Ka Moana Luau
Ka Moana Luau
4.5
This location was reported permanently closed
About
Oahu’s only east-side luau with award-winning entertainment and one of a kind show- starts with fire and finishes with fire, unlike anything else! Enjoy a short yet beautiful drive to iconic Sea Life Park. Breathtaking ocean views, interactive activities for the family and an amazing menu. The perfect luau for the whole family!
Duration: 2-3 hours
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See what travelers are saying
- Luz BVancouver, Canada5 contributionsHonolulu ExperienceWe had an enjoyable experience. The food is OK but the entertainment was good. They engage the audience in most of the presentations hence the fund part. WIFI in the area was gone even before the show ended so we were not able to get UBER to get back to the hotel. We ended up taking the bus which was OK though we had to take it from a not so nice area.Visited September 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 5, 2023
- DayTrip5506651 contributionGood show, food just okayThe show was good. Food-was okay. We were given the vegetarian option, it was good but lukewarm. Basically no dessert. We had a rain storm pass through during the show. I thought they would be more prepared for the rain. There were some ponchos given out but it was raining so hard and windy that they didn’t really help.Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 28, 2023
- Renae GFrankenmuth, Michigan1 contributionGood show—average food—expensive—and they sell your contact infoWe bought the rather expensive celebrity seating. Good view of the show. Food was okay—chicken and pork were good. The fish was awful (soooo fishy). Drink “tickets” were a bit of a misnomer. It’s more that you have about $32 on the “tickets” and the drinks (except beer and badges run and coke tree cocktails) are $18+ each (size of a regular cup—not large). Enjoyed the show. A week after the show I got a phone call from a company that they sold my information to. It was under the guise of getting my feedback-it was actually some type of travel club scam similar to timeshares. Luckily I read the Better Business Bureau complaints and did t join the 45 minute Zoom presentation/meeting. I then emailed Ka Moana Luau expressing my opinion of them selling my information to that company. I would not go back to this luau…I’d go to Sea Life Park or Nutridge.Visited November 2023Traveled with familyWritten November 17, 2023
- Yun CBuffalo Grove, Illinois46 contributionsLoved the PerformanceIt was a pleasant experience. We enjoyed the performance and loved the performers dedicated effort, tentativeness and skills to show the island cultures and entertain the customers. While there are other places to see similar cultural performances such as Polynesian Culture Center, we found the Luau dinner performance the best. Drink tickets were value adding. Food was not bad but could be better tailored to make the overall package a better value. The premium seating upgrade may not be necessary for the cost though it did offer a slightly better view to the stage plus a welcoming lei.Visited December 2023Traveled with familyWritten January 5, 2024
- Explore449732435243 contributionsExcellent show, but other areas need improvement.The show was excellent. The food was good, except for the dessert which was weak, with no selection. Also, they played games with the drink tickets; you had to pay extra to get most drinks, and pina colada wasn't available. And they kept calling / texting me a day or two before the Luau, trying to get me to pay more for an "upgrade".Visited September 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten September 17, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
1,485 reviews
Excellent
998
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Terrible
51
Scenic722092
4 contributions
Feb 2020
My first experience with a luau! Went to this event as my Go Oahu card premium event. I loved the performance and the MC's sense of humour although even with Splash seating I found it a bit hard to see around the people in front of me at times. The food was okay but not great. The cultural activities (lei-making, headband weaving, ukulele lessons...etc.) were very underwhelming, way too crowded with like twenty people at one booth and only one person to host the activity. Was especially disappointed with the "ukulele lessons" which were more just getting to hold one and then giving it back but I guess you can't expect anything more given the way the event was structured.
It rained during the evening event although the show valiantly went on and they did hand out rain ponchos which helped. I wish they could have made the eating area covered with picnic tents or something so that our food didn't get soaked.
Would recommend getting the shuttle transportation to and from the luau if you don't have a car as no buses run there when the luau ends and Uber is expensive. We took the early shuttle there so we could explore Sea Life Park before the luau which was great!
It rained during the evening event although the show valiantly went on and they did hand out rain ponchos which helped. I wish they could have made the eating area covered with picnic tents or something so that our food didn't get soaked.
