The 4 Hawaiian Cultural Experiences That Repay the Day

1.Waikiki Luau Buffet with Optional Rock-A-Hula Show Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,572 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $101Our pick

Spend about three and a half hours at the Royal Hawaiian Center with a Mai Tai, pineapple, hula instruction, and an upscale Hawaiian buffet. Add the 80-minute Rock-A-Hula show for Hawaiian dance, fire-knife work, Elvis and Michael Jackson tributes, and a cast meet-and-greet. VIP and Green Room upgrades add better seating and backstage access.

“Plenty and a variety of food! Dancers during dinner were entertaining. Show was a Las Vegas style show but very well done. Loved the whole experience.”

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2.Maui Sunset Dinner Cruise – A Hawaiian Hula Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 703 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $158

Board the Pride of Maui at Maalaea Harbor for a two-hour sunset cruise near Molokini. Enjoy ribs, shoyu chicken, roasted vegetables, dessert, and an open bar with microbrewed beer and blended drinks. Hawaiian musician Kekoa and a hula dancer provide live entertainment, while winter sailings may include humpback whale watching.

“Food was good. We appreciated the captain steering us toward the whales. The music guy and hula gal did great. (The background for her dancing could have been better, maybe off to the side. Drinks need improvement too). We would recommend this to anyone…”

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3.Rock-A-Hula Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 448 reviews · 1 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $99Best value

At 7:15 pm, Rock-A-Hula takes you through Hawaiian music from the 1920s to today with live singers, dancers, a band, hula, fire performance, Elvis and Michael Jackson tributes, concert footage, and a cast meet and greet in the 750-seat Royal Hawaiian Theater.

“We just came back from the 1 week Around the islands tour through NCL Pride cruise and has 1.5 days at Oahu. Wanted to experience a Luau show and this was the only tickets available. I was dead tired with the day's activities but we still attended. Great show for experiencing the native culture and fire tricks and skills.”

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4.Maui Hula Show: Hula and Fire Dancing at South Maui Gardens

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 152 reviews · from $130

Spend about two hours at South Maui Gardens on Wednesday or Sunday evening, starting with live Hawaiian music and hula before a cultural journey through Hawaii, New Zealand, Tahiti, and Samoa. A kukui nut lei, free parking, food trucks, picnic tables, and a fire knife finale make this a relaxed alternative to a full hotel luau.

“I was a great show! Great dancers and a good way to learn more about the culture and history of Hawaii”

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