Luau Best Options

[vacation44]

We (actually, me) are now in the detailed, planning excursion phase for our March 2022 POA sailing.   We will be arriving late Wednesday afternoon so we have a two full days before our Saturday sailing.  

 

One of the things everyone wants to do is attend a luau.  The majority of us have never attended one (we are traveling with extended family).   My first thought was to attend the one offered as an excursion, Luau Kalamaku.    Then, I thought maybe we should attend one on either Thursday or Friday night before our sailing.   Upon further research, it seems the ones in Honolulu start in the late afternoon which would impact our afternoon activity.    We plan on using one day doing the Pearl Harbor tours and the other day doing water based activities which includes using the beach at our beach front hotel which we are paying a small fortune.  

 

So, I guess my question would be which are the better luaus to attend?   We definitely want one that includes fire dancers.   

[Silver Sweethearts]

Did you mean to put March 2023 instead of March 2022?

 

The way we read your post it sounds like you are under the impression that Luau Kalamaku is on Oahu.  It is on Kauai.

 

In choosing a luau, Hawaiian luaus do not have fire dancers.  That is more of a Samoan tradition.  Both types are fine.  It just depends what you want to see.

[vacation44]

2 hours ago, Silver Sweethearts said:

Did you mean to put March 2023 instead of March 2022?

 

The way we read your post it sounds like you are under the impression that Luau Kalamaku is on Oahu.  It is on Kauai.

 

In choosing a luau, Hawaiian luaus do not have fire dancers.  That is more of a Samoan tradition.  Both types are fine.  It just depends what you want to see.

Yes, I meant to write March 2023.

 

Luau Kalamaku is an excursion offered when the POA overnights on Kauai.    The decision I am trying to make is wait until we are on Kauai or go to one before we board our sailing while we are in Honolulu.   

[Silver Sweethearts]

14 minutes ago, vacation44 said:

Yes, I meant to write March 2023.

 

Luau Kalamaku is an excursion offered when the POA overnights on Kauai.    The decision I am trying to make is wait until we are on Kauai or go to one before we board our sailing while we are in Honolulu.   

 

You might also consider Maui luaus such as The Feast at Lele in Lahaina or Drums of the Pacific at the Hyatt Regency Maui at Kaanapali Beach when you visit Maui overnight.  Old Lahaina Luau is excellent too, but it is a Hawaiian luau and does not have fire dancers.  At this time of year they start at about 5:45 p.m. and let out about 8:45 p.m.  If you get a group together you can rent a van and drive from Kahului to the luaus and back.  Just a thought...

[KeepCalmBearOn]

The Chief's Luau has the fire knife dance and starts at 5:30pm, but it is out in Kapolei, so you'd have to contend with Honolulu traffic to get out there.

 

Experience Nutridge is the Oahu luau I'd recommend, I like it because it is smaller and more intimate than most commercial luaus. It is also close to Waikiki so easy to get to.

 

As stated above, the fire knife dance isn't Hawaiian and isn't even Samoan in truth. The Samoan Knife Dance was a real thing, it was a variation of the war club dances from Samoan culture, but the Fire Knife dance was born in 1946 in San Francisco when a Samoan vaudevillian named Freddie Letuli met a fire-eater as they were both rehearsing for a show. The fire-eater had a girl with him twirling batons that were on fire. Freddie liked how it looked and asked to borrow some supplies from the fire-eater and thus was born the Samoan Fire Knife Dance.

 

You can read the whole story in Flaming Sword of Samoa: The Story of the Fire Knife Dance. So take that what it is worth, yes it is fun to watch, but not an authentic Hawaiian or Polynesian experience.

 

The luau at the Polynesian Cultural Center probably has the best show in the islands. Many of the dancers are from the cultures they represent (Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa, Fiji) as they are college students at BYU of Hawaii, which runs the PCC.

 

The Old Lahaina Luau on Maui is considered the best combination of food and entertainment, but it doesn't have the fire dance.

 

I am not familiar with the luau POA does on Kauai, we've only done the Smith Family Luau on Kauai.

 

 

[princeton123211]

On 4/5/2022 at 8:13 PM, Silver Sweethearts said:

Drums of the Pacific at the Hyatt Regency Maui at Kaanapali Beach when you visit Maui overnight.

If you want to see fire dancing I would also second the Drums of the Pacific on Maui. I think it is sometimes offered as an excursion but easy to book through the Hyatt Kaanapali on your own. It isn't a Hawaiian luau-- it covers many islands/cultures in the South Pacific and includes a healthy amount of fire. 

