The Paradise Cove Luau is held at the Ko Olina Resort on Oahu. If you have been to other luaus and found them a bit touristy and amateurish, then you will be in for a treat at the famous Paradise Cove Luau. Even with hundreds of people attending the luau you will not feel lost in the crowd, they are able to attain that feeling of an intimate personal experience even with a large crowd, something many other luau’s have a hard time with.
When you first arrive at the Luau you will immediately be accommodated with complimentary refreshments of fruit punch of a mai tei and of course the traditional lei. You then get your chance to have photos taken with one of the entertainers to commemorate the night. You then get seated and are allowed to either relax or check out some of the entertainment that will go on before the actual dinner.
A great thing about the Paradise Cove Luau is they have activities going on a full two hours before the actually dinner itself. So you can get there early and enjoy your night with various things to do before the luau. A few examples of these activities are some Hawaiian Arts and Crafts, guests can learn to make a flower lei or even weave a temporary Hawaiian tattoo out of palm fronds. There are also places to watch and learn spear throwing and ulu maiki which is rolling stone disks. If you want, you can also enjoy a nice outing in one of their outrigger canoes.
There is also the pre-dinner event of the Hukilau, Royal Court Procession and the Imu Ceremony. During the Hukilau, you will be able to see how the Hawaiians set out their nets and capture fish for their meals, a tradition going back hundreds of years. Next is the Imu Ceremony. During this you will be treated with Hawaiian music and dancing entertainment and the Royal Court Procession. Finally the main course is presented which will be the traditional Kalua Pig that is cooked in the imu which is an underground oven. Luckily, the Imu Amphitheatre has bleacher style seating so everyone is able to see the show without having to try and look over the next persons head.
Once everything is set, its time to eat! You are welcomed to the Luau Buffet with your choice of countless Hawaiian traditional foods to fill you up. Even with a large crowd, the line will move along fast and you don’t have to worry about dragging through a slow buffet to get your food.
During your meal you will be able to gaze at the ongoing festivities that the Paradise Cove Luau will present to you. You will get to watch and hear several different Polynesian cultures of music and dance and you will even be given the opportunity to join in the fun on-stage.
You will not be disappointed with the Paradise Cove Luau; it is one of if not the best Luaus available on the island. It doesn’t feel like something thrown together just to satisfy tourists, rather it is well thought out, planned, and executed by fantastic entertainers and staff who try to give you the time of your life.