Private Surf Class with Certified Instructor in Cartagena

Cartagena’s best introduction to surfing may be less about standing on a board and more about learning how to read the ocean with confidence. In a private 90-minute lesson, Hugo Gonzalez Chalela builds the class around your pace, from basic safety and board control to the first satisfying push into a wave.

I like the personal coaching and the clear, positive feedback after each attempt. I also like that Ohana’s work reaches beyond tourists, with lesson income helping local children learn to surf. The main consideration is simple: waves and weather control the day, and 90 minutes in the water can feel short if you are having a great time.

Key points to know before booking

• Private instruction: Your group has the coach’s full attention rather than sharing a general class with strangers.
• Patient teaching: Hugo is praised for calm instruction, encouragement, and useful corrections after each wave.
• Good for first-timers: Beginners have stood on their first wave quickly, though progress still depends on conditions and fitness.
• Longboard-first approach: A stable longboard is used to build control before moving to a smaller board.
• Morning start: Meet at 8:00 am at Restaurante Punta las Velas Club de Playa in El Laguito.
• Weather matters: Poor conditions can lead to a rescheduled session or a full refund.

Starting at Punta las Velas in El Laguito

Your lesson begins at 8:00 am at Restaurante Punta las Velas Club de Playa, located at CRA 1 DIAGO 1 A 80 in El Laguito, Cartagena. The activity also finishes there, which keeps the morning simple. You do not need to arrange a second meeting point or find your way back from a distant beach.

The location is near public transportation, another practical advantage if you are staying elsewhere in Cartagena. Confirmation arrives when you book, so you can plan your morning around a fixed start rather than waiting for last-minute details.

An early start makes sense for a surf class. You have the full morning ahead of you, and a morning lesson leaves time for breakfast afterward, a rest by the pool, or more sightseeing in the old city. The early hour may be less appealing if you prefer slow holiday mornings, but it is part of making the most of a water activity in Cartagena.

This is a private activity, so only your group participates. That matters more here than it would on a standard walking tour. Surfing requires repeated attempts, and you benefit from having the instructor watch your stance, timing, and balance instead of giving broad instructions to a large class.

What Hugo teaches before you reach the waves

The lesson is built around more than simply pushing a board toward shore. Hugo’s coaching covers the basic foundation you need to begin safely, including board handling, positioning, timing, and the physical steps involved in getting to your feet.

I appreciate that the instruction is described as both safety-focused and constructive. A first surf lesson can feel awkward. You may spend more time falling than standing, and the right coach can keep those falls from becoming discouraging. Hugo’s teaching style relies on short corrections and steady encouragement, helping you make one adjustment at a time.

You can expect instruction to be adapted to your experience. Complete beginners receive the basics, while someone who has surfed before can work on technique and confidence. A returning surfer who had earlier fears about getting back on a board credited Hugo with making the session feel safe enough to stand again.

The class also reflects Hugo’s wider approach to surfing. He has studied different methods, including therapeutic surfing, and treats the ocean as a place for physical learning and personal confidence. That does not turn the class into a formal therapy session, but it suggests a thoughtful teaching style for people who feel nervous around waves.

The longboard is your first useful tool

For a first lesson, stability matters more than looking stylish. The class begins with a longboard because its size gives you a better platform for learning balance, paddling, and standing.

One participant hoped to use a smaller board but was advised to build more control on the longboard first. That is sound instruction. A shorter board can be less forgiving, and moving too soon may turn a promising first session into a struggle with balance.

This approach also explains why progress can look different from person to person. You may stand quickly on a stable board, but that does not mean you are ready for every board or condition. The goal is to develop a base you can carry into later sessions.

If you have surfed before, tell Hugo what you already know. The class is private, so there is room to explain your goals. You might want help with standing, wave timing, or confidence rather than a full introduction. The more clearly you explain that at the start, the more useful the coaching can be.

Catching your first waves

The heart of the session comes when you take the board into the water and try to apply the lesson. This is where private teaching earns its keep. Hugo can watch each attempt, point out what changed, and give you a new focus before the next wave.

Several parts of the instruction are especially useful for a beginner:

• Keep your attention on the timing of the wave, not just on standing up.
• Use the larger board to build balance and control.
• Treat each attempt as information, even when you fall.
• Listen for one correction at a time so the lesson does not become confusing.
• Take short breaks when you need to recover and reset.

The class is not a promise that every person will ride a long wave. Surfing depends on the day, your balance, your comfort in the water, and how quickly your body responds to the instructions. Still, the teaching is designed to help you get on the board and make real progress during the first session.

That possibility is a major reason to book. First-time surfers have described standing on the first or second attempt, while others caught many waves during the hour and a half. Those outcomes suggest that the class can produce a satisfying first taste of surfing, but you should still arrive with realistic expectations.

Why the private format is worth $60

The price is $60 per person for about 90 minutes. I see the value mainly in the one-to-one or one-group coaching, not simply in the time spent holding a surfboard.

A shared lesson may cost less, but you could spend more time waiting while an instructor helps someone else. In a private session, your attempts become the center of the class. If you learn quickly, Hugo can give you more technical advice. If you need longer to feel comfortable, he can slow things down without holding up a larger group.

The class also includes the benefit of a coach who offers feedback throughout the session. The instruction does not end with a single explanation on the beach. You get repeated chances to try, adjust, and try again.

Some sessions have included extra guidance after the formal lesson, such as resources about surfing, surf culture, documentaries, and reading. Photos from the session have also been provided in at least one case. These details should not be treated as guaranteed inclusions unless confirmed when booking, but they show the kind of personal follow-up associated with this activity.

