Frequently Asked Questions
Read below for some answers to common questions before surf lessons.
Where Do We Meet?
We typically teach surf lessons at Haleiwa Beach Park in Haleiwa, HI. The surf break that we normally paddle out at is called Puena Point and it is one of the best all-around beginner waves on Oahu.
In order to provide the best waves for your lessons, we occasionally teach lessons at alternate locations on the North Shore, such as Chun’s Reef or Laniakea. (If possible, we will contact you before your lesson to let you know if we will be meeting at an alternate location.)
Below is a map with a marker on our normal tent location. We know that finding your way around an unfamiliar place can be confusing sometimes, so if you have any trouble at all, please call us at (808) 783-8657 and we will help you out!
Sunset Suratt Surf Academy
What Should I Bring?
We’ll provide your surfboard, leash, rash guard and instructor, and we even have a photographer available if you’d like photos. There are a few things that you might also want to bring along, as well, however, to make sure that you have the best time possible:
- Towel
- Sunscreen
- Swimsuit or boardshorts
If you’re feeling anxious about your first surf lesson, we’ll take care of you. You don’t need too much extra equipment; just bring your swimsuit or board shorts and get ready to have a great time!
Is Parking Safe?
Parking is generally safe where we teach surf lessons and we can hold your keys for you while you’re out in the water. Like anyplace else, we would recommend keeping valuables and other items back at a hotel or other secure place just to avoid any mishaps.
What If I Want To Change My Reservation?
We know plans sometimes change while on vacation. If you need to change your reservation (or even cancel), just let us know and we’ll give you a full refund.
How Early Should I Arrive Before My Lesson?
We would recommend arriving a little early (perhaps 15 minutes), if you can. Traffic can sometimes cause delays, so plan ahead and get there a little ahead of time. That way we can get you signed in and you’ll be ready to go when your lesson starts.
What If I’d Like To Write A Review?
We really appreciate reviews. If you would like to recommend us, the most popular sites we are found on are TripAdvisor, Yelp and Google. If you have feedback or concerns and would like to contact us, we’ll do everything we can to help you. Thanks for helping others to find us!
Ready To Surf?
Getting started is easy. Book online and you'll have your lesson or tour all set up for when you arrive!
Our family of 6 split into two groups for surfing and paddle boarding over thanksgiving week. Dad and the two older kids 16, 14 went surfing with Jax and Joel (our guides). Mom and the littles 10,12 went paddle boarding with Mark and another guide. We were concerned that about our 12 year old paddle boarding due to the fact she recently had a leg cast removed. Mark was great and modified her board so she would be more stable in the water. No problems, paddle boarding with the turtles was Mom’s highlight of our trip. Surfing with the two guides was a blast. Nobody had ever surfed before and all 3 of us were standing up by midway in our lesson. Joel and Jax were always right there coaching us through the whole process and giving us encouragement. Photos were taken for us so we didn’t miss a shot. Excellent organization. I highly recommend these guys.
Ratings. Are Important
02:58 01 Nov 18
Very fun for the family! We had the kids, youngest is 8. I was a bit worried about safety, but they have a good system of how they keep track of everyone and a 3:1 ratio. Everyone was able to stand up pretty quickly and the instructors were very good - friendly with great instructions. I think their price point is a bit higher than others, but I can't compare the quality. Definitely happy we did it and appreciated the team!read more
Georgia Jean
19:55 27 Nov 18
We had the most amazing experience with Bryan and his team! Our youngest was 10, our oldest 18 with everyone else in between. EVERYONE got up and surfed! It was so awesome!! Our only regret was not doing it the first day we got to Oahu! Christinaread more
Sarah Noller
00:29 07 Nov 18
The instructors were great! I was up and surfing right away with no prior experience. I highly recommended this surf school! It is so worth it!
Cody D'Ambrosio
13:20 13 Aug 18
Awesome awesome awesome! For first time surfers on honeymoon, we were both able to get up and ride the waves! The instructors were super helpful and made it feel easy and doable. Definitely a must-do in Oahu!
