Punta Cana: Macao Beach Private Surf Lessons & Pickup

4.93

(149 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We stepped onto Macao Beach just as the sun was starting to climb — not too hot yet, but you could already smell the salt and sunscreen in the air. I’d seen photos before, but standing there, board under my arm and sand sneaking into my sandals, it felt different. Our surf instructor, Luis, grinned and handed out rashguards (he called them “sun armor” — I laughed because mine was way too big). The waves looked both inviting and kind of intimidating. There was this mix of excitement and nerves buzzing around our little group, like we were all quietly hoping not to wipe out too badly.

Before we even touched the water, Luis ran us through a safety talk on the sand. He had this way of making everything sound simple — “Just pop up like you’re getting out of bed!” he said, which made me snort because I am not a morning person. But his energy was contagious. When we finally paddled out, the water was warm and clear enough that you could see your toes dangling off the board. My first attempt? Total flop. Swallowed half the ocean. But Luis cheered anyway (“That’s progress!”) and honestly, it helped shake off the embarrassment. The private surf lesson setup meant he was right there every time I tried again — sometimes steadying my board or just shouting encouragement over the crash of waves.

I caught my first real wave about halfway through. It wasn’t graceful (arms everywhere), but for a few seconds I stood up and felt that weird mix of panic and pure joy. There’s something about hearing your own laugh echo over the water while strangers on shore clap for you — it sticks with you longer than you expect. Afterward, we rinsed off in the showers by their surf shack (which has surprisingly good WiFi for uploading those awkward wipeout videos). If you bring someone who doesn’t want to surf, they can just chill under an umbrella or walk along the beach — one woman in our shuttle did just that and ended up befriending a local vendor selling fresh coconut slices.