Such an awesome surfing experience! I'm a complete beginner and I was scared expecting the water to be freezing cold, but the wetsuits really do keep you warm in the water. Felt like wearing a superhero suit. Our instructor Ali was super cool. He guided us, starting with an acknowledgment of tribal land, safety & mindfulness tips for the ocean, and then taught us the "banana-cobra-chicken wing" technique for surfing waves. Very fun lesson. Then we got to get in the water and surf the next hour and half, which involved steady waves, plenty camera worthy wipe outs, low tides & high spirits. Ali was always there to give personalized tips, and by the end I successfully rode a few waves! Surfing in Tofino was definitely the highlight of my family's New Years Canada trip. I promise you'll have a blast no matter what level of surfer you are. Thank you Ali & Swell Tofino!

I had THE best time! I had never surfed before, so was a little worried. But felt comfortable and safe straight away. Kitted up with everything I needed with a friendly team then we met Albie the instructor at the beach who was absolutely awesome. I'm not a natural surfer so was happy to just keep trying and had such a fun time along the way; I did manage to stand a couple of times- falling in isn't scary and you are well looked after. What a beautiful beach too! I would highly recommend even if you've never tried before, SO much fun and amazing to be in the water in a new way in safe hands with the instructor! 😊

We came to Tofino to get a great surf lesson, and Swell definitely delivered. As a group of beginners we were guided by amazing instructors. We had a good introduction first on the shore, to get familiar with the moves and board and then they guided us to the shallow water. Instructors were helping us with tips and we all managed to ride the waves. We had a lot of fun and we definitely recommend Swell, if you want to rent a surf or get a lesson. We are coming back for more in the summer!

Had an amazing lesson with Ali and the weather was incredible. Aron at the shop was super helpful with getting us set up with our wet suits. Larger size selection would be nice. Otherwise it was an experience to forever brag and laugh about.

We signed up our 14 year old son for lessons via Hotel Zed during our stay in Tofino. Danny was an excellent instructor and an overall great guy. By the time the session was done, my son was progressing very quickly and had an amazing time surfing at Cox Bay Beach. Would 100% recommend Swell for surfing lessons. The staff was stellar, as well.

My brother and I had a great time ripping those Pacific waves, with our instructor Ali. He made sure we were comfortable, since it was a drizzly day. He is very knowledgeable and doesn’t hesitate to share and give tips and tricks. He made sure every penny you spent was worth it. Kudos Ali and Swell!!

These guys were amazing! I took a private lesson and had very specific things I wanted to focus on. They made an effort to understand where I was in my surf journey, acknowledged where I wanted to grow and tailored my lesson with the appropriate instructor, approach, and boards to try out! I 100% came off the water a more skilled and confident surfer. Thanks, Swell!

Had the best time learning to surf with Swell!! Joe was my instructor and he was very engaging and helpful. The Swell staff easily hooked me up with a rental board and a soft top rack to surf again in the morning for a very fair price that I couldn’t resist. Would go here again!! Thanks!

Experience was great start to finish. All staff, from the shop to the beach, were friendly and patient with us as beginners. Things were well organized and ran smoothly. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a surfing experience in Tofino.

We had such a great time with Swell! We were a new surfer and another with a little experience, but no formal lessons. It was a pleasure from the start with super friendly crew and awesome instructor, Aaron. The quality, timing and pace of instruction from the beach to the water was excellent. The wetsuits and boards were in great condition. We'll definitely be returning to rent gear from Swell and highly recommend getting lessons with them!