Our hotel, the Hilton Waikoloa Village, just happened to host one of the highest rated luaus on the Kona coast: Legends of Hawaii Luau. We decided to splurge on the VIP “Ali’i seating,” which included a table right in front/center of the stage, table service with drinks and desserts, plus extra appetizers. It was well-worth the upgrade, especially as we didn’t have to drive and could float back to our hotel room after all of the mai tais.

The doors opened about an hour before the festivities began and we were greeted with orchid leis.

To the side of the arena, they have pre-show games and kid’s crafts. My step kids were a bit too old to be interested, but younger children were really enjoying this aspect of the event. There was also a small local crafts market for souvenirs.

We sat down and started in on the cocktails! (or mocktails and soda for the kids)

The Ali’i upgrade was worth it for the drinks alone. We had unlimited beverages and they were brought by a very attentive server. We barely finished a cocktail before it was refreshed. If we hadn’t upgraded, we would have faced very long lines at the bars. An open bar is included with all ticket levels, but certainly having the Ali’i tickets saved us time and allowed us to enjoy the experience. Mai Tai’s are my favorite tropical cocktail and the ones at the luau were strong!

Here are some shots of the appetizers =. edamame and a type of dried plant, similar to a plantain- perhaps even a plantain? There were other appetizers too. To be honest, the appetizers were the least necessary and enjoyed part of the Ali’i seating. We nibbled at them, but we didn’t want to spoil our appetites for the buffet.

Our attention was called as they trotted the roasted pig through the arena. Pork is a mainstay of Hawaiian cuisine and is usually served for special occasions, such as a luau. If we had been interested, we could have watched the pig being prepared and placed into the pit early in the morning.

The buffet was broken into multiple stations, including a section for the kids. My stepson was thrilled to discover that they had his favorite meal, Mac and cheese. With the Ali’i tickets, were were called up first to the buffet, although there was an abundance of food for everyone and double-trips was encouraged. The meal was one of my favorites for the entire vacation.

I feasted on pork, roasted chicken, green salad ( with a tropical dressing), macaroni salad ( which is also quite popular in Hawaii), fruit, et….so many things that I can’t even remember them all, but it was delicious. I also forced everyone try a tiny bite of taro root. Taro root is a traditional Hawaiian side, but it is also quite a strange experience if you’ve never tried it. I can’t say that I enjoy it, but I always feel compelled to take a taste when offered.

There was a dessert and coffee station, but with the Ali’i tickets, these items were brought to our table. As with the bar, this was a great time saver and made our experience better.

As soon as dinner was served, the entertainment got underway. Our master of ceremonies had been hosting the Legends of Hawaii Luau for decades. He was on hand to explain various Hawaiian traditions and the significance of the dances/songs. I know that many people would consider this type of Luau to be a tourist-trap, but it was quite interesting and I was happy to have my step kids learn about a culture that is so different from their own in Sweden. During my childhood trips to Hawaii, we stayed on a less-touristy side of the island, where more of the locals lived and we didn’t attend the big hotel luaus, so although I’m quite familiar with Hawaiian culture, this experience was new for me as well.

All small children, no matter what ticket level, were invited to sit on mats directly in front of the stage. I thought this was a nice touch. It’s a very family friendly experience.

Our M.C.

We were given a demonstration of how to cut open a coconut. Do not try this at home!

A fashion show, including different ways to tie a sarong.

The luau continues with traditional songs, hula dancing, fire spinning, and a nod to Hawaii’s cowboy culture…

The show was part history/part culture and all together very entertaining. We even got to join in with the singing and we were taught some hula moves.

I highly recommend the Legends of Hawaii Luau and I’m sure if we return to the big island, we will experience this again. It was one of the highlights of our vacation.