Paradise Cove Luau

The venue is gorgeous, remember to charge your phones and cameras because you do not want to miss the moment when the sun melts into the ocean :).
A little expensive, but what do you expect? It’s a tourists attractive event. Of course they will over charged you haha. We got the basic package ($ 85 + $ 14 roundtrip transportation, per person) which wasn’t that bad. If you care about where you sit then go ahead and pay more haha you still get the same foods though. Our package came with a complementary card (per person) which contains 12 credits=$ 12. You could use these credits to buy drinks, souvenirs, or pictures.
Foods were pretty good, considering it was buffet style. The pork was the star of the show, fried chicken was awesome, and the desserts were so good.
Overall, it was a fun event. Felt a little rush, I wish we had time to wander around more. The conch was kind of a bad idea since we missed the flower shower, probably because we didn’t pay attention.

Lots of Hingis to do before the luau. Very cool. A big luau with tons of people. The shredded pork was amazing. The chicken was so-​so. The rest of the food very good. The show was a little too Vegasy.

Really good luau overall. They had lots of room to roam around the property which is located right on the beach next door to where we stayed at the Beach Villas at Ko Olina (which I HIGHLY recommend to families– condos with 2 – 3 bedrooms/​2 baths, full kitchen, right on the beach– check VRBO first for individual owner rates)
They gave us at least 1 ½ to 2 hours prior to dinner and show to enjoy all the activities offered. My 12 year old daughter tried spear throwing while my 14 year old daughter and myself did the complimentary Hawaiian tattooing (temporary). They both enjoyed shaved ice as we walked around while my husband and I enjoyed the full bar options. I had a nice chardonnay while he enjoyed an ale of some sort– you apply the amount on your cards ($ 18 per adult) to the cost of the drinks. The girls enjoyed lei making (they had head leis as well as bracelet style.) We watched the hula show and the presentation of roasted pig out of the ground. There was a little more time before dinner and show so we did a little shopping at the vendors and the store (where you can apply the youth drink cards towards merchandise if they do not want soda/​juice.)
The food buffet line went quickly and the options were really quite nice, especially enough variety for kids. Salad with ranch or vinaigrette, rolls, white rice, fried chicken, pulled pork with BBQ sauce (OMG! so good!), pasta salad, macaroni salad and desserts like chocolate and vanilla cake (both good) and some coconut gelatin thing which we did not attempt to try.
The show was good. A little cheesy which I will get to in a moment. All the hula, polynesian, etc. dancers were good and the fire dancer was amazing. He actually was also our tattoo artist and extremely talented at both! THE ONLY THING that would have eliminated the cheese factor was the MC lady that was a bit annoying and almost so rehearsed there was no humor. She tried to be funny but that made her less funny and pretty sure the audience felt the same. She really was bad but hopefully whoever is in charge will listen to this and consider finding someone who can interact with the audience and go with it. I would give 4 ½ stars overall to everything else but with the MC lady in the mix, I drop the overall experience to 4. She gets a one star in my opinion. Overall, however, good show!

The Walmart of luau’s.
Folks, here you don’t even get what you pay for. Tried to take my wife on the canoe ride, but since there were no people waiting in line before we got in line, they closed the canoe early. My wife was in tears. The guys working the canoe section didn’t care.
The pig was the only decent part of the food. That’s all I have to say about that.
The ONLY redeeming thing about this place was the spectacular view for the sunset.
If you like a cheesy feeling «luau», Paradise Cove is the place for you. If you like something more authentic I bet just about ANY other luau on Oahu would do!

