Stand-Up Paddle Surf School Testimonials

Maria,

Thanks so much for the pictures! It's really fun to see them now that we're home.
I was curious about paddleboarding so my partner and I booked a lesson with Maria on Maui's north end. Maria started by having us do warm-up exercises on the beach, which seemed a little silly until we got on the paddleboards. Once we were on our boards, I could appreciate why she'd had us warm up the way we did. Her technical knowledge of paddleboarding is extraordinary, as is her understanding of physiology. I found the combination of standing up and getting the paddling right pretty challenging and Maria was great about staying with me and guiding me through it. I had surf lessons with other instructors on another part of Maui during the week and those lessons didn't compare to Maria's depth of knowledge about paddleboarding. If you're interested, I'd highly recommend Maria!

Thanks again,
Emily Sinclair
Aug,09,2009

Maria,

My grandson Noah (age 9) decided he wanted to try stand up paddling, so he ran and got Maria's brochure. I called her and fortunately for Noah she was able to take him at Maliko Gulch Bay the next day.

Maria arrived with everything she needed for a lesson. She is very thorough. She stresses safety first, wind direction, things to keep in mind when out there. Before you get out there she limbers you up with stretching and balancing exercises. She also reminds you not to go any farther than you want to swim back! She told Noah exactly what they were going to do, got him on her board, got him standing up and paddling! After coaching him on her board, she put him on his board. Off he went! We were so proud and he was too! She was devoted totally to Noah during his lesson. I highly recommend Maria's class to anyone of any age. She is a pro at what she does! The last thing she tells you is "respect the ocean and it will respect you, and take three pieces of trash with you when you leave". She is a wonderful person!

Sally & Noah
July 08,2009

Ohio, Oct.7 2008 -

“Great activity for those looking for something a little different”
Maria Souza's Stand-Up Paddle Boarding School

My wife and I took a lesson with Maria in late September 2008, on West Maui. The lesson consisted of some limbering warm-ups on the beach, some instruction on the beach and a bunch of on-water instruction and practice. Maria is a good instructor and we had a very good experience with her. She accepts some credit cards.

Maria is adept at working with one's native skill, or lack thereof, and getting the most of the time on the water. This was our first attempt at stand up paddle surfing and we found it engaging and fun. Maria is charming, talented and impressive. She brought all the equipment to the park where we met her, on West Maui. We came down from Ka'anapali, approximately 20 minutes away. We had the waves to ourselves and consequently had plenty of room to paddle, turn around and catch waves. Her mother took photos of us from the shore and kept tabs on our shoes and towels and car keys while we were on the water.

I would highly recommend Maria if you are interested in trying this sport. I also believe she might be available for surfing lessons, as she is a highly skilled surfer.

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Toronto, Sep 8, 2008
I have never been compelled to write a hotel review, until I visited the Paia Inn. Although opening just a few months ago, it is already as polished and professional as a luxury hotel chain, with extremely personable and helpful staff. The inn is beautifully decorated with a high-end, beachstyle feel. We met the owner personally, who took the time to show us around, invite us to a party he was throwing and even set us up with a fantastic paddle surf session with Maria Souza (standuppaddlesurfschool.com), the first woman to ever tow in to the powerful waves of "Jaws". You will not be disappointed with your stay at the Paia Inn - it is located in central Paia, close to great stores and restaurants.

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