[JBethM]

I also am looking at this same question. I am looking at Paradise Cove on Oahu because I like the beach setting. I think we will have more time in Kuai though so I'm also looking at Auli'i Luau (also beach setting, but no imu ceremony from what I've read), Kalamaku & Smith Family Garden. I'm trying to decide whether we want to do two luaus, one on Oahu & one on Kuai, or if money would be better spent in other ways. 

[princeton123211]

1 hour ago, JBethM said:

I'm trying to decide whether we want to do two luaus, one on Oahu & one on Kuai, or if money would be better spent in other ways. 

Unless you are really into dinner shows I would say it would be spent elsewhere-- 2 luaus in the span of a week or two is a lot. We might do one luau every few years (and we travel to Hawaii several times a year). It's certainly worth finding a luau that you want to go experience, but Hawaii has a lot more to offer. 

[vacation44]

5 hours ago, scottca075 said:

The Chief's Luau has the fire knife dance and starts at 5:30pm, but it is out in Kapolei, so you'd have to contend with Honolulu traffic to get out there.

 

Experience Nutridge is the Oahu luau I'd recommend, I like it because it is smaller and more intimate than most commercial luaus. It is also close to Waikiki so easy to get to.

 

As stated above, the fire knife dance isn't Hawaiian and isn't even Samoan in truth. The Samoan Knife Dance was a real thing, it was a variation of the war club dances from Samoan culture, but the Fire Knife dance was born in 1946 in San Francisco when a Samoan vaudevillian named Freddie Letuli met a fire-eater as they were both rehearsing for a show. The fire-eater had a girl with him twirling batons that were on fire. Freddie liked how it looked and asked to borrow some supplies from the fire-eater and thus was born the Samoan Fire Knife Dance.

 

You can read the whole story in Flaming Sword of Samoa: The Story of the Fire Knife Dance. So take that what it is worth, yes it is fun to watch, but not an authentic Hawaiian or Polynesian experience.

 

The luau at the Polynesian Cultural Center probably has the best show in the islands. Many of the dancers are from the cultures they represent (Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa, Fiji) as they are college students at BYU of Hawaii, which runs the PCC.

 

The Old Lahaina Luau on Maui is considered the best combination of food and entertainment, but it doesn't have the fire dance.

 

I am not familiar with the luau POA does on Kauai, we've only done the Smith Family Luau on Kauai.

 

 

Thank you for all of this information.   I will look at these recommendations again and I think I am now leaning towards Experience Nutridge.   

[JBethM]

1 hour ago, princeton123211 said:

Unless you are really into dinner shows I would say it would be spent elsewhere-- 2 luaus in the span of a week or two is a lot. We might do one luau every few years (and we travel to Hawaii several times a year). It's certainly worth finding a luau that you want to go experience, but Hawaii has a lot more to offer. 

Thank you! I was originally pretty set on doing two, but this is what I'm starting to think. It will be a new experience for us because it will be our first time in Hawaii. 

[KeepCalmBearOn]

11 minutes ago, JBethM said:

Thank you! I was originally pretty set on doing two, but this is what I'm starting to think. It will be a new experience for us because it will be our first time in Hawaii. 

 

I would not do two commercial luaus. There are better ways to spend $350* or more on food and experiences.

 

*$350 per couple

Edited April 7, 2022 by scottca075

[princeton123211]

32 minutes ago, JBethM said:

Thank you! I was originally pretty set on doing two, but this is what I'm starting to think. It will be a new experience for us because it will be our first time in Hawaii. 

Totally understandable but once you experience your first one you'll know what we're talking about.

 

I'm most likely going to catch some blowback for this generalization, but while they are all different, for the most part they sort of share 60-65% commonality with each other. Two luaus within a short period of time would be redundant not to mention the entire evening you'll get back to do something totally different. 

 

There are some fantastic restaurants, sailing trips, snorkel/diving experiences etc you could spend the same amount of money/time doing which let you see more of the Islands. 

[Aquaticdreams]

I can vouch for Nutridge too. It’s small, intimate, and authentic. It’s not like the big productions of the other ones you mentioned. It really depends on what kind of experience or performance you’re looking for. We just loved our intimate evening at Nutridge where we were treated like Ohana! 

