If going to a luau is on your Maui bucket list, listen up ; ) 

I’ve been to quite a few luaus on Maui so here’s the scoop on how they all stack up. 

Best Luaus in Maui

There are 10 or so commercial luau productions on Maui, but anyway you look at it, there’s one clear winner. 

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Old Lahaina Luau

If you’re looking for the best luau in Hawaii, you can stop looking. This is it. Maybe a bold statement, but I’ve been to a lot of luaus in Hawaii and I know when I’m impressed. And I’m impressed.

The Old Lahaina Luau does absolutely everything right, but the biggest first impression is the setting. Located right on the water at the end of Front Street in Lahaina (the luau grounds were left relatively untouched by the recent fires), this is an independent luau (it’s not at a resort) so the venue is custom built to host a high end luau and you can tell. It’s not a small luau (capacity of 500 or so), but it FEELS intimate because of the way everything is laid out and designed.

The Old Lahaina Luau is regularly touted as “the most authentic” luau in Hawaii. And as far as commercial luaus go, it is. There is not an ounce of “corny” at this luau. Everything from the setting to the food to the show is done as first class as possible. The level of service and hospitality at this luau is unparalleled and the way the everyone involved shows aloha makes it feel very authentic. 

 

It’s worth noting that since this is a traditional luau, it’s only the hula that’s performed (traditional dances from the Hawaiian Islands) so there is no Samoan fire dancer as there often is at other luaus where it’s a celebration of dance styles from different Polynesian islands. 

I’ve been to a LOT of luaus and honestly most of them kind of run together, but this one is special. I think the best way to sum it up is…while a lot of luaus feel like a production or a list of experiences to check off (Imu ceremony, check…hula lesson, check…taste poi, check) the Old Lahaina Luau feels more like a pleasant evening spent with friends enjoying good food and entertainment. Which at the end of the day, it what makes it feel so authentic.

As far as pricing goes, this is a one price fits all luau. Some luaus have so many packages and add ons and extras that it feels like it requires a PhD to figure out the best option. There’s one choice to make here: do you want traditional seating (at a low table where you sit on a cushion on the ground) or do you want to sit at a table in a chair? Both are the same price and the seating is tiered in a semi circle so that no matter where you sit your view is PERFECT. 

Adults: $230 (age 13+)

Children: $140 (ages 3-12)

Read my full Old Lahaina Luau Review here. 

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Best Luaus in Wailea

While I’m obviously a big fan of the Old Lahaina Luau, I know that a lot of people staying in Wailea and Kihei don’t want to make the drive over to that side of the island. 

If you’re looking for a luau to enjoy that’s within walking distance (or a quick drive) of the Wailea resorts, you’ve got options!

There are three big luaus in Wailea. Let’s get into your options: 

Grand Wailea Luau // Te Au Moana Luau (Wailea Beach Resort) // Feast at Mokapu (Andaz)

I’ve attended the luau at the Grand Wailea and I’ve watched the other two from my hotel room balcony. 

I would say the Grand Wailea Luau and the Te Au Moana Luau are comparable. Prices are similar, food is served family style at the table and quality is similar, drinks are included (but pretty weak), settings are both oceanfront. 

I think the show at the Grand Wailea is the most unique though. It’s actually one of my favorite luau shows that I’ve seen anywhere. They have an aerial silks dancer which isn’t something I’ve seen anywhere else plus the fire dancing is top notch. 

Also, the Grand Wailea now has dedicated luau grounds so it feels like a more permanent setup than something they set up temporarily on the lawn. It may not sound like a big deal, but I think it makes a pretty big difference when it comes to how the event flows and the quality of the production. 

Here’s the pricing: 

Te Au Moana Luau (at Wailea Beach Resort): $278/adult and $87/child (6-12), 5 and under are free. That’s the “basic seating,” there’s a $30 upcharge for premium seating. 

More info here. 

Grand Wailea Luau: $275/adult and $170/child (12 and under) but $335/adult and $195/child for premium seating. And if you have kids under 5 I would call to double check about the pricing. There’s usually an age cut off where they’re free but that could definitely be a factor in choosing between these two since the other luau 5 and under are free. 

More info here. 

About the pricing:  It is what it is and if you want to attend a luau, these are the prices, but honestly they’re a little hard for me to stomach. When I attended the Grand Wailea luau last, it was about $100/adult. Yes, they’ve made a few improvements to the setting but nothing about it is worth a $175 price increase. 

