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Best Luau's in HI

J

jeff-linda

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Location
Greenfield, WI
We will be visiting Maui, Honolulu, The Big Island and Kauai. Where is your favorite Luau? We will only have 3-5 days on Maui, Honolulu and The Big Island. We will have more time in Kauai. Are there good Luau's on Kauai?

We would prefer a Luau on the Beach.

Thanks,
Linda
 
Although it's not on the beach, I really like the luau and show at the Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu. Of course, if you want to drink alcohol, this is not the one for you. But not having it is a draw for me.
 
My favorite luau on the Big Island is Gathering of the Kings by Island Breeze at Mauna Lani. It's more upscale than your typical luau - with prices that match. The show is great!
 
Definitely the Old Lahaina Luau on Maui and it is right on the beach with gorgeous sunset views. We enjoyed the Polynesian Cultural Center, but their luau is a huge, generic affair and the real show is a separate production, in a different area, with separate admission.

The OLL website - a few tips:

During high season, this luau sells out weeks in advance so make your Resv. ASAP.

There isn't a bad seat in the house, but proximity to the stage is also based on how early your reserve.

Don't go for the "traditional seating" unless sitting on the ground for several hours is your cup of tea.

I understand if you call, they just use your credit card to hold your Resv., but if you do it online, they actually charge the card right then - so you might want to check on this if it's an issue.
 
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I second "The Old Lahaina Luau" :cheer: This is very Hawaiian in nature as opposed to most others which are Polynesian; and it tells a wonderful story in a beautiful setting.

If you do go, get there early as there are lots of demo's from basket weaving and poi making (the real deal stuff) which is very different then what is served, to removing the kalua pig from the Imu, etc.
 
In Kauai, we did the Luau at the Grand Hyatt and loved it. We were back and forth between this one and the Smith's Family Luau. I was very happy that we chose the Hyatt. :D
 
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We have done five luaus and loved Smith's. The food was good, the entertainment was great, and we loved the grounds, the strolling peacocks and the rest of the "wildlife."

We haven't done Old Lahaina and may do it this next year. We love the idea of trying new ones, but Smith's will always be one of our favorites, of that I am certain. It had a lot to do with the "Ohana."
 
Old Lahaina on Maui is the best we have done. It is right on the beach, a beautiful setting. Our second favorite is the Smith Luau on Kauai. Not on the beach, but good food and a good show.
 
For once, I can easily agree with Denise. The OLL is the best one. Everything about it is first class. My brother and sister-in-law were here last week, with sil's sisters and family, so we got our own table of 8. It's very intimate for the number of people they serve. That's the only time I've been there. Though, based on its reputation, that's the one I told my brother to get tickets for months before he came.

Smiths is like the opposite of OLL. Grandstand seating for the show, and highly produced show in a Hawaii sort of way. It's certainly different than the others. It's certainly not what I would call traditional.

-David
 
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I would agree Old Lahaina on Maui is great. I have also been to Germains on Oahu, I really liked that one to. If you like a more interactive environment, Germains would be good. If you want to just see the culture, I would suggest Old Lahaina. Those are the only two I have been to.

If I had to choose, I would say Germains would have been my favorite. We caught a bus in Waikiki, and drove approx 45 min, to the beach by the Marriott Ko Olina. I had fun fromt the time we got on the bus, until we got back off on waikiki.

We are going back to the islands at the end of January, s:banana: o Denise this question is for you, would that be considered a busy time for the Old Lahaina Laua? My husband & I are taking our mothers, and that is the Laua he wants to take them to.
 
Icarus said:
For once, I can easily agree with Denise.
-David
Click to expand...

David...are you SURE? You still have 22 hours to edit your post! :hysterical:

(I'm just pulling your leg - OK? :hi:)
 
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nygiants11991 said:
We are going back to the islands at the end of January, s:banana: o Denise this question is for you, would that be considered a busy time for the Old Lahaina Laua? My husband & I are taking our mothers, and that is the Laua he wants to take them to.
Click to expand...

Jan. is a pretty busy time for Hawaii with people escaping from cold mainland weather - I would call and ask what the reservations situation is like for the week you want.

Uhhh, and I am kind of slow, can you please explain:
s:banana: o
Click to expand...
 
Yeah I think we'll be doing the Smith's luau in April when we head back. Taking my parents who haven't been back to Kauai since at least the 70's, would rather do that than eat whatever it is they call "food" for the South Pacific show.

South Pacific show = great
dinner beforehand = very very bad
 
We really enjoyed the old Lahaina Luau too. The sunset behind all the action was the icing on the cake. It's great!!!!!!!!!!
 
Grand Hyatt

Another vote for the Grand Hyatt Luau. We chose it because we were staying at the Marriott Waiohai and it was close. Really enjoyed it. Unlimited Mai Tais.
The only other luau we attended was on Oahu at the Royal Hawaiian; the Grand Hyatt was much better.
 
I will be able to give a report fairly soon

We leave Saturday for our trip and we booked the Old Lahiana Luau for November 7th. I will be bringing my laptop and hopefully I will be able upload photos and post a link. Come to think of it I hope bringing my camera will not be a problem as some places do limit photography (update - I called and found out bringing my camera gear will be no problem and video cameras are allowed as well).

I am really glad there are several good choices. We hope to visit the islands about every two years, maybe yearly when I retire in a couple of years, and eventually I would like to check out all of them. We really enjoyed the Polynesian Culteral Center Luau and show on our one and only previous trip to Oahu.

Now if my pictures toward the end of the Old Lahiana Luau start getting a little blurry then you know I probably took advantage of the free drinks a little more than I should have! This may be one of the few times I am actually glad my wife cannot drink because of medications she is taking as she will be my designated driver! I am just kidding about drinking too much and we are both really looking forward to the experience.

Gary
 
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We'll be on the Kona Coast in January. What suggestions do folks have for Luau's here?
 
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