Luau recommendations for either Oahu or Maui

[m61376]

Hi- First time taking the grandsons, ages 11 and 15, to Hawaii. We'll be on Oahu for a few days and then Maui for a week. They'd like to experience a luau, but have requested to see both fire dancers ad an emu ceremony. Which one(s) would you recommend?
They eat everything, but living in NYC are little foodies, so preferably one with a good show and good food (I know it's not fine dining, but something palatable).

Thanks for the recs!

 

[DeniseM]

Luaus are dance shows with mediocre buffets which are over $100 per person. Instead, I'd take the same money and plan a great adventure for them like surfing, snorkeling, ziplines, etc.

 

[alwysonvac]

Fia Fia Lūʻau at Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club is good and convenient if you're staying there.

 

[m61376]

Luaus are dance shows with mediocre buffets which are over $100 per person. Instead, I'd take the same money and plan a great adventure for them like surfing, snorkeling, ziplines, etc.

I kinda agree but our daughter has fond memories of going to one when we went about 20 years ago and taking the kids is high on the list, so I want to go for them.

Obviously we'll do the snorkeling and they'll surf. Any recs for zip lining as well, since they like that stuff.

 

[dioxide45]

Luaus are dance shows with mediocre buffets which are over $100 per person. Instead, I'd take the same money and plan a great adventure for them like surfing, snorkeling, ziplines, etc.

Closer to $200. We've been pricing them for our upcoming trip and they all seem to be pretty close to $200 bucks! I think we paid $400 for two people all-in including tax for the one week booked on Oahu.

 

[Shiba]

Hale Koa on Oahu has a Luau, but you have to be military affiliated, retired, active duty, disabled veteran, or DoD (department of defense) with proper military ID. Adult prices $86-120, kids 12-17 $40, children 5-11 $28.

 

[Dean]

On Maui I'd say Old Lahaina Lua is the best food and a more traditional show but I don't believe they have the fire twirlers. In Kaanapali either the Hyatt or Sheraton are good choices. If staying at Ko Olina I'd suggest Chief's who also does the show at the MVC resort. Should be able to get a discount and will be cheaper up front last I checked. Much better show that at Ko Olina because of the size and set up. Food only Mediocre but that's been my experience with all Luau's I've been to and I've been to 11 I believe if you count the PCC options as a luau. If you have enough time PCC (Polynesian Cultural Center would be my choice for the aliʻi lūʻau package. Show is the best I've seen although it's more of a stadium seating arrangement, food is better than most and the cultural Center itself is extremely entertaining. But it's an all day event. Opens at 12:15 and show out about 9 pm with over an hour drive to either Ko Olina or Waikiki. We just returned a few hours ago from Maui Ocean Club then Ko Olina a week each. Even though we've been to PCC a number of times, this was our choice for this trip.

However, it sounds like your time on Oahu may be more limited than on Maui. If this is the case and your staying at either MOC or a Westin VC and Ko Olina, I'd chose between Chief's on Oahu and either Sheraton or Hyatt on Maui rather than a full day to the PCC. Hyatt will likely be a little better but more expensive though look for discounts. Our last trip to HI we did Chief's rather than Fia Fia and we were very glad we did. Not only was it well over $400 cheaper maybe even over $500, the show was much better de to the venue. It was this much cheaper because we had 15 people, price was less per head, one child was free that would not have been at the resort and the resort gave us a 25% discount that was not applicable at the resort.

 

[rickandcindy23]

$239 now for Old Lahaina Luau. Rick checked for my sister, and my sister chose not to pay that much, even though she has never been to one.

 

[GrayFal]

$239 now for Old Lahaina Luau. Rick checked for my sister, and my sister chose not to pay that much, even though she has never been to one.

This is the one I have been to and I loved it! The performance was wonderful and the food definitetly edible And the setting was lovely. We were a group of 8 adults.

 

[gln60]

My Son and DIL attended the FIA FIA Luau while staying at Marriot Ko Olina on their honeymoon and said it was fabulous.

 

[SmithOp]

Paradise cove on Oahu has everything you wanted including the imu ceremony. Note that if you opt for the cheapest package the seats are furthest from the stage and you get called up to the buffet last.

Lots of activities before the meal and show the kids will enjoy, nice sunset beach and cove setting.

Luau Packages | Paradise Cove Luau

www.paradisecove.com

I tend to agree with Denise, over rated with mediocre food but for a one time experience in Hawaii it is still memorable for newbies. Some of us that travel there every year get jaded.

 

[JIMinNC]

The Old Lahaina Luau is considered by most to be the best, most authentic luau on Maui. They have a great setting for their imu ceremony right by the water, and the buffet is very good by typical luau standards. The only box of yours that OLL won't check is the fire dancer. The fire dances are Samoan, while the early Polynesians who came to the Hawaiian Islands were mostly Tahitian. As a result, OLL opts to keep the story authentic and omits the fire dance.