Would recommend getting the shuttle transportation to and from the luau if you don't have a car as no buses run there when the luau ends and Uber is expensive. We took the early shuttle there so we could explore Sea Life Park before the luau which was great!
Written March 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Valerie K
Cedar2 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
The night we went was rainy, there were 2 downpours during the luau. They did give us ponchos but our food got soaked! We bought the celebrity seating which was great but the rain pretty much ruined the evening. It cost us quite a bit of money for 5 of us and we spent most of the time waiting for the show to end so we could leave and dry off! I wish they would've cancelled the show due to the weather!
Written January 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anthony G
Bronx, NY34 contributions
Dec 2020
Visited on re-opening night (Dec. 1 2020).
Performance: 5/5
The grounds were beautiful and the staff did their best to put on a great show. Good level of audience interaction and the dancing & other parts of the performance were entertaining and very comedic.
Food: 3/5
Buffet food and dessert were pretty decent with the exception of the fish which was dry and not tasting good.
Organization: 2/5
There was a very long line upon entry for each party to get their photos taken that would be later printed and marketed to you upon leaving.
Afterwards you are seated and according to the program description we would be called table by table for the buffet dinner. This didn’t happen and it was a free for all with a long line wrapping around with everyone getting up when they wanted. Some tables were up for seconds before I even got to the line. I paid extra for a package that was supposed to enable earlier access to the food but this didn’t happen. It took forever waiting on line and this took away from the experience.
The food buffet closed without notice during the show and I tried to get a second drink during a break in the performance but the bar also closed easily for some reason.
The photo pickup at the end of the show was a disaster and a very long line to review and purchase photos. Our package included a free photo and we were told it had to be a specific photo and we couldn’t get the cheap cardboard frame without paying extra. A very nickel and dime situation.
COVID Safety: 3/5
Tables were spaced out well and you were only seared with members of your own party. The aforementioned long buffet line lead to people waiting right next to some of the people sitting at tables in the back. Buffet food was served by the staff and seemed sanitary. Hand sanitizer was out at the beginning of the buffet, which was not a good look. The long lines for photo taking and photo pickup were not socially distanced enough. Most people wore masks throughout the night.
Performance: 5/5
The grounds were beautiful and the staff did their best to put on a great show. Good level of audience interaction and the dancing & other parts of the performance were entertaining and very comedic.
Food: 3/5
Buffet food and dessert were pretty decent with the exception of the fish which was dry and not tasting good.
Organization: 2/5
There was a very long line upon entry for each party to get their photos taken that would be later printed and marketed to you upon leaving.
Afterwards you are seated and according to the program description we would be called table by table for the buffet dinner. This didn’t happen and it was a free for all with a long line wrapping around with everyone getting up when they wanted. Some tables were up for seconds before I even got to the line. I paid extra for a package that was supposed to enable earlier access to the food but this didn’t happen. It took forever waiting on line and this took away from the experience.
The food buffet closed without notice during the show and I tried to get a second drink during a break in the performance but the bar also closed easily for some reason.
The photo pickup at the end of the show was a disaster and a very long line to review and purchase photos. Our package included a free photo and we were told it had to be a specific photo and we couldn’t get the cheap cardboard frame without paying extra. A very nickel and dime situation.
COVID Safety: 3/5
Tables were spaced out well and you were only seared with members of your own party. The aforementioned long buffet line lead to people waiting right next to some of the people sitting at tables in the back. Buffet food was served by the staff and seemed sanitary. Hand sanitizer was out at the beginning of the buffet, which was not a good look. The long lines for photo taking and photo pickup were not socially distanced enough. Most people wore masks throughout the night.
Written December 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aloha Tony,
Mahalo for joining us and leaving us your review! We appreciate your feedback about our buffet and overall organization on our re-opening night. We have worked to improve these areas since re-opening and are always looking to our guests to provide us invaluable insight on their experiences.
We are so pleased to see you enjoyed the entertainment!