Been here twice now. First time with a Go Oahu card and the second time part of a friend’s destination wedding activity.
The show has changed slightly over the years. I enjoy the cultural shows, my husband, not so much. I was impressed with the quality of the food as it is buffet style and mass cooking isn’t always tasty. But this place hosts thousands of people per week for many years so they have it down.
During my most recent trip, we opted for the bus transportation from Waikiki. I was thankful for it as there was a car accident so the trip took two hours to get there. The bus driver was good getting us there but I didn’t appreciate him telling us how he needs to work two jobs and ask for gratuity on the way out.
Upon arrival the staff present you with a lei or necklace and then you get your photo taken. These photos are available at the end of the show for purchase. You also get a free (watered down) mai tai or fruit punch after the photo. Depending on the package, you might have some money to spend inside. We used ours for (watered down) beverages, but I noticed some people got souvenirs.
Before the dinner there is free time to partake in various activities, including lei making, water activities, etc. Catch the sunset during this time. At dusk the crowd gathers and is introduced to the evening’s menu and parade of the roasted pig. Buffet follows with the cultural program. Enjoy!

I’ll start at the very beginning…
I was informed to get there by 430 in order to have a choice of seating. This was completely inaccurate. I was probably the 10^th person in line. however, because of the fact that there were 3 of us in my party, I was seated at the very end. Couldn’t see stage at all.
Secondly, once in the first gate, there’s a second gate to go in. Nothing is labeled nor do they provide instructions until you get into the wrong line and told to get out. Completely unorganized!
The food: Extremely bland and unseasoned. Drinks are fake pina coladas with zero taste
Overall, this place is a 2 star.
I’ve been to Polynesian Cultural Center 3 times.. going there is DEFINITELY worth the drive to the other side of the island compared to coming here. Saving a few dollars is not worth the negative experience.
Ohhhh, the 2 stars are ONLY for the performers!

Five stars for the entertainment
Cousin Mo was our guide and he is hilarious my face still hurts from all the laughing !
Eat something light before the trip as we were stuck in traffic TWO hours, the restroom has NO WATER, NO TOILET PAPER!
They have an awesome show (fire dancer is great!.. Wow!)
The food was not good though :(made me sick
Long looooong lines for the drinks
The orchid area is perfect looks I saw the side seating and it’s too far from the stage don’t recommend it.
Bring flip flops

I am not reviewing the Paradise Cove Luau but rather the customer service of Paradise Cove. It does not reflect well on the company when the customer service people you speak to are condescending and uninterested.
I was excited to book this luau for our trip to Oahu in June. However, our plans changed and I called Paradise Cove to cancel our four reservations. I booked the reservations the night before at 10:00 pm and called the next day at 3:00 pm so was well within the 24 hours cancellation policy but because I booked it online, I was not eligible for a refund.
The customer service person I spoke to was very condescending when she heard I wanted to cancel. She told me I was aware of the Internet booking non refundable cancellation policy because it popped up before I clicked the reservation button.
She said I should’ve read the fine print before booking this reservation because I wasn’t getting a refund. I was offered the opportunity change the date of the luau but I was so surprised at the tone and direction of this conversation that there was no way I wanted to support this company.
I replied that I would have to take the matter up with my credit card company. She said that was fine since the credit card companies already knew the policy and they would not refund the charge either. I was shocked at her response.
I also spoke with a supervisor, Val, who also had the same condescending and sarcastic attitude and told me «not that he was challenging me to contact my credit card company» but he knew the credit card company would not issue any refund because all the credit card companies were aware of their cancellation policy.
He also told me to read the fine print next time before confirming the booking. I said the cancellation policy is confusing because it also states «Reservations must be cancelled 24 hours prior to the day of the event for a full refund.»
He said the reason why Paradise Cove wouldn’t issue refunds for online bookings was because it was done through a third party (i.e. PayPal) and they couldn’t issue refunds. I was again offered to chance to change the date but by this time, I had a such bad taste for this company and didn’t want to attend anything and told him so.
I said it sounded like this was not the first time he had this conversation with a customer. He replied that it really wasn’t his fault that our plans changed or that I was getting upset that I wasn’t getting what I wanted. I couldn’t wait to get off the phone.
Luckily, my credit card company was more helpful.