There is also a social purpose behind Ohana Surf Experience. Lesson income helps support surfing instruction for local children. If you like spending part of your holiday money on an activity with a community angle, that adds meaning to the price.

The instructor makes the biggest difference

Hugo Gonzalez Chalela is presented as a certified surf and life coach, as well as the head coach behind the experience. His personal connection to surfing is part of the class. He began surfing as a boy and describes the ocean as an important part of his life and expression.

That passion is useful only when it becomes good teaching, and the strongest pattern in the feedback is his patience. He is repeatedly described as encouraging, clear, friendly, and attentive. Those qualities matter more than flashy demonstrations when you are trying to stand on a moving board for the first time.

I would especially recommend this lesson to someone who feels uncertain about surfing. You do not need to arrive fearless. A good instructor can help you understand what is happening, take sensible steps, and avoid turning one fall into a reason to quit.

Hugo also appears to teach with dignity. He gives corrections without making a beginner feel clumsy, and he allows breaks when fatigue affects focus. That is important because surfing can be tiring even when the session feels short.

A realistic look at the 90-minute schedule

The advertised length is approximately one hour and 30 minutes. That is enough time for an introduction and repeated attempts, but it is not a full-day surf camp.

Your session will likely feel strongest if you treat the first part as instruction and the rest as active practice. Pay attention before entering the water. The more you understand about the board and the basic movement, the more useful each wave becomes.

You may also need brief rests. One participant was given breaks between waves to catch their breath and focus on technique. This is not wasted time. Surfing while tired can make balance harder and can blur the corrections you are trying to remember.

At the end, you return to the meeting point. In one case, the coach offered extra waves after the 90 minutes had ended, though the participant chose to stop because of fatigue. That suggests there may be some flexibility, but extra time should not be assumed as part of the paid class.

If you want several hours on a board, repeated coaching over multiple days, or a progression onto smaller boards, plan to book more than one session. This class works best as a focused introduction or a personal tune-up.

Who should book this Cartagena surf lesson

This activity suits adults, children, couples, friends, and solo visitors. Most people can participate, and the private setup makes it easier to adapt the pace to your group.

I think it is particularly well suited to:

• A first-time surfer who wants patient instruction.
• A solo visitor who prefers direct coaching instead of a group class.
• A couple or pair of friends looking for an active morning together.
• Someone returning to surfing after a long break.
• A parent looking for a supportive introduction for a child.
• A beginner who wants to learn proper basics before trying alone.

The class may be less suitable if you dislike physical activities, do not want to get tired, or expect guaranteed perfect waves. The water and weather set limits, and a first lesson involves falling, repetition, and effort.

The board choice is another point to keep in mind. If your main goal is to ride a smaller board, you may need more than one lesson. The longboard is used to establish control first, which is sensible but may not match the expectations of someone already focused on shortboard surfing.

Weather, cancellation, and simple planning

The experience depends on good weather. If poor conditions cause the lesson to be canceled, you are offered another date or a full refund.

You can cancel for a full refund if you do so at least 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations made within 24 hours are not refunded, and changes inside that window are not accepted. The cut-off follows Cartagena’s local time.

Wear whatever you normally use for a water activity, and plan for a morning that includes physical effort. The supplied information does not specify equipment, changing facilities, or transport service, so confirm any gear questions directly before booking.

Give yourself enough time to reach Restaurante Punta las Velas for the 8:00 am start. Since the activity ends at the same location, you can keep the rest of your schedule flexible after class.

What the strongest parts of the experience are

The clearest strength is the quality of personal attention. Hugo gives feedback after individual attempts rather than leaving you to repeat the same mistake. That can speed up learning and makes the session feel purposeful.

The second strength is the tone. Beginners are treated with patience, and nervous surfers are helped to regain confidence. Surfing has a steep first step, so a supportive coach can make the difference between a fun challenge and an exhausting hour.

The third is the sense of connection to surf culture. Hugo’s enthusiasm does not stop at technical instructions. He has shared resources about the wider sport, and Ohana’s work with local children gives the lesson a community purpose.

The weaker point is the short format. Ninety minutes can pass quickly, especially if you need breaks or spend time getting comfortable. The activity gives you a real start, but it cannot replace several days of practice.

Should you book Ohana Surf Experience?

I would book this lesson if you want a careful, private introduction to surfing in Cartagena, especially if you are a beginner or feel unsure about getting back on a board. Hugo’s patience, clear feedback, and attention to safety are the main reasons to choose it.

The $60 price is reasonable for private coaching, repeated attempts, and a lesson shaped around your group. Just remember that the session is about building a foundation, not mastering surfing in one morning.

Book it if you want an active Cartagena memory, are willing to get wet and tired, and value a coach who treats the first wave as a learning moment. If you want a smaller board immediately, a long session, or guaranteed ideal conditions, ask questions before booking or consider arranging more than one class.

FAQ

Where does the surf class begin?

The class begins at Restaurante Punta las Velas Club de Playa, CRA 1 DIAGO 1 A 80, El Laguito, Cartagena de Indias, Bolívar, Colombia.

What time does the class start?

The scheduled start time is 8:00 am.

How long does the lesson last?

The activity lasts approximately one hour and 30 minutes.

Is this a private surf lesson?

Yes. Only your group participates in the activity.

Is the lesson suitable for beginners?

Yes. Most people can participate, and the instruction is designed to build a safe foundation for first-time surfers as well as help returning surfers improve.

What happens if bad weather cancels the class?

You will be offered a different date or a full refund if poor weather causes the activity to be canceled.