Aloha,
Ka Moana Lū'au
Written February 3, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Felicia B
New York City, NY14 contributions
Mar 2020 • Family
I was anxiety to get to a Luau while being in Hawaii. After all how could you come to Hawaii and not go to a Luau. The company that sold me the Luau tickets for $20 after I paid for the ticket I was told i now had to do a timeshare presentation the next morning. The transportation was late picking us up. When we got there the table seating was off and we were told dont look at the numbers on the table. It's by the water so it was cold no one told us to bring a sweater. The food was terrible and it was cold. It started raining so on top of it being cold it was now wet. The show was pretty good. Would I ever go back to another Luau probably not..
Written March 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aloha Felicia,
Mahalo for taking the time to leave us your feedback here on Trip Advisor. While we can't speak to the company that sold you the tickets, we are sorry to read you had rainy weather during your Lūʻau! Thanks again for joining us.
Written July 13, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
moscowmomx2
1 contribution
Mar 2020
My boyfriend and I found this luau thanks to Groupon. Unfortunately we had some crummy weather that day, so arrangements had to be made and seating was changed up a bit. This created some blind spots and blocked views, which was a bit irritating, but the show was AMAZING nonetheless! The fire dancing and MC was hilarious. Learning about the culture and history was great. The activities during dinner were fun.....lei making, ukelele playing, photos, etc. I was not impressed in the dinner. I had looked forward for weeks leading up to it for the Kalua Pork only to be sorely disappointed. It was dry and had no flavor to it. Definetly needed some sauce. The drink selection was not great and the drinks to buy were very limited and expensive.
Written March 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aloha & Mahalo for taking the time to write us a review of your experience. We were sad to see the weather was not optimal the night of your Lūʻau but we are glad you enjoyed the show nonetheless!
We appreciate your feedback on the buffet offering as we continue to work towards improving all areas of the experience based on the feedback we receive from our guests.
Written July 13, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Nicole B
Minneapolis, MN4 contributions
Mar 2020 • Family
Let me start by saying the show was fantastic and so is the scenery. However, because of earlier rain we were put under the restaurant for Sea Life to eat and do pre-luau activities. This part was very disorganized and if you pay for the higher package they have no organizational way of keeping others who purchased the basic package from not getting in line for food or getting a better seat at the show. Also, the food was sub-par, but for the value of getting Sea Life and the show it was average! I still wouldn’t suggest it and potentially look at other Luaus to attend.
If you want to enjoy Sea Life the day of you can do that and I would suggest only going about an hour early as you can still see a sea lion and dolphin show.
If you want to enjoy Sea Life the day of you can do that and I would suggest only going about an hour early as you can still see a sea lion and dolphin show.
Written March 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aloha Nicole,
Mahalo for leaving us a review - we wanted to let you and our future guests know we are working on improving our rain procedure to make our guests more comfortable in the event of bad weather. We are glad to see you enjoyed the scenery and performances! Thanks again and Aloha
Written March 24, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
bktpro808
Kihei, HI64 contributions
Mar 2020
The Ka Moana Luau has alot going for it. About a 30 minute drive from Waikiki or as we opted for transportation which runs about 18.00 PP round-trip. You do also get admission to sea life park and I'd suggest going in early on the same day or take the earlier transportation to enjoy Sea life park beforehand. We didn't get a chance to go back and experience their wild life exhibits. You can even swim with the dolphins at the park, if you book that package, which is only of a few you can do in Hawaii.
We were in the Celebrity Seating, which is front row and center. The upfront seating is great for photography and video, not to mention really seeing the expressions of the dancers faces and dance. This is a nice Family luau, as most luau's are. With this Package you also get a flower lei versus a shell lei and a Souvenir photo is included too.
As you enter you are given you Flower Lei, take a photo with several dancers and get your Complimentary Welcome Mai Tai, Then you are given two drink tickets and more can be purchased beyond that. Another reason to consider transportation.
They have a beautiful backdrop, with the Ocean in front and the Mountains in the background. The bands plays nice music while they have their Cultural Activities going on at several places around the grounds. They even had a guy shimming up a palm tree, not an easy feat.
The Celebrity package is also the first ones to dine. They let you sample some Poi and Lomi Lomi, and then it's off to an all you can eat buffet. The food was tasty and abundant, which really adds to your experience. But don't forget dessert.
Their MC is a bit of local celebrity on Spectrum OC16. James Roache’ is part of "Da Brothers" and it took me a minute to take him seriously, because his alter ego is anything but serious, quite slapstick and local humor. He told me he's been doing the MC gig for 35 years and he did a great job mixing professionalism with humor.