Jordan Holloway
05:45 26 Jan 19
Uncle Bryan’s surf lessons provided the best experience my family had while on vacation. We were all novices and this was our first time surfing. Uncle Bryan was a wealth of knowledge of the north shore and surfing in general. Our instructors were also top notch. They played to each individuals strengths and made sure they got the best waves possible. We all can’t wait to come back and surf again, all thanks to Uncle Bryan and our instructors.read more
Dirk Lewis
17:21 11 Mar 19
Great staff and perfect location for learning to surf. We were worried about the wind and high surf warning but the location was protected and had slow rolling waves perfect for beginners and out of shape tourists. The owners son was way cool and helpful. He even took my 5 year old out and caught a wave with him. It has been the highlight of his trip, he keeps rubbing it in to his big brother. These guys are great. Be careful who you pick to teach you also. There were some instructors on the beach that were super high and it was not weed (tweeker) all of our instructors had it together and had us surfing first wave we caught.read more
Bobby Marchenese
15:15 11 Jan 19
Lisa was fantastic helping setup my lesson and giving us suggestions on what to do the rest of the day. She even sat with my wife and daughter on the beach during my entire lesson and talked with them. She has a warm and welcoming peraonality. Chris, the instructor was great, thanks for your time! Great experience, highly recommend!read more
Michael W
23:49 26 Mar 19
A great time. Called Uncle Bryan at 7am and they scheduled my ten year old son a lesson. We showed up, they were organized and personable and I decided spur of the moment to get a lesson as well. Skylar was great, as was Bryan's son who was one of the other instructors. In fact, they all rocked. There were kids of all ages. Instructors managed to help get them all up multiple times.read more
ocean roayle
03:32 06 Apr 19
Amazing location right at a great beginner surf break. Bryan is lovely, chill and very professional surf instructor with a host of great staff. Bring plenty of aloha spirit in return. I took my friends here to learn to surf on vacation. They were up and surfing after just an hour of water time. Would definitely bring them back again. Thanks Bryan and instructors!read more
Alex Gleeson
07:24 11 Apr 19
Great morning on the water for my first surfing lesson with Instructor Schuyler at Pua’ena Point Beach Park. His instructions were easy and informative. I had no trouble getting up on my first wave. I highly recommend this friendly and professional outfit for those new to surfing or looking to improve.read more
Tracy & Joel Van Camp
00:06 13 Apr 19
We scheduled with a different surf company who cancelled us at the last minute. Called Bryan’s, Linda told us to go right over. We did. Met Bryan he put us in a lesson immediately. The guys were great at coaching. We were up and surfing in no time. MAHALO Bryan, Crew, Skylar and the others!read more
Mike B
02:39 19 May 19
Top notch instruction - Mike Jackson is a local who not only gets you up on a board but goes further and teaches you safety, etiquette, and key focal points on what to look for when you are out on your own. Have not had such a natural high in quite some time; still smiling from ear to ear from today's experience. Thanks for the time Mike.read more
Brianna Almeida
21:48 20 May 19
Uncle Bryan was AMAZING!!!!! He was the sweetest and brought all of us flowers to wear in our hair that he picked from his own home. He showed us the boards and they worked perfectly! It was an amazing experience and his hospitality made it 100000x more enjoyable! When we called him he met us at the beach quickly and got us our boards and on the water in no time. When we left he hugged us and it just felt like we were part of his own family. I have never met a business owner that has welcomed and helped his clients as much as Uncle Bryan. He is the absolute definition of the aloha spirit. I would recommend him without hesitation. If you are looking for an amazing experience, great pricing and the aloha experience he is your guy!!!!read more
Parker Davis
17:41 17 Jul 19
Best part of our vacation... Many thanks to Bryan and his team for providing a great family lesson with kids aged 9, 7, and even 3! Will definitely go again next time we travel to Oahu.
Justin Ashford
15:33 03 Aug 19
Uncle Bryan and his team were fantastic. They helped my boys learn to get up on their boards and ride a handful of waves during our lesson. They paid special attention to my youngest to make sure he was safe at all times. My boys had a blast and will hopefully remember this experience for years. I highly recommend this team and this activity if you're visiting the North Shore!read more
Jeremy Wright
18:34 12 Aug 19
Absolutely loved learning to surf with Uncle Bryan's crew. One of the best mornings of my life. Highly recommend!
Brian Smith
04:49 21 Aug 19
Fantastic 1st experience for my kids (8 and 5). The staff was kind and professional, really made an effort to ensure their first surfing experience was about confidence building and fun. Look forward to our next lesson, definitely recommend Uncle Bryan's!read more
Liana Demaret
02:38 23 Sep 19
Uncle Brian and his crew are the best instructors to learn how to surf. They made you feel comfortable and safe all while having a blast! They were a highlight of our visit to the North Shore! Chad and Mckanna made you laugh and were super enthusiastic about all skill levels!read more
Clark Ijl
23:52 03 Oct 19
Uncle Bryan and Skylar are absolutely a joy to be around. Skylar was by far the best instructor I've had surfing all over the world. He made sure my sister had a great first experience surfing. Thank you so much Skylar!