If this is on your bucket list and it’s a big deal for you, you’ll have a great time at either of these luaus. However, I personally would never pay these prices for these events. It may be easy for me to say since I’ve been to a lot of luaus, but the value is not there for the price. 

Especially knowing how they compare to the Old Lahaina Luau (which is less expensive). 

For $250/person you could go to Maui’s most high end restaurant(s) and have the most extravagantly magnificent meal of your life (for a lot less than $250/person really). Even though the price is high, a luau is about the whole experience and you really shouldn’t expect more than a mediocre to decent meal at any luau (no matter how expensive). 

I don’t say this to discourage you from doing a luau, just to set your expectations. 

If you are making the decision between these two luaus, each luau is NOT offered every night so availability may sway your decision. 

The Feast at Mokapu (Andaz) used to be positioned as the only “luxury luau” on Maui and was priced accordingly, BUT while the other luaus in Wailea have majorly upped their prices, the Andaz hasn’t so their “luxury” luau is about the same price as the other “standard” luaus making for an interesting comparison. 

Priced at $280/adult and $140/child for the standard seating and $360/adult and $180/child for premium seating, they’re now within the same price range as the other two luaus. 

More info here. 

Feast at Mokapu is definitely a more elevated experience with a farm to table menu. Since the other two luaus have ditched the buffets in favor of family style service, it’s not as much of a distinction anymore, but this is a much smaller luau than the Grand Wailea so food quality is higher even though the menu is similar. Plus the drinks are more restaurant/bar quality. 

I think the major drawback to this luau is the show. I would call it more “luau-lite.” The dancing is good, but it’s just nowhere near on the scale as the Grand Wailea. Example, they have one fire dancer and the Grand Wailea has like, five. 

The Feast at Mokapu also runs on a pretty limited schedule with shows only two (sometimes three) days a week. 

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Other Luaus in West Maui

I really can’t think of a reason why you’d want to go to a luau in West Maui (Lahaina/Kaanapali) OTHER than the Old Lahaina Luau, but here are your options:

Myths of Maui at the Royal Lahaina Resort 

($185/adult and $115/child)

This is the longest running luau on Maui and is within walking distance to quite a few resorts on Kaanapali Beach (it’s just north of Black Rock). I know some families like this as an alternative to the Old Lahaina Luau because they have fire knife dancers. Also, they’ve dropped their prices quite a bit since they’ve reopened after the fires. 

Drums of the Pacific at the Hyatt Regency 

($210/adult and $105/child)

Located at the far south end of Kaanapali Beach, this is a convenient location for a lot of hotels in the Kaanapali area. And like the Myths of Maui, some families like this as an alternative to the Old Lahaina Luau because they have fire knife dancers.

Maui Nui Luau at the Sheraton Maui

($198/adult standard $228 for VIP)

Of the three luaus on Kaanapali Beach, this would probably be my last pick. Myths of Maui is right next door. 

Tales of the Kapa Moe Lūʻau at the Ritz Carlton Kapalua

($250/adult $150/child)

This is a new production at the Ritz Carlton Kapalua. Expect a smaller crowd and better service but they only offer it two days a week. 

Budget Friendly Luau Options

South Maui Gardens, Kihei

This is one of my favorite recommendations on Maui. If you’re semi interested in a luau but not 100% sold on the price tag (a lot of resort luaus are pushing $300 PER PERSON now!!), this is a GREAT option. 

This nursery/event space close to the Cove Beach Park is a beautiful outdoor venue that’s home to a food truck park…and a hula show on Wednesday evenings. 

The entertainment lasts from 5-7 PM and features live music plus an hour long show with dances from across the Pacific Islands (including Samoan fire knife dancing). 

The venue is open seating and while they have some mats, benches, and picnic tables, they encourage you to bring your own beach chairs to set up camp on the lawn. 

There are dozens of food trucks on site, but the shining star is Kitoko. The truck is at South Maui Gardens full time, but during the Wednesday night hula show, they have a special menu. 

I LOVED the crispy pork belly with okinawan sweet potato gnocchi. 

Tickets to the show are about $100/person and sometimes they have a 25% discount available online. 

Honestly, I LOVE this set up. Especially if you have kids. You get to see a full quality production without paying a premium for mediocre food and drinks. $100/person is a pretty good deal for 2 hours of entertainment and the flexibility to do whatever you want for food. And not having to sit at a table and make small talk with strangers is a big bonus for me ; )

This isn’t the big fancy resort experience, but I think it’s a really good fit for a lot of travelers. 