The show starts just as your finishing your dining and it was lively, fun, and takes you on a real Polynesian journey. The dancers were enjoying sharing their dance with the guests. Make sure to take a photo or two with their dancers on the way out. The Ka Moana Luau is a great way to enjoy your vacation day on Oahu.
We were in the Celebrity Seating, which is front row and center. The upfront seating is great for photography and video, not to mention really seeing the expressions of the dancers faces and dance. This is a nice Family luau, as most luau's are. With this Package you also get a flower lei versus a shell lei and a Souvenir photo is included too.
As you enter you are given you Flower Lei, take a photo with several dancers and get your Complimentary Welcome Mai Tai, Then you are given two drink tickets and more can be purchased beyond that. Another reason to consider transportation.
They have a beautiful backdrop, with the Ocean in front and the Mountains in the background. The bands plays nice music while they have their Cultural Activities going on at several places around the grounds. They even had a guy shimming up a palm tree, not an easy feat.
The Celebrity package is also the first ones to dine. They let you sample some Poi and Lomi Lomi, and then it's off to an all you can eat buffet. The food was tasty and abundant, which really adds to your experience. But don't forget dessert.
Their MC is a bit of local celebrity on Spectrum OC16. James Roache’ is part of "Da Brothers" and it took me a minute to take him seriously, because his alter ego is anything but serious, quite slapstick and local humor. He told me he's been doing the MC gig for 35 years and he did a great job mixing professionalism with humor.
The show starts just as your finishing your dining and it was lively, fun, and takes you on a real Polynesian journey. The dancers were enjoying sharing their dance with the guests. Make sure to take a photo or two with their dancers on the way out. The Ka Moana Luau is a great way to enjoy your vacation day on Oahu.
Written March 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aloha!
Mahalo nui for this awesome and in-depth review of your experience with us at Ka Moana Lūʻau. We are so pleased to see you enjoyed your evening with us and we appreciate your recommendations and feedback on all the different aspects of the Lūʻau and Sea Life Park experience.
We hope you have the opportunity to join us again some time, until then - Aloha!
Written March 24, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Debbie K
Racine, WI44 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
Out of everything we did while on Oahu we both felt this was our favorite. Everything about it was perfect! I bought the celebrity package so we were seated upfront. We also got a complementary picture as well as complementary drinks. The location was extremely picturesque and allowed us to take some wonderful photos. The meal was delicious with a huge variety. And the performers were amazing! The costumes were very beautiful with frequent changes as they represented different parts of Polynesia. The master of ceremonies was highly informative as well as entertaining. It was a wonderful night! I highly recommend it to all who are coming to Oahu.
Written February 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aloha Debbie,
Mahalo for joining us! It was an honor to read that the Lūʻau was your favorite activity while visiting Oʻahu. We are so glad you enjoyed the experience and appreciate your high recommendation to our future guests very much. We hope you both have the chance to join us to share more Aloha in the future, until then - Aloha!
Written July 13, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
annayeboah
1 contribution
Feb 2020
My first ever Luau. I think if there was full coverage over the eating area I would’ve given 5 stars. The food was mediocre but because the chief was hilarious it made up for the fact that it rained on and off throughout the evening. I paid for the classic seating but was able to move up to the celebrity seating since it was raining so hard people left their seat to find shelter. The staff were all very kind and good looking !
Written February 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aloha Anna,
Mahalo for joining us! We are sorry to see you had rainy weather during your Lū'au but are glad you enjoyed Chief's humor and our staff's Aloha spirit :) Aloha!
Written July 13, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Darla H
1 contribution
Apr 2020 • Family
We booked a lual for 13 people. Due to Coronavirus our booking was canceled by ka moana. This was back in April 2020 when the islands shut down . We are now in August 2020 and still waiting for a refund. They kept saying they would refund as soon as business was up and running again. I eventually contacted my credit card company and disputed the charges. Ka moana sent me am email stating that they were sorry and that they would not dispute the refund from the credit card company but I recieved notice today that they did dispute it and the credit card company said they could not reverse the charges since ka moana argued that they were legit charges. I can't believe a business like this would RIP people off and keep their money in a time of crisis. I do not recommend this establishment to anyone ever, not unless your willing to risk losing a ton of money.