So my husband and I celebrated his 40^th bday here. Our first luau, we went in sorely hungover and it we felt like it was a little corny to be going to one… We were absolutely blown away. I mean how is it possible these people are so happy and friendly? I totally get it that its their job to be friendly but they are so genuinely awesome. The food was decent and the show was outstanding! To top it all off I got pulled on stage at the end to dance in a grass skirt and coconut bikini, it was crazy fun. We did the deluxe package and it was worth it. Literally so much fun! I really want the people who work here to know how much we really really really enjoyed the show and service, and the absolutely awesome feeling of being treated like ohana !!!
If you are thinking about going … GO! Now!

Ugh! Adult tickets are $ 85 for the regular Hawaiian Luau Package. I went to the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet & they were selling tickets for half the cost!
The luau is from 5p-​9p. We drove from Waikiki & the traffic was so insane that it took us an hour to get there! We arrived at 530p & there is parking available on site without a cost.
Check in to receive a $ 12 Adult Cove card
Receive a Mai Tai punch (a non-​alcoholic beverage is available too)
2 lines: one for a Flower Lei (for the Orchid or Deluxe Luau Package), one for a Shell Lei
Arts & Crafts Demonstrations: Palm weaving into a headband, Flower Lei bracelet, Polynesian tattooing
Games of Skill & Daring — Free shell necklaces for anyone who plays
Ride a canoe in the onsite Ko Olina Lagoon
Shower of Flowers
Hukilau
Imu Ceremony
Hawaiian Revue
Wing seating
Hawaiian Luau Buffet
From 5p-​630p you can shop or participate in any of the activities. Before that, you should go straight to the table to claim your spot, especially if you are in the wing seating because it gets worst the further away you are from the stage. I think the seating is bad regardless in the wing section, unless you are in the front. Around 630p, several showcases are performed which is announced with the blowing of the conch. The last showcase is the Imu Ceremony then the buffet begins at 7p. (Some of the activities are still open for a short period of time.). The center seating gets priority, then the wings. The buffet was good & I was stuffed! They had Hawaiian specialities & my favorite was the Kalua pig which was very juicy & flavorful. The Hawaiian Revue began at 8p & ended at 9p: songs, dances, a fire show, audience participation, & what I loved, a special love song that encouraged couples to get up & dance under the moonlight. A beautiful night indeed!
I do wish that they had a pamphlet of events & an itinerary because I did not know of some of the activities until I walked around the entire place (some people just stayed in one area taking photos & did not realize there was activities happening on the other side). In addition, there were long lines at each activity so you spent most of your time waiting or having to choose what activity you would rather do. Due to this, I recommend coming right at 5p when they open so you have the opportunity to do all or most.

The luau was a very large scale production and it was managed well.
In general, it was kitschy, cheesy, and entertaining. I could’ve done without some of the guest-​involved «performances», which were rather dull. The professional performances, however, were wonderful!!!
There was plenty of food and a pretty big selection — several protein options, several sides options, two types of rolls, several desserts, etc. — done buffet-​style.
The booze lines were too long; they needed double the amount of severs than they had there!
Compared to my only other experience at a luau (in Kauai), this one was more fun, more «produced», with a ton more customers at once, better professional performances — but the one in Kauai had better food and felt more authentic/​intimate.
If you’re in the area, I’d say it’s worth doing!

I am so sad that my favorite Luau is going down hill fast. The dancers are wonderful and the entertainment is great. However, tonight, I felt rushed and over priced and underserved. The imu ceremony, one of my favorite parts in the past was rushed, the MC talked so fast I couldn’t understand him.
Our meals were cold, and though told about fried chicken, given teriyaki instead. One guest at our table was allergic to fish, and although the waiter tried to get a new plate, all they did was slide the fish off the plate.
The meal use to be the best, but has lost its appeal. My fish, certainly not macadamia nut crusted mahi-​Mahi looked more like a filet o fish with out the breading. Did I mention that the food was cold.
Not worth the VIP any more. We will try our luck at a different location for the next family member who comes to town.

It was a very great experience overall. Friendly staff, nice venue, great activities, and a great show.
GREAT FOOD and a good bar options! I enjoyed my view for dinner as well!
Big parties should order tickets online ahead of time. Your ticket comes with $ 12 for you to use there. Do come early and make time for all the activities. We missed a few since we were a little late.
It’s definitely worth your money for the show. My other friends have been to other luaus and said this one is better.

