor can help you get into position and provide support instead of leaving you to battle the board alone.

Catching waves every five minutes or less

The stated goal is to give you a wave about every five minutes or less. Actual conditions will always affect that rhythm, but the lesson is designed around frequent attempts rather than one or two rushed chances.

This is important for learning. Surfing requires repetition. You need several tries to understand when to paddle, how to keep your weight centered, and how to stand without looking down. A steady stream of attempts gives you useful feedback while the instruction is still fresh.

The coaching also includes paddle assistance. That can help conserve energy, particularly during a short lesson when you want to spend your strength standing on waves rather than repeatedly paddling into position.

You should keep your expectations sensible. The lesson promises instruction and frequent opportunities, not a guarantee that every wave will produce a perfect ride. Ocean conditions and your own timing still matter. The advantage is that the instructors are focused on helping you make the most of the available waves.

Why the two-to-one teaching ratio matters

Large beginner classes can leave you waiting while an instructor works with someone else. Here, the intended ratio is two students per instructor, which gives you a better chance to receive help during each stage of the lesson.

I like this setup for first-time surfers and for anyone who has tried surfing once but never quite found the timing. Your instructor can watch your position, offer a quick correction, and help you reset without turning the lesson into a long lecture.

It also helps if one person in your group learns faster than the other. The slower learner can receive extra support without being lost in a crowd, while the quicker learner can continue practicing. Since the activity is private to your group, the overall tone should feel more personal than a large shared class.

The tradeoff is that a small group does not necessarily mean a long lesson. The total duration is approximately one hour, and equipment preparation plus the land demonstration use part of that period. Book this for focused instruction, not an all-morning surf camp.

Free photos, plus optional video upgrades

Photos are included, which gives you a record of the lesson without adding another charge. That fits the experience well. Surfing is hard to document while you are concentrating on balance, so having pictures taken for you is a useful extra.

The included photos appear to be aimed at sharing your experience online. If you want more polished footage, GoPro options are available for an added fee: $39.99 for footage sent by email, $49.99 to purchase an SD card, or $74.99 for a YouTube edit.

Those upgrades can add up quickly compared with the $100 lesson price. I would treat them as optional souvenirs, not part of the basic value calculation. The lesson itself includes equipment, instruction, locker access, and photos, so you can skip the video add-on and still leave with more than just a memory.

If the photos matter to you, ask at the start how they will be delivered and what is included. The supplied details confirm that photos are free, but they do not specify the delivery method or the number of images.

Is $100 a fair price for one hour?

At $100 per person, this is not the cheapest possible way to stand on a surfboard, but the price is easier to justify when you look at what is included. You receive an instructor, board, reef shoes, a rash guard or dry-suit top, locker access, and free photos.

The strongest value comes from the teaching ratio. Two students per instructor means you are paying for a more attentive lesson rather than simply renting equipment in a crowd. If close guidance is your priority, the price is reasonable for a first surf experience.

The short duration is the main point to weigh. After equipment preparation and the land demonstration, your water time is less than a full hour. If you want a long practice session, you may find the lesson brief. If you want a compact introduction with coaching and equipment handled for you, the format makes more sense.

Group discounts are available, though the amount is not specified. Ask about the discount before booking if you are bringing several people. Since only your group participates, this could be a practical choice for friends or family who want to learn together.

Who will get the most from this lesson?

This activity suits first-time surfers who want active instruction and do not want to be placed in a large class. The patient, custom land demonstration and paddle assistance should help you get started without having to work out every basic movement alone.

It also suits visitors who care about photos. You can concentrate on surfing while the experience provides free pictures afterward. If social media footage is a major goal, budget separately for one of the GoPro or edited video options.

Most people can participate, and service animals are allowed. The provided information does not list a specific age limit, swimming requirement, or physical fitness standard, so contact Island Fiel Surf before booking if you have concerns about those details.

You should also be comfortable with the fact that surfing is weather-dependent. The activity requires good weather, and poor conditions can lead to a rescheduled date or a full refund. That policy offers useful protection, but it also means you should avoid scheduling this as the only fixed activity on a very tight final day in Oahu.

Practical timing and cancellation advice

Confirmation is provided at booking, and free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund.

Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before the local start time are not accepted for a refund. Because weather can affect the activity, it is sensible to book early enough in your trip to leave room for another date if conditions are poor.

The experience is usually booked about five days ahead. That is a useful planning clue, especially if you want a particular day or need the small-group format to fit your schedule. I would reserve before arriving rather than assume a last-minute place will be available.

Wear what you need for a water activity and bring only essential personal items. The secured lockers help, but the supplied information does not specify what clothing or towels are provided beyond the surf gear listed above.

How this compares with a bigger surf school

The clearest difference is attention. A large school may offer more scheduled time or a wider range of packages, but you may spend more of the lesson waiting for an instructor to reach you.

Island Fiel Surf takes the opposite approach. The lesson is short, the group is small, and the instructors aim to keep you moving toward waves. The use of standard NSP boards instead of oversized beginner boards also suggests a focus on learning basic surfing movements rather than simply balancing on a very large platform.

That choice will not suit everyone. Some people want the biggest, most stable board available and prefer a relaxed introduction with little physical effort. Others want to learn how to paddle, catch a wave, and stand with active coaching. This lesson is better matched to the second group.

The provider also emphasizes friendship and personal care. That is not a measurable feature, but it does fit the small-group design. You are less likely to feel anonymous when your instructor is working with only one other student.

My verdict on Island Fiel Surf

I would book this lesson if you want a focused first taste of surfing in Honolulu, especially if personal coaching and included photos matter more to you than a long session. The combination of two students per instructor, equipment provided, paddle assistance, and a real safety briefing gives the hour a clear purpose.

I would hesitate only if you need a full half-day in the water, dislike physical activity, or want professional video included in the base price. The optional GoPro packages are extra, and the actual water time is shorter than the total one-hour appointment.

For everyone else, this is a practical choice for a small group, a couple, or a solo beginner who wants direct help. Book at least a few days ahead, leave room in your Oahu schedule for weather, and decide before arrival if the free photos are enough or if you want to pay for a video upgrade.

FAQ

Where does the surf lesson meet?

The meeting point is Pau Hana Sailing at 1651 Ala Moana Boulevard, Honolulu, Hawaii 96815. The activity ends back at the same location.

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts approximately one hour. About 5 minutes are used to prepare your equipment, followed by a 10 to 15 minute land demonstration. Ocean time begins when you enter the water.

Who teaches the lesson?

The owner, Eddie Fiel, provides instruction, along with instructor Johnny Noel. The instructors have more than 10 years of surfing experience and knowledge of local waves.

How many students are assigned to each instructor?

The lesson is designed for two students per instructor. The activity itself is private, so only your group participates.

What equipment is included?

The price includes an NSP surfboard, an Excel dry-suit top or rash guard, comfortable reef shoes, and a secured locker for your belongings.

Are photos or videos included?

Free photos are included. GoPro footage is available for an additional $39.99 by email, $49.99 with an SD card, or $74.99 for a YouTube edit.

What happens if the weather is poor?

The experience requires good weather. If it is canceled because of poor conditions, you can choose a different date or receive a full refund. You can also cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund.