Luau's ~ Island wide w/ Show, Honolulu

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The Hawaiian word "Lu'au" (pronounce loo-ow) means 'a feast'. A luau is not necessarily a public affair on the luau grounds of a Hotel. For the people who live in the Hawaiian Islands a luau is a gathering of family and friends to enjoy good food, good company, and good times! There may or may not be spontaneous ukulele or guitar playing by uncle, with everyone singing, and auntie dancing the hula. Luaus are a fun way to enjoy quality family time and are especially held for occasions like birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, bridal & baby showers, rehearsal dinners, and weddings.

It may feature food, such as poi, kalua pig, poke, lomi salmon, opihi, haupia, and beer; and entertainment, such as Hawaiian music and hula. Among people from Hawaii, the concepts of "luau" and "party" are often blended, resulting in graduation luaus, wedding luaus, and birthday luaus.

And there is Drinking Galore!, Makes me Tipsy!

This luau is located next to Ko Olina beach resort and the sunset views over Paradise Cove was beautiful.

There are several luau packages to choose from and we got the package which included table service. This might be a good idea for you if you don't like waiting in a long line for the buffet.. We went on a Friday night and there were hundreds of guests there, and the line looked very long. So I think for us the upgrade was worth it..... the ticket included hotel pick up and drop off and we were greeted at the venue with leis and mai tais. Before the luau begins you get to participate in cultural games and activities which was pretty fun. During the dinner there was also a show including singing and dancing from various Polynesian cultures which was great..

For our daughter's reception, we attended the LUAU at the Royal Hawaiian. As we (all 17 of us) waited in the lobby, we were given our beautiful purple leis and then we were shown to our reserved table. There were two other wedding receptions there that night which was very nice. We had a sumptuous all-you-can-eat feast featuring many Hawaiian dishes like shredded BBQ pork and poi. Also drinks including alcoholic beverage and exotic cocktails were also included. After the meal, we were entertained with Polynesian dance, song and music. The young Samoan men put on an awesome fire dance. Later dances were dedicated to the newlyweds who slow-danced against the backdrop of Diamond Head and a beautiful Hawaiian sunset. Truly magical.

I have read mixed reviews on whether the P.C.C. is a tourist trap or a must see activity. We went. Basically, visiting the P.C.C. is an all day thing. You first go and visit some of the seven pavillions, learn about the peoples that originated Hawaii (people from Tongo, New Zealand, Samoa, Fiji, etc.). There are shows at various times at the pavillions. Don't miss the Samoan - he had us in stiches with his presentation.

The entrance includes a meal - either an American buffet, or a Polynesian luau. The evening ends with a grand show featuring dancing etc. from all seven regions, and cumulating in a fire-swallowing dance. We enjoyed the day.

As the P.C.C. is on the other side of the island from Honolulu, tickets are available that include bus transportation to and from Honolulu. In 2003, one adult ticket ranges from $70 to $190 depending on what meal, etc. you choose.

Free Drinks included? I'm there!
I looked a few different Luau options and this was by far the best. If I remember correctly, the price included 3 drinks- not something all offer. This, with the great food, an even better show and beautiful location made for one of the best nights in Honolulu!
Make sure to look for their coupon in the Entertainment book.

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One thing you have to experience while in Hawaii is a Luau. I went to germaines Luau. This was an all around fun time. You eat the local cuisine, like the roasted pig, the Poi and the.. well whatever it was that they served, sorry i forgot.. Yeah you gotta try the Poi.. its nasty!! haha, i guess its an acquired taste. But everything else was good. After dinner you get to watch the show. You'll see many of the Hawaiian cultural dances, if your lucky you might even get picked to get up on stage. You get to see Beautiful Polynesian dancers in there palm skirts and Coconut bra's and the Local Hawaiian guys toss around some flaming sticks. Its a great show. I believe the package we got here included 2 drink tickets, which makes the experince way more fun. Try the lava flows with double shots of rum. This is the first place that introduced me to those. So go put on your Aloha shirt or Dress and go hit that luau.

I purchased the Luau at my orientation breakfast. I believe it cost around $50.00. This was way back in 1999. It was well worth it. It came along with the ride which picked us up in front of our hotel. It was about a 30-45 minute bus ride to Germaine's.

This Luau was super commercial and felt a lot like a vegas show, but it was so much fun! They did a good job of creating a somewhat intimate feel, and encouraged a lot of interaction with others around you.
They served all authentic Hawaiian food which was pretty good, although the traditional ground-roasted pig was super salty!!!
Glad we went, and would go again especially if we were taking our children.

One of the best values that our concierge told us about was the Polynesian Cultural Center. One warning, it is a LONG drive to the center on the other side of the island but the views were worth it to road trippers like us. The PCC offers acres of cultural information including live shows demonstrating the cultures of Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, the Marquesas, Fiji, Aotearoa, new Zealand and Hawaii. There is a new Easter island exhibit which was not there when we visited. There is a huge Luau at the end of the day with or with out a large hawaiian meal of local fresh hawaiian fare.
There are dancers from each of the polynesian cultures as well as fire dancers. It is a spectacular show. There are different ticket prices for all financial levels. Definately plan to spend the whole day!