QUICK ANSWER
Outrigger Canoe Surfing by Waikiki Beach Services: 20-40 Minutes – Ages 5+ -“Hoe Ka Wa’a!” (Paddle the Canoe!).
Price: $48.00 (Rider) · confirm current rates at booking
Duration: 0.5 hours
Island: Oahu
Best for: Anyone who wants to surf a wave without having to stand on a board. Two certified canoe captains steer while you paddle. 30 minutes, ages 5 and up, minimum three people
Booking: instant confirmation.
WHAT THE OUTRIGGER CANOE SURFING INVOLVES
Waikīkī Beach is currently the only place where a visitor can experience the thrill of surfing a wave on an outrigger canoe. Minimum of 3 participants needed. Additional Information:
– Up to 6 participants per canoe; minimum of 3 needed for canoe surfing. Ages 5+ welcome – parent or guardian must be present to hold child during the ride and must provide own lifejacket or floatation device.
HOW IT RUNS
You meet at Waikīkī Beach Services Royal Hawaiian, 2259 Kalākaua Ave, Honolulu, HI, 96815. All swimming and paddling abilities also welcome. Life jackets for adults are available upon request. The canoe operates under the guidance of two certified Canoe Captains, who will assist guests with paddling and navigating thru the surf. Your group will paddle out to the surfbreak and get in the line up to catch some waves.
PRICING
$48.00 per rider for outrigger canoe surfing; $400 for a private canoe charter of up to six riders. Verified against FareHarbor, August 2026. Confirm current rates at booking, as seasonal pricing and group discounts change.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
– Things to Remember
Please bring your own towel and sunscreen and leave valuables at home.
– All guests must e-fill the emailed Waiver Form prior to the activity and will have their temperature scanned before the activity date/time.
– Arrive in swimwear – you will get wet
– No experience needed; the crew steers and calls the paddling
– Suitable for most ages, though minimums apply
– Cancellation: If you wish to change or cancel your booking, please submit your request via e-mail to info@waikikibeachservices.com at least 48 hours before an activity/rental. No-shows
WHO IT IS FOR
People who want the feeling of catching a wave without the balance problem – and Waikiki Beach is currently the only place a visitor can do this at all. You paddle out to the surf break in an outrigger canoe carrying up to six people, sit in the line-up, and ride waves in with two certified Canoe Captains steering and calling the paddling. All swimming and paddling abilities are welcome, which makes it the most accessible wave-riding activity on this site: no pop-up, no board skills, nothing to learn beforehand. Minimum three participants, maximum six per canoe. Children from age 5 can ride, but a parent or guardian must be in the canoe holding them and must bring their own lifejacket or flotation device. Adult life jackets are available on request. You meet at Waikiki Beach Services at the Royal Hawaiian, 2259 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815.
Consider instead: if there are fewer than three of you, or you want the canoe to yourselves, the private canoe charter is $400 for the whole canoe for an hour with no minimum number of riders. If you would rather learn to surf a board, Waikiki Beach Services teach one-to-one from age 5 at $150.
CANOE SURFING OR AN OUTRIGGER CANOE RIDE?
The two names describe the same 20 to 40 minutes on the water. You paddle out from Waikiki Beach in a six-person outrigger canoe with two certified canoe captains steering, wait in the line-up, and ride waves back towards the sand. People searching for a Waikiki outrigger canoe ride, an outrigger boat ride or canoe surfing all end up here, because Waikiki Beach is the only place a visitor can surf a wave in an outrigger canoe.
WHAT IT COSTS
– Shared canoe surfing: $48.00 per rider, minimum three riders, up to six per canoe
– Private canoe charter: $400.00 for the canoe for one hour, up to six riders (about $66.67 each with a full canoe)
Both leave from Waikiki Beach Services at the Royal Hawaiian, 2259 Kalakaua Avenue.
WHY PEOPLE PICK THE CANOE OVER A SURF LESSON
A surf lesson asks you to paddle, pop up and balance. The canoe asks you to hold on and paddle when told. That makes it the one wave-riding activity in Waikiki that works for mixed groups: grandparents, nervous swimmers and children from age five ride the same canoe, and nobody has to stand up. Adult life jackets are available on request, and a parent or guardian must ride alongside a child with their own flotation device.
BROWSE MORE
More Oahu surf lessons and board rentals are here, alongside the wider Oahu collection. Planning ahead? Read whether to learn in Waikiki or on the North Shore. Planning ahead? Read our guide to choosing between private and group surf lessons. Want a wave without a surf lesson? See outrigger canoes, bodyboarding and surf dogs on Oahu. Also see our guide to Oahu with kids, by age.
