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In a real sense, the Oahu luau could be attributed with the distinction of being at the very heart and the very beginning of the visitor industry in the Hawaiian Islands. After all it was the luaus of Oahu that were a prominent feature in the first entertainment that was presented to the first visitors to the first hotels in Waikiki in the early 1900's. The luau tradition was transferred from the Hawaiian host culture to the visitors of the islands in ceremonies that forever established the luau as the quintessential Hawaiian activity. In the years since, those first Oahu Luaus have emanated outward to the neighbor islands but the original roots of the luau feasts enjoyed by Hawaii visitor's have remained firmly entrenched in the history of twentieth century Oahu. Tom Barefoot's Tours offers discounted pricing to many Oahu Luaus and luaus found on the other islands as well.
Oahu Luaus Continue forward as the Premiere Activity on Oahu
Today's rich history of Oahu luaus has continued on with many luau feasts offered-up for the visitors enjoyment. Luaus still can be found in Waikiki but also elsewhere on the island and the luaus of Oahu still remain the premier activity appreciated by visitors to this island! Oahu luaus are heavily steeped in Hawaiian history, Polynesian history, hula dancing and all facets of Hawaiian culture.
Generations of visitors have come back again and again to enjoy Oahu Luaus
Oahu of course was the very first of the Hawaiian Islands to establish a tourist industry and since the quintessential Hawaiian form of entertainment is the luau feast, Oahu luaus were the first to become known in Hawaii. Over the decades generations of visitors have attended Oahu luaus and certainly it could be said that your visit to Oahu would be incomplete without enjoying one of Oahu's wonderful luaus.
Oahu Luaus are no longer just in Waikiki
One unusual aspect of the luaus on Oahu is that many of the larger ones are located some distance from the tourist centers of Waikiki. As a result these Oahu luaus will all provide transportation "to and from" or if you have your own vehicle you could drive on your own. If you're looking for a luau within walking distance to your Waikiki hotel, that can be arranged as well as Waikiki Beach has had a rich tradition of providing luau entertainment for visitors since the early part of the nineteen-hundreds.
The Food Options at your Oahu Luau.
All of your Oahu luaus will provide the basics in terms of food preparation which are "by in large" traditional and are essential for any luau whether on Oahu or not. These staples in Oahu luau cuisine will first and foremost include the Kalua Pork which is prepared in the underground oven or "imu".
Preparation of the Imu
Early in the morning of the day of the Oahu luau a big pit is dug in the sand.
Kiawe logs (you might know them as Mesquite) are thrown in the bottom and lit on fire.
Into the fire are now placed large river rocks which will in turn get extremely hot and will contain the heat for many hours to come.
Over the hot rocks are placed freshly cut banana stalks and on those stalks is placed the pig over which are laid banana leaves and ti leaves to contain the moisture and steam produced from the juicy banana stalks.
The entire imu pit is then covered by a tapa cloth or tarp and then covered with sand so that no steam will escape.
At the time of your Oahu luau the pig is unearthed and the meat is so thoroughly cooked that it just falls away from the bone.
Additional foods found at your Oahu luau.
In addition to the pig your Oahu luau will also always include lomi lomi salmon, chicken long rice, poi, laulau, haupia and other Hawaiian delicacies. Much of the food found at your Oahu luau may seem foreign to you but you should taste it all. There will also always be plenty of more familiar foods at your luau which will include salads of all kinds, fish, beef, chicken, breads, rice dishes and a variety of desserts. Generally there will also be a full complement of alcoholic beverages, beer, wine and mai tai's and fruit juices and soft drinks.
The Entertainment at your Oahu Luau.
The entertainment at your Oahu luau will take many forms but will of course always include the Hawaiian hula dancing. Many Oahu luaus will give you the opportunity to get up on stage and show off your newly acquired hula dancing skills which you will learn about and perfect right there on stage.
Hawaiian chanting and dancing will also be a large part of any Oahu luau and storytelling through the art of dance is an important part of the luau tradition.
Most Oahu luaus will also pay tribute to their Polynesian ancestors and neighboring island cousins as the song and dance of the various islands of Polynesia are performed on stage. You will enjoy performances from the cultures of the islands of Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand and Tahiti. As a finale to most Oahu luaus you will be treated to the Fire-Knife Dance from the island of Samoa and this is almost always the favorite of the children.
All Oahu luaus are held at sunset time and continue into the evening and are filled with the romance of the islands and its people. Whether you're a child or a senior citizen, just-married or celebrating your 65th, this evening will be a special one for you, and a uniquely Oahu experience.
Look for this symbol in the tour descriptions below to indicate if it is Pride of America compatible.