Brandy Kaufman
23:24 06 Dec 19
Uncle Brian's came highly recommended from a planning group. My husband and father in law took lessons with Chad, and had a great time even though the waves were not the best. Uncle Brian was so kind and welcoming when we arrived and helped set my mother in law, myself and my 3 daughters up to watch the guys surf. One of the guys even took my 2 oldest, 4 and5 out to catch a quick wave. Totally made their day. We could not have had a better experience and will definitely remember this experience.read more
Cory Shiraishi
04:07 04 Jan 20
Really great instructors and team here. I was in a group lesson where there were a few families and a handful of the kids didn't speak English, and they handled the group really well! Everyone had a lot of fun. During the group lesson I worked mostly with one of the instructors and he did a fantastic job. I learned a lot and was able to catch a wave on my own a few times during the lesson because of the good, personalized advice he gave. I'd highly recommend Uncle Bryan's to beginning surfers.read more
Stefan Lems
20:59 09 Jan 20
We booked a private session for 2 days, our coach Crew was awesome and managed that we got every wave. Very laidback vibe and professional. This year we come back and go back 100% to Uncle Brian and his crew.
Len Parker
23:35 14 Jan 20
They make you feel like one of their family while also giving excellent instruction customized to your own experience and comfort level. Best choice if you're shopping for surfing lessons!!
John Runcie
22:46 21 Jan 20
Really appreciated the 2 hour session with the team. My wife and I were up with some assistance and understanding the basics. We would take another lesson with the team!
Daneen Haba
23:16 01 Feb 20
Had the best time surfing with Uncle B..this was an experience we will never forget! My husband and I try to surf every time we travel.. best lesson by far (we have had about 10) Not to mention, we looked our best thus far.. we rode every wave we tried thanks to our awesome instruction!! This has never happened before and my hubby finally looked (more like) a pro! Our instructor even made the rest breaks fun, filled with local stories and fine tuning our technique. He genuinely wanted our experience to be the best possible. We will definitely seek out Uncle Bryan’s the next time we are in Hawaii. Great price for a great experience! I hate that I can’t remember our instructors name, I think it was Chad!! I hope so, shout out to chad!read more
Karl kosse
02:48 06 Feb 20
I had a morning ride. The waves were great. My instructor was awesome. I am a first time surfer. Bryan provided off shore instructions. In the water I was up on my first attempt. It was great. After two hours I felt I was ready for 20 foot waves! Could not have been better, highly recommended.!read more
Boo Rigney
18:43 08 Feb 20
This is absolutely the best option for learning to surf. Our instructor was Mike J. and he was very experienced being a top surfer is whole life plus a great instructor. The price was about half of what another shop in town was charging as well. The location for the surfing is protected so very friendly for beginning to learn.read more
Francois Royer Mireault
09:21 02 Dec 14
Awesome experience. These guys will hook you up. Coach Joel was the best.
Mayra Bravo
05:08 05 Oct 21
5+ stars to this amazing surf school! I had no knowledge on how to surf. Our teacher was patient, answered all our questions and most importantly made sure we were SAFE and picked waves that were within our boundaries. Everything you need and should look for in a surf school. Thank you so much for this amazing experience!🐢read more
Meredith Dresko
23:37 21 Jul 21
We happened to stop at the beach and got chatting with Uncle Bryan, who offered to take our 8 year old for a ride just for fun. Uncle Bryan was incredible - warm, knowledgeable, safe, generous. His little good deed created the best moment of vacation for our son, and whet his palate for more!read more
Jeremy Becker
22:56 07 Jul 21
Ina and Nalu were amazing. They worked so hard to make it easy and fun for us. As beginners we were able to ride waves in continuously for a couple hours. It was worth the money and would do it again if I get to come back.
dan warnez
05:59 16 Oct 21
Excellent experience on the North Shore. I had never surfed before and these guys had me on waves in no time.
