Ka Moana Luau Dinner and Show at Aloha Tower Honolulu

Aloha Tower and Honolulu Harbor

Aloha Tower has watched over Honolulu Harbor since 1926. For decades this ten-storey clock tower was the tallest building in Hawaii, and its four faces, each painted with the word Aloha, greeted the passenger ships that brought visitors to the islands. Today the tower and the marketplace around it are a lively waterfront area with views of the harbour, the cruise piers and the downtown skyline.

The luau venue sits right on the water, so you see the harbour lights come on as the sun sets behind the piers. Arriving from Waikiki with the included transport, you avoid parking in the busy downtown area. If you are asking how to get to Aloha Tower on your own, it is about 15 minutes by car or taxi from Waikiki, but the transfer in this package makes the evening simple.

Lei greeting and pre-show cultural activities

Your evening begins with a fresh flower lei, the traditional Hawaiian symbol of welcome and affection, and a welcome drink. Before dinner, the hosts invite guests to join a series of hands-on cultural activities: learning to make a lei, weaving headbands from coconut leaves, trying a few steps of hula and keeping the rhythm in a drum lesson. There are also temporary island-style tattoos and a demonstration of climbing a coconut tree.

These activities are relaxed and suitable for all ages, so children and adults can take part together. They are also the best time to take photos and talk with the performers about the meaning of the dances and crafts you will see later. With the premium package, you also choose a souvenir gift to take back from your evening in Honolulu.

The island-style buffet dinner

Dinner is a farm-to-table buffet inspired by the flavours of the islands. Expect a fresh green salad, hapa rice mixing brown and white grains, soft rolls with honey and guava butter, stir-fried vegetables, mahi mahi fish and guava-glazed chicken, along with other traditional local dishes. For dessert, try haupia, a creamy coconut pudding loved across Hawaii, and a purple sweet-potato cake.

Lemonade, juice, coffee, tea and water are included throughout the meal, and your package adds two drink vouchers per person. Tables in the premium front zone are set closest to the stage, so after dinner you have the best view of the show without moving. Guests with specific dietary needs should tell us when booking so we can pass the request to the venue.

The Polynesian show and the fire knife dance

After dinner, the lights dim for an award-winning production that takes you on a voyage of way-finding across Polynesia. Dancers and musicians bring to life the traditions of Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa and other island nations, from graceful hula telling stories with the hands to fast, energetic drumming and colourful costumes of feathers, shells and grass.

The grand finale is the fire knife dance, in which a performer spins blades wrapped in flames at breathtaking speed, a Samoan tradition that never fails to impress. Audience members are sometimes invited to join a dance on stage. Is a luau in Honolulu worth it? For most visitors it is one of the highlights of a Hawaii trip, combining food, music and culture in one memorable evening.