Quick Details
SUP Guest
Priced per person
$ 75
Lesson Rating
Reeds Bay is one of the most protected spots on Hilo’s coast. It is still the ocean, so light wind or small ripples can show up. Our instructors check conditions every morning and make the call.
Book at your level. Check the rating and the local weather before you book. Be honest about your experience.
About the Lesson
One hour, calm water, and you standing up by the end. Reeds Bay sits just down the road from our shop, tucked behind Banyan Drive. The water is sheltered, which makes it the best place in Hilo to learn.
Your instructor starts on shore with safety, balance, and how to hold the paddle. Then you get on the board and build up one step at a time: kneeling, standing, paddling, turning. You also learn how to fall and climb back on, because everyone does.
Once you have it, you paddle along the Banyan Drive shoreline with ocean views and a little local history from your instructor.
Price & What’s Included
SUP Lesson
$75
Lesson Includes
- Instructor, small group
- Paddleboard, paddle, leash, and life jacket
- On-shore safety and technique briefing
- A full hour of coached time on the water
Got the Hang of It?
Take it on a tour. The Wailoa River SUP paddles to the King Kamehameha statue.
Want to go on your own?
Rent a board by the day with our SUP rentals.
Ready to stand up?
Pick your date. One hour is all it takes.
What You’ll Learn
- How to launch safely from shore
- How to stand, balance, and move with the board
- Basic paddle strokes and turning
- How to fall safely and get back on
- How to stay in control in light wind and small ripples
- Simple ocean awareness for paddling on your own
Requirements & What to Bring
Requirements
- No experience needed.
- Minors paddle with a parent or guardian.
- Comfortable in the water. You may fall in, and that is part of learning.
What to Bring
- Swimsuit or quick-dry clothes
- Water shoes or sandals that can get wet
- Hat, sunglasses, and reef-safe sunscreen
- Towel and dry clothes for after
- Reusable water bottle
- Phone in a waterproof case with a lanyard (we sell cases at the shop)
Lesson Details
- Meet: At our shop, 1717 Kamehameha Ave. Reeds Bay is just down the road.
- Duration: 1 hour.
- Where: Reeds Bay, along Banyan Drive.
- Water: Sheltered bay. Usually calm.
What You’ll See
Here is what guests commonly see during the lesson.
- The sheltered water of Reeds Bay.
- The Banyan Drive shoreline.
- Reef fish along the rocky edges.
- Honu, sometimes, resting or swimming through the bay.
- Seabirds over the water.
Give honu their space.
Stay at least 10 feet away and never touch them.
FAQs
I have never paddleboarded. Is this for me?
Yes. This lesson is built for first timers. Your instructor starts on shore and walks you through every step.
What if I fall in?
You probably will, and that is part of learning. You wear a leash and a life jacket, the bay is calm, and your instructor teaches you how to climb back on.
Will I actually stand up?
Most people do by the end of the hour. If not, kneeling is still paddleboarding, and you will still have a great time.
What should I do after the lesson?
Take your new skills on the Wailoa River SUP, or rent a board and explore on your own.
What if the weather is bad?
Our instructors check conditions before every lesson. If it is not safe, we do not go, and we will work with you to reschedule.