Read my full review here. 

Gilligan’s Island Luau, Kihei 

Here’s your “bargain” luau. If you want to experience a luau (dinner plus the show), but you’re willing to forgo a lot of the nicer trappings for a lower price, this could be a good option for you. 

With tickets starting at $159/person, it’s QUITE a bit cheaper than the cheapest option in Wailea (like, by $100/person). But it’s also pretty bare bones. 

The luau is hosted at Gilligan’s Bar & Grill at the Maui Nui Golf Course in Kihei, and it’s…kind of like going to a luau at a sport’s bar. With a view of the ocean in the distance. It’s nice, but not what a lot of people are expecting. The food also gets mixed reviews (buffet style) and honestly while it’s so much cheaper than the Wailea luaus, $165/person is still a lot of money to spend. 

Find more info here. 

Polynesian Show at the Shops at Wailea

On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30-6:30 PM, the Shops at Wailea hosts a Polynesian dance for visitors. It’s not the fanciest production, but it’s pretty good for free. Pair it with dinner afterwards at one of the restaurants at the Shops at Wailea (Lineage, Pint & Cork, Tommy Bahama, Ruth’s Chris, Waikiki Brewing Co, etc.) or the Monkeypod (my favorite!). 

The Shops at Wailea also host lei po’o (flower crowns) workshops, ukulele lessons, and live music on other days. Check their schedule here. 

Four Seasons Maui

The Four Seasons doesn’t host a public luau, but they get pretty festive every evening starting with a torch lighting ceremony at sunset and then hula and live music in the Lobby Bar. 

Their Lobby Bar is one of my favorite spots in Wailea, and obviously the food and drinks aren’t free, but it’s a LOT cheaper (plus so much better) than a luau. 

Watch a Luau from the Resort

If you’re staying at the Grand Wailea, Wailea Beach Resort, or Andaz, you’ll quickly be able to figure out the best public spaces to catch a good view of the luau. 

But even if you’re not, all of these luaus are hosted in pretty wide open spaces and it’s not too hard to find a good view of the show. The Grand Wailea luau and the Te Moana Luau (Wailea Beach Resort) are easily watched from the Wailea Beach Walk and the Feast at Mokapu (Andaz) is too, but my favorite view is from one of the upper pool decks. The pool clears out before sunset, and you can grab a chair and pretty much watch the whole thing. 

Here’s one more really important thing you need to know before your Hawaii trip…

Reservations You Need to Make BEFORE Your Hawaii Trip

You’ve got your airfare, hotel, rental car and your big activities booked, so you should be good to go, right? Wrong!

Travel is BOOMING in Hawaii so a lot of state and national parks used the closure and reopening to institute reservation systems at some of the island’s most popular spots to make things a little more sustainable.

That means that there are now over half a dozen sites (beaches, trailheads, etc.) that require advance reservations. And some sell out well before you arrive on the island so you really need to have some sort of a plan.

I recently saw somebody in a Hawaii travel group post in a panic that they didn’t know they had to make reservations for things in advance…they thought they could just show up and “go with the flow.” I was tempted to say, well, “as long as the flow doesn’t take you somewhere that requires reservations, you can!” ; )

But I don’t want YOU to be that person, so I’ve pulled together a list of all the places you need to reserve entry in advance (plus all the details on booking windows, price, links, etc.) and a handful of popular tourist hotspots that book out really far in advance too.

P.S. I travel to Hawaii multiple times a year, and let me tell you a secret…I do most of it for FREE using credit card points and miles. 

I have a somewhat intricate system that I’ve fine tuned over the years to maximize earning points and how I cash them in, but the short version is:

I use THIS Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card for free Marriott nights. The sign up bonus alone on this card will get you 3 (sometimes 5!) free nights at hotels in Hawaii like the Sheraton Maui, Royal Hawaiian (Oahu), Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort, and the Waikoloa Beach Marriott (Kona). 

And I use THIS Southwest Premier Rapid Rewards card for free flights on Southwest. The sign up bonus will get you at least one round trip flight to Hawaii (possibly two depending on where you’re flying from). 

The combo of these two cards will have you most of the way to a free trip to Hawaii right out of the gate. Again, you can sign up for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless >> HERE and the Southwest Premier Rapid Rewards >> HERE
And if you’re really serious about getting into the travel hacking game, read this post for a more in depth look at how I maximize credit card points to book travel.