MyWorldReviews.com

Old Lahaina Luau

Lahaina, Hawaii, United States

A view of the luau stage and surrounding area

Before visiting Maui, we heard that the Old Lahaina Luau was one of the things we had to do. Overall, I'm glad we went, but I didn't think the luau was anything extraordinary. It was a dinner and dance show with mediocre food and dancing. The scenery was quite nice, and it was something to do for the evening, but I wouldn't go again.

When we gave them a call to try and make a reservation, we were told they were all booked for the next three weeks! They could put us on a list to call at the last minute, but wouldn't guarantee anything.

We ended up in the area around dinner time, and decided to check if they had any last minute openings. We were a group of six people, so we knew the odds of getting in at the last minute (on a cancellation) were poor, but luck was on our side - they had enough vacancies for us to go in!

There are two seating options available - sitting on the ground, close to the stage, or sitting at a table, behind the people who are sitting on the ground. There are two rows of tables behind the people sitting on the ground. Our group was split into two, with two members sitting on the ground, and four members sitting at a table (in the front row of tables). If you have the choice, I would strongly recommend sitting at a table in the front - it's much easier on your back, and the view is really just as good. If you're going to be sitting at the second row of tables, the view isn't quite as good, and you may want to consider sitting on the ground for the dinner/show.

The Luau Experience

A blue hawaiian drink from the Luau

Upon entering, each member of our group was presented with a flower lei. They were nice, although we weren't sure what to do with them after we finished at the luau. Group members over the age of 21 were given a Mai Tai to enjoy. We were informed there was an open bar, where you could choose a drink from their list. Although the drinks were free, they were made quite weak. This isn't necessarily a bad thing - it means you can try a lot more of them.

Before dinner, you can explore the area around the dancing stage. There are some people who have crafts for sale, and also activities such as trying out "dancing instrument sticks" that are used during the performance. The area is quite beautiful, and has a nice ocean view where you can see the sun set.

Shortly before dinner, there is a small ceremony where the underground oven is uncovered. Visitors can watch as a roasted pig is pulled from the ground, and taken to be prepared for serving.

The Dinner

The Buffet at the Old Lahaina Luau

After the pig is unveiled, visitors are encouraged to go to their seats. Assorted bread rolls with honey guava butter are presented. Each table is invited to go to the buffet at a specific time, to avoid long lines. If you are sitting in the uncomfortable front area, you will be waiting a bit longer - the front row goes up last, so there is approximately a 20 minute wait while other tables go up.

Some of the neat items at the buffet were pork from the pig cooked in the underground oven, and purple potatoes. I thought the shredded pork was much better than the underground pork, and the purple potatoes were pretty neat. Most of the food was quite mediocre. The chicken and mixed vegetables were really just adequate.

A tray of four different dessert tarts and squares are brought to each table, with enough pieces for each person to have one of each dessert. Some of the desserts were quite good and others were a bit strange.

Dancing

One of the dances from the luau

Around 7:25p, the dancing show starts. The show lasts for about one hour, and consists of a number of different dancing performances by individual hula dancers and whole groups of dancers.

The dancers had lots of different costumes, and the dances were accompanied by drums and chants. The show tried to tell the history of Hawaii.

Unfortunately, many of the props (such as the grass skirts and flowers) appeared to be made out of plastic, and were certainly not authentic looking. The dancing also was quite repetitive, but some people loved it, so it must be a matter of personal taste.

Dress

As with most of Hawaii, dress is casual. Shorts and a t-shirt (especially a Hawaiian t-shirt) are fine.

Cost

Tickets are approximately $100 per person (after tax)

Estimated Visiting Time

You can go around 6:00pm, with dinner and dancing starting around 7:00pm. The show finishes around 8:30pm.