The Wednesday Night Hula Show at South Maui Gardens in Kihei is one of my favorite new(er) 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 post may contain some affiliate links, which means I’ll make a little money on anything you choose to purchase. But of course, I only recommend my absolute favorites to you. Thank you for supporting the brands that make HulaLand possible.

Hula Show at South Maui Gardens

South Maui Gardens is a nursery/event space close to the Cove Beach Park with 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 or blankets to set up camp on the lawn. 

Tickets to the show are about $100/person and sometimes they have a 25% discount available online. Also, certain times of the year they add a Sunday night show option as well. 

There are dozens of food trucks on site, but the shining star is Kitoko. Their 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. 

Side Note: If you’re looking for a rental car for your trip, I LOVE Discount Hawaii Car Rentals. They’re seriously the only company I ever use. They’ll give you the very best prices, you don’t have to reserve with a credit card or pay until you show up, you can cancel and re-book anytime if you find a better rate, and they usually have a special that adds additional drivers for no fee. It’s a no brainer. Click here to check rates for your trip.

Honestly, I LOVE this whole concept so much. 

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…have dinner somewhere else before or after, share something from a food truck, go all out and have a feast!

And not having to sit at a table and make small talk with strangers is a big bonus for me ; )

Seriously, I have been to a LOT of luaus and even at the best of the best, the food is…mediocre. But I was blown away with the food at Kitoko plus there are dozens of other food trucks all serving up yummy, fresh food. And it’s just a much more customizable experience than you’ll find at a buffet. 

Granted, this isn’t the big fancy resort experience. You’re not going to get leis, see them pull the pig out of the ground, and have the whole party atmosphere, but I think it’s a really good fit for a lot of travelers. 

Find more info here. 

Want the full plan, not just this post?

If you’ve read this far, you’re probably actually planning a trip to Maui…not just daydreaming. So here’s the thing: what you just read is a small piece of what I know about this island.

I’ve been visiting Maui for years, and I put everything…the itineraries, the hotel breakdowns, the restaurants actually worth your time, the spots most visitors never find…into one guide. It’s 75+ pages, built around real day-by-day plans (not just a list of “things to do”), plus an interactive map so you’re not toggling between five browser tabs trying to piece your trip together.

It’s the guide I wish I’d had on my first few trips here.

See what’s inside the Maui Guide → HERE