Another topic I wanted to touch on before the Hawaii posts come to an end later this week: luaus! No visit to Hawaii is complete without a luau.
Now, I’ve been to a few other luaus, but since I haven’t been to every single luau that all of Hawaii has to offer, I can’t say what is actually the “best.” However, out of the ones I’ve gone to, the one I went to during my recent trip to Maui was my favorite so far. This luau was at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa.
I don’t know about you, but the three most important things to me when it comes to a luau include the surroundings, the show, and the food. What else could you really ask for? Alcohol, perhaps? Well, okay. But I’d say alcoholic beverages are a bonus.
The food at all the luaus I’ve been to has been great, but I do think it’s hard to mess up Hawaiian food. What I liked about the Hyatt’s luau is that they don’t prolong the wait time before you can finally eat.
In fact, they know how to get straight down to business. As soon as I walked in, I was offered a mai-tai and they just kept ‘em coming.
About the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa Luau
I appreciate that this luau wasn’t too cheesy. Some of the other luaus I’ve been to, well, they’re just downright corny. I don’t need a step-by-step hula lesson or to learn how to paint a face on a coconut or sing along to some cheesy song. You are usually subjected to this stuff for a good hour or so before you’re even offered an alcoholic beverage, which is unfortunate. Would these activities be more suitable for children? Maybe so, and while the Hyatt’s luau does give you the option to participate in some of these things (learn the hula, etc.) you are not forced into it like you are at some of the other luaus. You can just sip away at a Blue Hawaiian and eat your dinner while these activities take place on the stage.
The buffet at the Hyatt’s luau had something for everyone: healthy choices, traditional Hawaiian cuisine, and yummy desserts. I particularly enjoyed the kuala pork and the purple rolls.
The location was great, and was situated on the Hyatt’s lovely beachfront property, although I must say if you’re staying here (which I was) and you have an oceanfront room (which I did) it is impossible to drown out the loud noises of agony from the fire breather as the show goes on into the wee hours of the night. (By the way, when I say wee hours of the night, I actually mean 8:00 p.m. Because of the time difference in Hawaii, I am usually wiped out by this time.)
Now for the show – very entertaining, and a good duration. A good amount of hula dancers and fire performers. Of course, when it comes to fire performances, nothing will ever beat the full moon party I went to in Thailand. But, we’ll save that story for another time.
With that being said, I recommend this luau to anyone visiting Maui. It is a bit pricey ($90 per person) but when you factor in a show, all-you-can eat buffet, and unlimited drinks, it really isn’t all that bad.
If you’re stuck going to a cheesy luau, I guarantee you’ll enjoy yourself anyway.
Essential Travel Information
Flights: Tons of round-trip, direct flights from the United States available via Hawaiian Airlines.
Hotels: At the time, I was collecting and redeeming Hyatt points, so I stayed at all Hyatt properties (except for the Big Island). On the Big Island, I actually found this amazing hotel on Expedia that was pretty cheap (at least compared with other hotels on the island) was actually more like a big apartment. Seriously, it was huge. It had a living room, dining room, and even a full-sized kitchen. For Oahu, HotelsCombined.com offers a great selection of hotels in the Honolulu area.
Activities, tours, and everything else: No matter where you’re traveling in Hawaii, you can save a ton of money by purchasing one of these awesome coupon books from Entertainment.com, which feature savings on pretty much everything throughout Hawaii, including luaus.