Paradise Cove is a great Luau. There are so many to choose from in Hawaii but what sold me on this one was the location (on the beach and the fact that they serve alcoholic beverages). We were told to arrive at 4:45pm, in order to partake in the activities– eat something before you go if you’re used to eating dinner earlier like me. Dinner is served around 7pm or so. I raced to the buffet like it was nobody’s business (left my husband in the dust). Lol.
If you arrive around 4:45 there are several activities for you to do and shop around. I wouldn’t buy anything here as most items don’t have prices and the inflation rate of the items they sell are outrageous. Go to an abc stores (local convenient store) and they sell the same stuff for cheaper!
There is lei making, bracelet making, tattooing with washable paint, games for all. This is great (especially if you have kids) so I wouldn’t mind getting there later if you don’t have children and don’t want to participate in all the events, but it’s fun to watch.
The bartenders were all great as well as the staff. Definitely take a sarong or sweater to cover your shoulders in the evening as it gets a little windy and chilly.
The buffet was great– again I raced to it, only to realize– you can go back for more if you want it.
All the seating is great really. We went when they had a military special of $ 57/​adult for the orchid package. If I didn’t have the military rate– the least expensive one would do. You just don’t get he lei and drink voucher.
Drink prices ranged from $ 6– $ 11 (+$ 5 if you want the souvenir glass)
The food was good. The pork was actually tasty (I’m not big on pork– but it was nice to try a little as it did taste great). They had fried chicken, pasta salads, three bean salad, salad with ranch and thousand island, fish, poi, rolls and dessert. All really good! I wish they served or sold appetizers as I was hungry around 5 when we got there and wasn’t able to eat until around 7.
The performance was great and kept you entertained. I loved seeing the different dances from the other islands and ethnic groups. The chief (dancer with fire) was amazing and super impressive.
Overall, it was a great experience and a must (at least once while you visit Hawaii).

Update on pricing for Hawaiian Luau Package:
ADULTS $ 85, YOUTH $ 75, CHILD $ 65
ROUND TRIP TRANSPORTATION $ 14
Arts & Crafts Demonstrations
Games of Skill and Daring
Shower of Flowers
Hukilau
Imu Ceremony
Hawaiian Revue
Shell Lei Greeting upon Arrival
Complimentary Mai Tai Punch 1
$ 12/​Adult, $ 8/​Youth & Child Cove Card
Wing Seating
Hawaiian Luau Buffet Menu

This was my third trip to Hawaii and I had yet to experience a luau (thanks mom and dad). Obviously it was in order to go to a luau this time. We asked our hotel concierge which luaus she recommended and opted for Paradise Cove.
Pick up in Waikiki is around 4:00 and you get bused up to Kapolei. «Cousin» Katie was our bus guide and kept the commute entertaining for sure. This was greatly appreciated as it’s a kind of far ride out. Once you arrive, you quickly realize that Paradise Cove is the Hawaiian equivalent of Disney World. It’s cheesy and touristy, but everyone should experience Disney and a luau at least once in their life. You’re greeted with a lei and a mai tai and sent in to explore the grounds. We played Hawaiian bowling, watched a shower of flowers, and witnessed the unveiling of the pig amongst other things. My gentleman caller willingly participated in a hula ritual, of which I got a great laugh and was thankful it wasn’t me.
Once the sun goes down, it’s dinner and show time. The buffet is just fine, but certainly not the best food you’ll eat during your time in Hawaii. They have barbeque, fried chicken (what?), fish, salad, rolls, and dessert. Beer and more mai tais can and should be purchased to go with dinner. It was all fine, but the luau show itself was far superior. The hula dancers were great, and the fire dancing dude was insanely talented. The show was the best part of the entire night for sure.
My mission to attend a luau was above and beyond accomplished. Would I do it again? Probably not. It’s super touristy and $ 95/​person, but you should absolutely do it once as part of the whole Hawaii experience.