Amanda Basse
18:07 16 May 21
We had so much fun on our lesson we immediately booked the following day for more surfing. I took my kids (11&6) and our instructors, Ricky and Kai, were great. My 6 yr old can be timid and Ricky was so patient and was able to get my 6 yr old riding waves. Both instructors are knowledgeable and hustled out there to be sure both kids had a great experience.read more
Wendy Weber
17:17 24 Jun 22
INCREDIBLE! Kai & Cru were fantastic! My 7yo got up on her first try! My 5yo had a blast riding tandem. They were so patient and helpful. We were nervous to let the kids be without life jackets so they provided them. We will definitely do this again on our next trip!Definitely pay to get the pictures!!! Fernando got almost 200 pics of our family of 4. Memories we could never have captured on our own.read more
Ireland Guthrie
07:48 31 May 22
So so so so amazing!!! All the workers were kind, efficient, and good at their jobs. I was nervous but excited after not surfing for 10 years but they were very helpful and I got out and caught some waves 🙂 also saw turtles which just added on the experience! 10/10 and I would definitely recommend this place as you spent 99% in the actual water and practicing!! Definitely want to go again next time I’m in Oahu (also there was this metal 13 yr old (idk his name :() who helped paddle all the time when I was tired so I appreciated it so much) I had an absolute blastread more
Karen Roberts
19:24 13 Jul 22
Uncle Bryan’s surf school was excellent. Safe. Great communication. Excellent, encouraging and enthusiastic instructors. It is definitely a must do. My 4 kids had a blast!!will definitely do this again.
Toshi Barnes
01:18 31 Mar 22
Awesome experience! Cru got me situated upon arrival and gave me a lot of cool info about the area and the surf school’s history. My instructor Kai did an awesome job of teaching me and ensuring I was having a good time! I ended up coming back the next day to rent a board on my own- which speaks to the level of coaching I received the previous day! I also witnessed interactions/coaching with younger kids and their team did a great job. On my second day, I met Uncle Bryan and his stories and experiences are amazing. I recommend this for everyone- they will get you addicted to surfing 🤙read more
Eileen Oblea
01:30 28 Jun 22
Uncle Bryan is the most friendly person. He didn't book a lesson but he took the time to explain and inform us. All his customers returned happy and satisfied and all his staff was very friendly.
Melissa Przywara
01:45 09 Aug 22
I can’t say enough about Uncle Bryan’s surf lessons. Chris was our instructor. He was amazing. He kept things simple, gave great advice/tips out in the ocean to insure success for everyone. He was amazing! As much as we all loved the surfing, we loved Uncle Bryan even more! If you don’t take 15 minutes out of your visit to spend time talking to him, you will truly miss out. He is so authentic, lives and breathes the Ohana spirit you always hear about, and makes everyone feel so special. He is a true Hawaiian gem!!read more
Denise Garrison
18:30 19 Aug 22
I had an amazing first experience. I got up on my very first try. I was shocked at how simple they went over the instructions. Definitely would recommend water shoes to protect against the reef but other than that my two instructors were top notch and would definitely rebook again!read more
Jenny Kirchoff
17:17 13 Aug 22
Fernando was an amazing instructor my husband and son. They both got up a few times with pretty low waves. They enjoyed his knowledge and support! Highly recommended. It was my teenage sons favorite part of our trip.
Rob Duffy
02:19 13 Aug 22
Called last minute and got an appointment no problem. The instructors were the best. Extremely qualified and helpful. My 9yo and 13yo had an experience of a lifetime surfing the north shore.
Kari Hollifield
00:22 27 Dec 22
Uncle Bryans was the absolute best!!! All the instructors were nice and very good at what they do. Our family has never surfed before and when we get back to Hawaii, we will definitely be using them again! Our daughter was so scared so we paid extra for a tandem instructor and it was worth it! We were in Hawaii for 10 days and we all agree that this was our favorite activity!!!!!!!!read more
Amanda Thornton
05:46 29 Dec 22
This was an AMAZING experience! The instructors were very professional and took the safety of their students seriously.I was skeptical about what could be accomplished in a beginner 2 hour block of instruction. We were amazed at how quickly all participants in the group progressed from the "boogie board" waves and were able to surf the more advanced area by the end of the class.Uncle Bryan made a point to interact with us and share his incredible stories. This meant so much to our family.We have recommended this experience to everyone we interact with!Our 13 year old said this was the highlight of her vacation! Thank you so much for creating such a wonderful opportunity ❤️read more
Jazmyn Rodwell
01:40 09 Dec 22
Terrific surf school, all instructors made the lesson so easy and enjoyable. Uncle Bryan was so helpful booking over the phone and the others were nothing but lovely in the water. Would definitely recommend to others!! Option to have photos taken was also cool!read more