You didn't say whether you would be staying in the Kaanapali area or Kihei/Wailea, but most of the major hotels on Kaanapali and Wailea all have some sort of luau, and I expect most of them will feature a fire dancer. We went to the Hyatt Kaanapali luau many, many years ago and have seen the luau grounds at the Westin Kaanapali from our walks along the Kaanapali beach walk, and while I'm sure both are fine luaus today, neither setting compares to the the expansive and beautiful setting at Old Lahaina Luau. If you must have the fire dancer, then OLL is not an option for you, but it is a wonderful performance in a beautiful setting.

 

[Dean]

The Old Lahaina Luau is considered by most to be the best, most authentic luau on Maui. They have a great setting for their imu ceremony right by the water, and the buffet is very good by typical luau standards. The only box of yours that OLL won't check is the fire dancer. The fire dances are Samoan, while the early Polynesians who came to the Hawaiian Islands were mostly Tahitian. As a result, OLL opts to keep the story authentic and omits the fire dance.

You didn't say whether you would be staying in the Kaanapali area or Kihei/Wailea, but most of the major hotels on Kaanapali and Wailea all have some sort of luau, and I expect most of them will feature a fire dancer. We went to the Hyatt Kaanapali luau many, many years ago and have seen the luau grounds at the Westin Kaanapali from our walks along the Kaanapali beach walk, and while I'm sure both are fine luaus today, neither setting compares to the the expansive and beautiful setting at Old Lahaina Luau. If you must have the fire dancer, then OLL is not an option for you, but it is a wonderful performance in a beautiful setting.

Pretty sure OLL does not have fire twirlers though.

 

[JIMinNC]

Pretty sure OLL does not have fire twirlers though.

It does not. I said that in my quoted post, though. See the last three sentences of the first paragraph.

I know the OP said they wanted a fire dance, but I thought I would note how impressive the setting and show is at OLL in case they might opt to reconsider that requirement.

 

[Dean]

Sorry missed that. It is many people's favorite and has the best food by far of any Luau I've been to. It's a more "traditional" Luau, not really what you think of on TV. Still, it's not my cup of tea for a Luau option and we will not return.

 

[JIMinNC]

Sorry missed that. It is many people's favorite and has the best food by far of any Luau I've been to. It's a more "traditional" Luau, not really what you think of on TV. Still, it's not my cup of tea for a Luau option and we will not return.

We're just the opposite. We've been going to OLL for decades. Back in 2023, we did a hotel luau on Kauai because our kids wanted to do a luau, and they were not going to be with us for our Maui week. We then did OLL the following week with another couple who joined us on Maui. There was no comparison for us. OLL won hands down - better food, better venue, better show. Yeah, no fire dancer, but the OLL show is so very well done. We no longer do luaus on every trip - didn't do any in 2024 or 2025 - but whenever we do, it will be OLL. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

Here is a review of 7 different Luau's, including a couple I had not previously heard of:

 

[ScoopKona]

I kinda agree but our daughter has fond memories of going to one when we went about 20 years ago and taking the kids is high on the list, so I want to go for them.

Obviously we'll do the snorkeling and they'll surf. Any recs for zip lining as well, since they like that stuff.

Luaus have gone seriously downhill over the years. The food is worse (the restaurant scene in Hawaii is bad overall, but luaus are scraping the bottom of the barrel).

And in my area, they're $200 a pop. Bringing children to a luau just means the parents are subsidizing all the power-drinkers who are there for the bottomless bottom-shelf mai-tais. (Except at the Mormon luau, which is dry.)

I wouldn't go to one if it was free. And I try to make sure I'm never on the road when the luaus let out. At least a few dozen tourists driving back to their resort blind drunk. (Unless they went to the Mormon luau.)

Go to a Hawaiian barbecue/huli chicken stand. Eat some kalua pig/huli/poke/mac salad. Go to one of the many, many free hula shows (O'ahu has tons of these.) And then go to one of the waterfront tourist-trap restaurants at sunset and get a fruity cocktail. It's the one thing these places are reliably good at.

Better quality all around, and about one-fifth the price.

The last time I went to a luau it was because a friend was visiting and paid for it. "Well, I want to go, and I'll pay if you'll take me." It was so bad, I instituted a "I don't go to luaus" rule with visitors. "If you want to go, you're on your own. And take an uber." And my friend was disappointed as well. "You didn't tell me it was THAT bad!"

 

[rickandcindy23]

Let's just say I would never pay for the Westin $188 luau, that was the price with our owner discount, but I would pay $239 for Old Lahaina Luau. $188 is too much for the one at Westin. Didn't look very special, when we walked by.

If we had friends who could afford to pay for Old Lahaina, we would go with them, but most of our friends are on very fixed incomes, including my sister, who decided not to do the luau. Maybe someday we can do one with her, but we would need to pay.