Written August 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aloha, we will arrive via cruise in April. With the SPLASH seating, do you actually get wet?
If we book directly, is port transfers still available?
Ty
Written August 22, 2023
I would like to buy Luau tickets from Ka Moana, and I would like to know the difference between buying on the Ka Moana Luau website, or on the tripadvisor website. Because from tripadvisor I realized that I can book and pay later, but does that not guarantee my immediate reservation?
Written November 7, 2022
I called them directly (website) and bought tickets since it was only a few days before the show when I decided to go. However, I was told I bought two last ones and turned out there were plenty of seats left....not sure why.
I don't know what will be the difference but I received confirmation email and receipt right after and you can enter the Sea life center with the Luau booking number for free.
Written November 8, 2022
What time does transportation to the ka moana luau pick up at the Ala moana hotel?
Written October 6, 2022
Han V
Richmond, Virginia
I see on the website that check-in begins at 5PM. What is the latest time we can arrive? We have someone in our group that is arriving around 5:30PM-- would our group be able to arrive around 6PM for the luau?
Written February 2, 2020
I think they close the gates at 5:30 p.m.
Written February 4, 2020
Hi, I was reading your trip advisor review, but could not work out where you saw the dolphins, and are you able to remember how much the Luau cost etc.
Written January 25, 2020
Tori M
Honolulu, Hawaii
Aloha Robyn,
Mahalo for your question! As amckenz07 mentioned, the Lūʻau is located at Sea Life Park Hawaiʻi, which has dolphin experiences. There is no wildlife present at the Lūʻau but the price does include free general admission to the park along with your ticket.
You can view prices for the Lūʻau on our website!
Aloha
Written February 1, 2020
What time do you have to get there to do the cultural activities before the dinner and show?
Written August 21, 2019
Tori M
Honolulu, Hawaii
Aloha,
Check-in for the Lūʻau is between 4:45 and 5:15 PM. We start to open the doors to the Lūʻau around 5:20/5:30 PM based on package purchased (Celebrity guests get first entrance, followed by Splash and Classic).
After you've entered the Lūʻau grounds you'll have the opportunity to take your souvenir photograph, visit the tiki bar and participate in the cultural activities!
Written February 1, 2020
I read that if you buy tickets to the luau you also get tickets for the park, is this correct?
Written August 10, 2019
Tori M
Honolulu, Hawaii
Aloha Cliff,
Mahalo for your question! You are absolutely correct :) Every Lūʻau ticket includes a free general admission pass for Sea Life Park. You can use it the same day (before) as your Lūʻau, or you can return within 7 days after your Lūʻau date to redeem.
Please let us know if you have any additional questions!
Aloha
Written August 12, 2019
Can we take the bus to go back to Ala Moana Hotel or can they drop us off one way. And how much?
Written May 1, 2019
No more bus after the luau. Reserve a spot on their transportation for $18 per person.
Written May 1, 2019
Do they do any foul rates? We are looking to have 20 or 30 people attend after our wedding and need something accommodating, a great show and since we are paying for everything and everyone not going to hurt the pockets to terribly to speak as we have much else we are doing our stay there.
Written March 19, 2019
Tori M
Honolulu, Hawaii
Aloha! Mahalo for your message, we would be honored to help you celebrate your wedding! If you send us an email at the email address at the bottom of our website, one of our sales managers will be happy to provide you our large group discounts/rates :)
(Apologies for not providing the email address directly, Trip Advisor does not allow for special characters in these responses).
Mahalo!
Written March 21, 2019
Bonjour. Je parle français mais vais écrire en anglais, veuillez excuser mes erreurs.I hesitate between the site of your comment and the Polynesian cultural center with the dinner and show. If you did both you could be your preference. Thank you for your time
Written February 21, 2019
Bonjour. I have been to the Polynesian Cultural Center as well, but not for the dinner and show. The Polynesian Cultural Center is great, but it is much more crowded and "touristy", in my opinion. For an intimate, family oriented, more relaxed luau, I would bet on the Ka Moana. Hope this helps.
Written October 29, 2019
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