Welcome to paradise. Sorta.
Paradise Cove is super touristy, but it’s hard for a place like this to NOT be touristy unless you’re catching your own fish, climbing trees for coconuts, and hunting wild boar with a handmade spear.
At Paradise Cove, they do all that for you. Sorta.
THE ARRIVAL:
— — — — — — — — –
Assuming you’re busing in from Waikiki, you begin the afternoon riding with a guide who will bring you up to speed on Hawaiian history and culture. Our guide, cousin Kai, kept it real and really put the «party» in «bus»! If you are lucky to get him as your guide, you’re in for a hilariously great time!
When you arrive at Paradise Cove, you’re showered with aloha, get a mai tai, and given leis — real flower leis for those who bought the premium package, and plastic shell leis for those who bought the cheap package. For the rest of the day, you can tell which tourists are the high rollers by the bling on their neck!
While buses continue rolling in, you can occupy yourself with several activities: a 2-​minute canoe ride, temporary tattoos, grass headband weaving, and traditional games of dexterity including spear throwing.
THE CELEBRATION:
— — — — — — — — –
In Hawaiian culture, luaus are a time of great celebration. After everybody is settled, the sounding of a conch shell will move you from one ceremony to the next. These ceremonies, celebrating life and prosperity, include a shower of flowers from atop a coconut tree, the pulling in of the fish nets (no actual fish are caught), the unveiling of the kalua pig, and lots and lots of hula dancing. If you are (un)lucky, you may even be selected to participate in one of the hula rituals!
THE FEAST:
— — — — — — — — –
Finally as the sun sets over the water’s horizon, it’s time for the dinner buffet and show. The food is made for the masses, and our dinner included fried chicken, macaroni salad, fish, spaghetti, lomi-​lomi salmon, poi, taro rolls and of course kalua pig. The food was enjoyable, but nothing in particular stood out.
The dinnertime performances were quite entertaining, and the highlight was arguably the fire dancer, who was REALLY talented. This guy makes juggling torches and flaming knives look easy!
THE RETURN:
— — — — — — — — –
Alas, all good things must come to an end. After dinner, you get some time to hit the gift shop before getting back on the bus. Your paid package includes some money on a swipe card that you can use for drinks during the day or spend at the gift shop. Your guide takes the bus back to Waikiki with you, so kudos to Kai for ensuring that the party didn’t stop when we left the Cove!
When we visited last year, the base package including transportation was $ 94/​person (it’s now $ 99), a fair price given all the fun we had. The next time we visit the island, I wouldn’t mind partying it up at Paradise Cove again!

It’s expensive, even with the Kamaaina and buying the cheapest seats. But they give you drink vouchers, everyone is nice, the activities are pretty neat, especially if this is your first luau. The show itself is entertaining, and my favorite are the Tahitian dancers.
If it’s December-​February, make sure you bring a jacket, as it gets pretty windy and downright cold as the night goes on!
The food is pretty good, and the pork of course is the main attraction.

I’ve never been to a Luau before, but I was told this was the best. I’ll first start out by saying that my wife and I had a wonderful time on Christmas Eve.
The first part we walked through to get our delicious free drink on our way in. They were amazing and I wish I had more of them. Next we took a picture with two traditional Hawaiian hulas and then we went to our seats. Since we were one of the firsts to enter we sat on the side, maybe a little too up front to the stage.
But it’s not bad because you only see the show for about an hour and a half.
The rest of the time you’re walking around drinking great tasting adult beverages, making leis, throwing spears at targets, or a few other cool things. The 2 $ 12 drink cards really make for a good time.
There are tons of beautiful views, especially watching the sun set. It was perfect weather when we went.
The food was buffet style and prepared well. I wasn’t expecting 4-​star quality and you’ll enjoy it regardless. The souvenir shop is a little pricey, but it definitely caters to tourists.
This place can serve 1100 people! That’s immense and maybe a little too big. Perfect for a group of people, but still good for just a romantic outing.

