Aulani Luau or Another Oahu Luau

[soozaay]

Hi! We’re going to Aulani in May 2023. Looking at luau‘s on Oahu to compare with Aulani’s. Should we just stick with Aulani’s or are there others on the island that you would recommend doing instead? We’ll have a car… there’s 6 of us… 4 adults and 2 teenagers.

thanks in advance!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Toa Luau and Nutridge Luau are both native-owned.

Toa is in the Waimea Valley, which is also worth a visit. Nutridge has an amazing view of Punchbowl Cemetery.

 

[soozaay]

Toa Luau and Nutridge Luau are both native-owned.

Toa is in the Waimea Valley, which is also worth a visit. Nutridge has an amazing view of Punchbowl Cemetery.

Thanks!

 

[AllisonLB1994]

Want to second Toa - it is a smaller more intimate luau with raised seating areas so you can't go wrong with picking your section. I went with just my husband and thought it was great for adults/older kids. The drive out there on the H-3 is also beautiful!

 

[Skywatcher1206]

We went to Aulani in August. We did the Aulani Luau as it was our first time there and I was very happy with it. It was so convenient as well!

 

[mort1331]

I will put a vote for Toa as well. We had a room overlooking Aulani so that was a bonus. But fornthe price difference,,we really enjoyed Toa,,smaller, covered and includes the waterfall,,make sure to bring the suits and go early.
Also we a not drinkers,, i might have 1 beer, Toa drinks,,all drinks except water are extra,,,so depends on how much you likr to drink. All seating is good and close,,no need for the closer stage tickets. Enjoy.

 

[maxbuffmelvin]

I’ve done paradise cove and aulani luau. I loved aulani’s luau and would do it again on future trips. Paradise Cove is one and done.

 

[soozaay]

Thank you everyone!

 

[Marthasor]

We went to Chiefs Luau which is about a 15 minute drive from Aulani. It's probably more touristy than others, but we absolutely loved it.

 

[Proud Cheapskate]

I can say that Germaine's Luau is the worst food I've ever had in my life and I'm not a picky eater.

 

[FrannyFrogs]

We loved the Aulani luau. Admittedly our first and only luau experience! Why not try the incredibly convenient option?

Maybe we will go to Hawaii again sometime, and attend a different luau. I would like to experience one of the small, locally operated ones. But the Aulani one is delightful!

 

[JenaRuns]

One thing to keep in mind when choosing a luau is whether the dinner is a buffet or plated. I found that the plated ones were long on meat. I'm not much of a meat eater, so I prefer a buffet where I can load up on sides. Paradise Cove fit the bill for me.

My only criticism of Paradise Cove was the announcer...hostess...whatever she was called...who introduced the acts and did a lot of talking. She was way over the top on the "love is in the air" thing. She kept having couples stand up, kiss, murmur that they loved each other...over and over. It seemed to me that this would be off-putting to anybody in the audience who was recently widowed or divorced or who had otherwise gone through a painful breakup, and it added nothing to the entertainment.

Otherwise, Paradise Cove was good. There were some fun activities before dinner, the food was good, the dancers were amazing, and it was within easy walking distance of Aulani. It was also less expensive than the Aulani luau.

 

[sarbah77]

One thing to keep in mind when choosing a luau is whether the dinner is a buffet or plated. I found that the plated ones were long on meat. I'm not much of a meat eater, so I prefer a buffet where I can load up on sides. Paradise Cove fit the bill for me.

My only criticism of Paradise Cove was the announcer...hostess...whatever she was called...who introduced the acts and did a lot of talking. She was way over the top on the "love is in the air" thing. She kept having couples stand up, kiss, murmur that they loved each other...over and over. It seemed to me that this would be off-putting to anybody in the audience who was recently widowed or divorced or who had otherwise gone through a painful breakup, and it added nothing to the entertainment.

Otherwise, Paradise Cove was good. There were some fun activities before dinner, the food was good, the dancers were amazing, and it was within easy walking distance of Aulani. It was also less expensive than the Aulani luau.