The Paradise Cove Luau is the largest luau in the state of Hawaii. Prepare to be social for this one because the "aloha spirit" is alive and well at Paradise Cove. Every effort has been made to provide you with "all things Hawaiian" including various participatory games, demonstrations and the sharing of arts and crafts. More Info / Buy Now
Only 25 minutes from Waikiki at Sea Life Park's private, stunningly scenic Makapu'u Meadows and its breathtaking panoramic backdrop, join world famous Chief Sielu for a Hawaiian luau like none other. Interact up close & personal with your Pacific Island hosts with Hawaiian crafts, hula lessons, spear throwing, fire making, weaving, tattooing, and more. More Info / Buy Now
Considered to be the largest paid attraction in the state of Hawaii, the Polynesian Cultural Center on the North Shore of Oahu is a Hawaii 'icon' and is a 'must visit' when you come to Oahu. All the major cultures in the Pacific Rim are spread out in replicas of island villages with traditional housing and complete with actual South Pacific islanders dressed in traditional garb who are there to interact with you regarding all aspects of their island lifestyles. More Info / Buy Now
One of the longest standing of all luaus in Oahu is Germaine's Luau. This luau has been a tradition of sorts for decades and generations of visitors have enjoyed the food, cocktails, entertainment and overall fun that happens here. The luau itself is located on an isolated private area along a white sand beach in West Oahu. More Info / Buy Now
One of the most famous Hotels in all of Waikiki is the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, affectionately known in Hawaii as "the pink lady". The Royal Hawaiian hotel was in fact the very first hotel built on Oahu and in Waikiki. This is a fabulous location for one of the very best luaus you will find on Oahu, the Royal Hawaiian Luau. More Info / Buy Now
This video is going to be about Luaus on Oahu. So, you probably all are familiar with what a Luau is, a big giant Hawaiian party we usually have on the beach, or near, at sunset time.
Your giant feast, all your traditional Hawaiian foods and they cook a pig in the imu under the sand and so you've got this huge quantity of food, you've got all the pageantry and so on of the dance and the singing and chants of the various cultures, not just of Hawaii but usually of the South Pacific as well, and then you've got cocktails and it's just generally just a good time that everyone gets together and enjoys this quintessential Hawaiian extravaganza.
So, there are Luaus on all of the islands. What makes the Luaus on Oahu different? Well, one, this is the very first place that we ever had commercial Luaus in Hawaii. The tradition of Luaus is very long, we have a lot of Luaus that have been here for many decades, a lot of history and many people go to these Luaus, they went to them when they were kids and now they're coming back and they're going to the same Luaus, taking their kids. So, there's a huge tradition in terms of just the antiquity of some of these Luaus that are there. They've been doing it a long time. The other thing that really makes things different is that these are large Luaus. You're not going to find Luaus anywhere near the sizes that we have on Oahu on the other islands and this makes for kind of a different feel for the Luaus. You're with a big group of people enjoying these Luaus together and it has a different feel to it than the outer islands that we have with the smaller Luaus that you will find and the other thing, I think, that is different about the Luaus here are that they're spread over the island and you can actually be picked up at your hotel and taken to the Luaus and most of the other places on the other islands, you need to drive there.
In many cases, of course, you can drive to these Luaus as well but just the nature of Oahu, that they will pick you up at your Waikiki hotel and then you bring you out there on a bus or however they're going to transport you to the Luau and then bring you back, which is kind of a good thing if you're planning on having a few cocktails anyway. They'll be doing the driving.
So where are they? They're, as I say, they're kind of all over the island. We do have some that are right there in Honolulu, or in Waikiki, so you could actually walk right over to some of the Luaus or take a cab there, that sort of thing, if you're going to be attending one right in Waikiki but others that we have are out along this coastline in Ko Olina and South, we have Luaus. Also, over in the Waimanalo area, over on the eastern coastline and also up at the Polynesian Cultural Center you can find Luaus as well. So, they're all over the place and this is an experience if you're coming to Oahu and you're going to be there for whatever period of time, you should take one of your days and do a Luaus, especially if you've not done them before. This is the quintessential Hawaiian feast, it's what Hawaii is known for and it's a great way to spend one of your nights. You undoubtedly are going to be having dinner there anyway, at some point, and you might as just do a Dinner at a Luau.
So if you have any questions about Tours or Activities in Hawaii, just give us a call or check out TomBarefoot.com. We're here to help.
The Hawaiian Luau, of all the various activities available in Hawaii, is certainly the most Hawaiian activity of all! The luau in Hawaii can truly only be found in Hawaii and this is the reason the Hawaii luau party has established itself in the hearts of the visitors who come to Hawaii as the quintessential Hawaiian event.
Kauai luaus are essentially a giant feast which includes Hawaiian entertainment such as the hula dancing and a considerable amount of socialization in the tradition of the "aloha spirit".
A party. Food, drink, dance, music and much aloha. Hawaii is the only place where you can attend truly authentic Hawaiian luaus. Maui is well known to have some of the very best luaus in the State of Hawaii.
The Big Island of Hawaii provides luaus from Kailua-Kona town to the resorts of Waikaloa. There is nowhere on the planet that you can truly attend an authentic Hawaii luau outside the State of Hawaii and the Big Island of Hawaii offers you a wonderful variety for your enjoyment.
