The night is transformed when music, drumming and chanting fill the skies at the Kauai luaus. History unfolds in song and dance as night blooming lilies release their wonderful scent. While many of the luaus in Kauai are staged by the oceanfront, there are some on private property, such as Gaylord’s Luau which is held on a 35-acre estate formerly owned by a sugar baron.
Smith's Riverfront Garden Luau
A luau with a difference is hosted by the Smith family, Smith's Riverfront Plantation Luau, on the Wailua riverfront in a lush tropical garden setting.
Exotic peacocks stroll lazily on the grounds and a profusion of tropical flowers and coconut tree-fringed lagoons create the feel of an island paradise. Come early to stroll around the replicas of Polynesian and Filipino huts or be a bystander at a wedding in the Smith’s Japanese gardens.
One of the most popular of the Kauai luaus kicks off with the pa’ina or feast. The highlight of the buffet table is the kalua pig but it is also crowded with ono mahi mahi, chicken adobo, teryaki beef made from Cousin Gary’s secret recipe and Grandma’s poi which has been passed down through four generations of Smiths.
In their show titled “Rhythm of Aloha”, performers stage colorful dances in tribute to Polynesia and the various ethnic groups that call Hawaii home. Sit back under open skies and enjoy song and dance from Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa, Philippines, New Zealand, China and Japan in the spacious “Pele Amphitheater” lit by tiki torches. The show ends on a fiery note with the Goddess Pele emerging from the fiery lava of an erupting volcano.
Reservations are highly recommended for the Kauai luaus. For one, tickets are priced at $78.00, with lower priced passes for kids. However, you can attend just the show for only $15.00.
Journey To New Lands
In another of the Kauai luaus, dancers re-enact the voyage of their ancestors across uncharted seas in the Luau Havaiki Nui"A Journey to New Lands" staged at the Four Diamond resort on Poipu Beach.
Before the 2.5 hour show begins, relax to the sounds of modern Hawaiian guitar, sip exotic cocktails and enjoy pupus.
When the conch shell sounds the opening of the luau, be prepared to feast on traditional dishes and modern Hawaiian Asian-Pacific cuisine.
Load your plate with kalua pig, poi and roasted sweet potatoes or sesame seared mahi-mahi, lemongrass steamed coconut rice and teriyaki steak.
Drawn from the islands of Tahiti, Samoa, and New Zealand and Hawaii, these historic yet exotic dances at this Kauai luau lend romance, beauty and drama to a memorable evening.
Gaylord's Plantation Luau
You can combine a luau with a train ride through a historic sugar plantation at the Gaylord Plantation’s Luau Kalamaku in Kilohana. A fun ride for adults and kids, the train weaves past historic plantation homes, through a lowland forest and offers endless views of fields of pineapple, papaya, banana, sugarcane and taro as well as cattle, horses, Clydesdales and donkeys.
The performance spins the story of the vision, courage and fears of a family seeking a new future as they travel from Tahiti to Hawaii. In a theatrical finish to the evening, dancers re-enact the goddess Pele, her sister Hi'iaka, the island prince Lohi'au, and the fire-breathing Mo'o dragon women in homage to Kauai’s ancient mythology.
You are spoiled for choice when it comes to picking one of the Kauai luaus. Rest assured that at each performance, you are treated to dramatic theater and exceptional food.