She really felt like a 70s era lounge lizard, didn't she? I appreciated the price point and the convenience of the event there.

 

[CamColt]

We, 2 adults, only did Aulani's (and one on Kauai) but enjoyed it very much! The food was very good, and we enjoyed the show. The drinks were delicious and plentiful (our server just kept bringing them), and everything ran smoothly. If we were to go back to Aulani we would definitely do it again.

 

[Noodlez]

One thing to keep in mind when choosing a luau is whether the dinner is a buffet or plated. I found that the plated ones were long on meat. I'm not much of a meat eater, so I prefer a buffet where I can load up on sides. Paradise Cove fit the bill for me.

My only criticism of Paradise Cove was the announcer...hostess...whatever she was called...who introduced the acts and did a lot of talking. She was way over the top on the "love is in the air" thing. She kept having couples stand up, kiss, murmur that they loved each other...over and over. It seemed to me that this would be off-putting to anybody in the audience who was recently widowed or divorced or who had otherwise gone through a painful breakup, and it added nothing to the entertainment.

Otherwise, Paradise Cove was good. There were some fun activities before dinner, the food was good, the dancers were amazing, and it was within easy walking distance of Aulani. It was also less expensive than the Aulani luau.

I loved Paradise Cove, but I was with my husband so hadn't noticed that aspect. You're right that this really isn't very inclusive. I found the Aulani luau ok. It seemed to be aimed at small children and their parents. There wasn't much for adults.

 

[Paul Stupin]

I’ve never been to the Paradise Cove luau, but in my opinion the management is particularly unfriendly. There’s a small public beach sandwiched between the Four Seasons and the Paradise Cove property, accessible by a pathway that turns into a stretch of rocks from the Four Seasons, as well as a fenced in walkway from a parking lot off the street. The beach is fun and great for snorkeling, and has been mentioned many times in these threads.

The Paradise Cove management, when I was there, plastered the beach with no trespassing signs on their property, to the point where it was a total eyesore. And the guards in the parking lot are monumentally unfriendly. There are plenty of other beaches in Hawaii that border on private property, and I’ve never seen anything this excessive.

Of course I don’t know the owners’ experience with trespassers, and they probably have a well justified motivation, but the way they’ve chosen to express their concerns, in my opinion, makes the property come across as some sort of authoritarian police state. I understand that they don’t want anyone to sneak into the luau, but all this certainly didn’t make me want to patronize their business.

 

[Amw1064]

Want to second Toa - it is a smaller more intimate luau with raised seating areas so you can't go wrong with picking your section. I went with just my husband and thought it was great for adults/older kids. The drive out there on the H-3

Do you remember if they do any of the fun preshow activities? Like making leis or bracelets with the flowers or spear throwing? I read somewhere about headpieces. Also since it is small can you see even in the cheapest seats? Trying to decide if it is worth the long drive from Aulani versus Paradise Cove.

 

[Anal Annie]

I just visited a website called Luaus.org which rates many of the major luaus on Oahu (as well as the other islands). There's a newer one in Ko'Olina called Mele at Coral Crater. It gets a 9.4 out of 10 on their overall ratings chart and has several different seating options / pricing with varying amounts of drinks included which is typical. Has anybody heard of this one or gone yet? I am not as concerned with the on-site convenience as Aulani's luau prices are quite off-putting to me. (The Toa Luau got an 8.9 out of 10 rating.) (The Aulani one is not rated on this website I found probably because it's resort guest oriented nor do they rate the one at Paradise Cove.) I suppose if we're all about the drinks the Aulani one is a decent deal for unlimited drinks?

 

[JC1984]

I would never pay for the luau at Aulani…Taken this morning

 

[AustinTink]

I would never pay for the luau at Aulani…Taken this morningView attachment 733217

This is an incredible view from your room. I’m looking at reserving a deluxe studio. Can you recommend a wing/floor and string of rooms numbers to request for a similar view?