[Bocadude85]

9 hours ago, JBethM said:

I also am looking at this same question. I am looking at Paradise Cove on Oahu because I like the beach setting. I think we will have more time in Kuai though so I'm also looking at Auli'i Luau (also beach setting, but no imu ceremony from what I've read), Kalamaku & Smith Family Garden. I'm trying to decide whether we want to do two luaus, one on Oahu & one on Kuai, or if money would be better spent in other ways. 

 
Just keep in mind that paradise cove is in Ko Olina…that’s a good 45min-1 hour drive from Waikiki in no traffic, if you hit rush hour you could be talking a good 2 hours +. 

[JBethM]

7 hours ago, princeton123211 said:

Totally understandable but once you experience your first one you'll know what we're talking about.

 

I'm most likely going to catch some blowback for this generalization, but while they are all different, for the most part they sort of share 60-65% commonality with each other. Two luaus within a short period of time would be redundant not to mention the entire evening you'll get back to do something totally different. 

 

There are some fantastic restaurants, sailing trips, snorkel/diving experiences etc you could spend the same amount of money/time doing which let you see more of the Islands. 

I understand. The issue I have is that I think I've always just pictured a luau on a beach setting. In order to get that & the traditional imu ceremony, we need to go to Paradise Cove on Oahu. (There may be some in Maui that fit that criteria, but we have other things planned). We have much more time in Kuai for a luau. If we don't go to one, are there some other ideas for things to do there? We will actually be there on my husband's birthday. I do plan to schedule a helicopter ride there, but I know that won't take up much time. We have 2 days there. We plan to have a rental car.

[JBethM]

52 minutes ago, Bocadude85 said:

 
Just keep in mind that paradise cove is in Ko Olina…that’s a good 45min-1 hour drive from Waikiki in no traffic, if you hit rush hour you could be talking a good 2 hours +. 

Yikes! I had thought we may could go to this after a day at Pearl Harbor. Do you think this not doable and/or a bad plan? 

[Bocadude85]

It depends what time you are planning on leaving Pearl Harbor.. rush hour traffic starts around 3 pm, going westbound on the H1 after 3pm will take you significantly longer to get out to Ko Olina. 

Edited April 8, 2022 by Bocadude85

[JBethM]

8 minutes ago, Bocadude85 said:

It depends what time you are planning on leaving Pearl Harbor.. rush traffic starts around 3 pm, going westbound on the H1 after 3pm will take you significantly longer to get out to Ko Olina. 

Oh my. Probably right around that time. We plan to go early to Pearl Harbor (7-8am), but I feel it will take all day to see most of it. It is the main thing my husband & his mom want to see on our trip. 

[KeepCalmBearOn]

4 minutes ago, JBethM said:

Oh my. Probably right around that time. We plan to go early to Pearl Harbor (7-8am), but I feel it will take all day to see most of it. It is the main thing my husband & his mom want to see on our trip. 

 

The most important thing to me at Pearl Harbor is the USS Arizona Memorial. The rest are "nice to see", but a lower priority.

 

If Paradise Cove is where you want to luau, I'd leave Pearl Harbor before 2PM. If you get to Ko Olina way too early, walk over to the Four Seasons Resort and Disney's Aulani Resort for a look around, maybe buy some Disney souvenirs.

[JBethM]

1 hour ago, scottca075 said:

 

The most important thing to me at Pearl Harbor is the USS Arizona Memorial. The rest are "nice to see", but a lower priority.

 

If Paradise Cove is where you want to luau, I'd leave Pearl Harbor before 2PM. If you get to Ko Olina way too early, walk over to the Four Seasons Resort and Disney's Aulani Resort for a look around, maybe buy some Disney souvenirs.

I've read that the USS Arizona & the USS Missouri seem to be the most meaningful to most people who visit Pearl Harbor. I hope my family will agree & stick to just seeing those rather than trying everything there. 

I'm still undecided on which luau to attend (there are so many options), but we definitely want to attend once since we haven't ever. That one seems to have everything we are looking for.

Thanks so much for all of your helpful info! 

[princeton123211]

11 hours ago, JBethM said:

USS Missouri seem to be the most meaningful to most people who visit Pearl Harbor.

If you miss going to USS Missouri on this trip, you can always visit her nearly identical sisters USS Iowa in LA, USS New Jersey near Philadelphia, or USS Wisconsin in Norfolk VA. Deferring that might give you more of a buffer to get to Paradise Cove ahead of rush hour. 

 

As Scott mentioned the USS Arizona Memorial and accompanying visitor center/museum is really the main thing to see.