This is really a family-​style luau, as in kid friendly. Crafts? Yes. Pig in the ground? Yes. Drinks? Yes, oops. Hula dancers? Yes. Fire dancers, fire eater? And, if you like being called COUSIN, this is your tourist trap, I mean, luau.
The location was definitely a 5 star, except for the long bus ride out to Paradise Cove in rush hour traffic. That was so exciting, see my attached photo. The ride back was an entirely different story. More on that later.
Bring a sweater, even if you think you won’t need one. At the last minute, I decided not to bring one, so I am now a proud owner of a zip-​up sweatshirt that has «Paradise Cove, HI» screen printed on the front. I’m sure I’ll wear it again. Often.
So, apparently, there are levels of «party» here, but we obviously had the cheap seats. No beautiful flower lei for us upon arrival, and when the buffet started, we had to line up with several dozen, or was it hundred, fellow «cousins.» Another word of advice: load your plate with as much as you want the first time and take your dessert (try the coconut cake if you like coconut, especially the frosting) at the time that you go through the buffet line.
Then, sit back and enjoy the show, if you can see it through all your «cousins.» Or, have another drink, but you’ll have to pay for this one (only the first mai tai is free). Or, if you are like me, find the coffee or tea (free).
They did take a nice family photo for our large party of «cousins.»
When it is all over, I hopped back on my bus anticipating a long drive back to Waikiki beach, perhaps a nap, but this was not to be. Our guide got the whole party going on the bus. 5 stars for Taci, bus #1.

Lo pasamos estupendamente en Paradise Cove Luau. Es cierto que es bastante caro y que es muy para turistas, pero la verdad está bien y admitámoslo, ¡no vas a poder ir a un Luau si no es en estos sitios para turistas!
Cogimos por teléfono una reserva con el pack Orchid, que básicamente te da más dinero para gastar allí en una tarjeta y mejores asientos que el pack básico. También cogimos el transporte desde el hotel, donde nos recogieron puntuales.
En el viaje en bus nuestro host Kai nos estuvo contando historias y dándonos explicaciones de como iba a funcionar todo esta tarde y diciéndonos que él se encargaría de todo, que ya nos había reservado los asientos para la cena y que si necesitábamos cualquier cosa que preguntásemos por él.
Al llegar nos pasamos, nos sacamos una foto con unos chicos vestidos con las típicas faldas hawaianas de chico y chica y el sujetador de cocos, y nos dieron un coctel y un collar (lei) de orquídeas.
Antes de la cena con espectáculo hay diferentes actividades mientras va anocheciendo en las instalaciones con salida al mar y una puesta de sol espectacular. Intenté que me hiciesen un tatuaje estilo polinesio, pero la cola era muy larga y abandoné para así poder ver el resto de representaciones y participar en otras actividades, como tirar con lanza, jugar a una especie de «bolos», y ver la lluvia de flores, la pesca tradicional (hukilau) y ver cómo sacan al cerdo del horno tradicional en el suelo, que el el mismo cerdo que comeríamos en el buffet libre de la cena.
Después comienza la cena y el espectáculo de danza hawaiana y polinesia. En cuanto a la comida, bastante normalita, destacar el cerdo que estaba jugosísimo, parece ser que se asa 12 horas sólo con las hojas y sal, y queda muy rico. También hay pollo frito (normal) y pescado local con una salsa que no está mal. También hay ensalada de pasta y alguna otra cosa, y de postre tarta y gelatinas de sabores. Para beber hay dispensadores con agua y café. Durante la cena y en las actividades previas puedes comprar bebidas con y sin alcohol en el bar, decir que la piña colada y los margaritas sobre todo están de muerte.
El espectáculo es lo mejor de la noche, con música, bailes, la espectacular danza del fuego, y todo muy emocionante con felicitaciones a los que celebran aniversarios, recién casados como era nuestro caso, etc.
Y cuando termina el espectáculo te puedes sacar algunas fotos con los bailarines de recuerdo.
En el camino de vuelta hasta el hotel Kai siguió contándonos historias sobre las tradiciones de las islas y nos lo seguimos pasando genial hasta llegar a nuestro hotel.