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This cruise was a blast. Bartenders are heavy handed and super friendly. Everyone aboard is just looking for a good time and we were glad to be a part of it. Would go every night if we could.
More mega-shots.
My wife and I were celebrating our twentieth anniversary, and she said she wanted to go to a luau. I chose the best luau in Honolulu - the last open air, on Waikiki, at the Royal Hawaiian. The entertainment was amazing - the Andrew Sisters and the fire dancer were the highlights although everything was incredible and well done. I loved the theme on the history of Hawaii and Honolulu and I learned something new. I never realized how much WWII changed the islands but now I know! The food was delicious and varied. I loved the ahi collar! What made it all amazing was the setting. The one downer was our server - she acted like she didn't want to be there and was so inattentive that one of the other servers wound up taking care of us. But nothing could spoil that evening! We have already told all of our friends that if they go to one luau in Hawaii, go to the Aha Aina Royal Luau in Waikiki!
Make sure all of your servers are happy to be there and know how to make thier guests feel welcome.
This was the highlight of our trip to Oahu. We had such an amazing time. My daughter who is six made friends with one of the staff and helped them clean all of the masks. We loved the snorkeling and the kayaking.. we were invited to join the speedboat, pulling the bananas out into the ocean and got to see some sea turtles! Everybody we spoke to was warm and inviting. The owner of the Boat even took time to explain to my son how the engines worked. Absolutely phenomenal experience. Thank you for everything.
More snacks available that are not sugar donuts would be nice. Music was very loud next to stage
this is a working tour. Yes, we got to do the rowing and worked to get out in the waves and ride it in. We are not the only ones on the water. We have to avoid all the swimmers who also wanted to ride the waves. Great fun! Great view! a bit of work but well worth it. We also got a little wet.
It was just too short, 3 waves was not enough. Maybe they can have a double ride next time.
Had a wonderful day! Celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary in Hawaii! Kualoa ranch was also a perfect place to celebrate Mother’s Day!
Book early and wear appropriate clothing. Be ready for anything!
This is a must if you go to Hawaii, the ranch was awesome and I highly recommend it to all. Don’t miss it you will be disappointed! Once in a lifetime experience.
Great staff, great views and great experience!!!!
Amazing trip with fabulous crew , delicious hamburger and good steinlager beer 🌺😁
I went to Hanauma Bay with my family and we had a wonderful experience! In the morning, we went to the pickup spot where the shuttle came to pick us up on time and everything went smoothly. The shuttle was very clean and the seats were nice and comfortable. Our shuttle driver was very kind and funny. I liked that she told us more about the island and the streets we were driving on while we were on the way to the bay. While on the bus, we also watched a mandatory and informative video about safety and preserving the bay. When we got to Hanauma Bay, we were greeted by someone from Roberts Hawaii who walked us all the way to where the tram was that took us down to the bay which was very helpful because we didn't have to find it on our own and we didn't have to walk all the way down. We enjoyed our day at the bay swimming and snorkeling and saw so many colorful fish! Then when it was time for pickup, our shuttle came on time and we were on our way back to Waikiki. Everything about the day went smoothly and it was so fun and relaxing. I really appreciated that everyone who helped us was so kind and helpful. Overall, it was an amazing experience and I would gladly go on this shuttle again!
If you're like me, you're doing a deep dive into every luau on the island and reading every review so you can decide what to spend your hard earned money on. Look no further. Kaula Luau in Ko Olina truly delivered an unforgettable experience and I will highlight some of the best parts.
First off, it's a new luau (opened February 2026) and differs greatly from traditional luaus. Will get more into it later.
We got the hotel shuttle transfer and even though it ran a little late, we made it to the luau with a lot of time to spare. The bus was luxurious and very comfortable. We were a small group of 8 but our guide Kanoa (Zeek) was very welcoming, funny and attentive.
The gift shop featured only items sourced and made from locals on the island, nothing imported. A lot of cute bags!
The preshow/dinner activities were fun and we learned a lot. Our favorite was the fire baton twirling, dancing with traditional instruments, and throwing a fishing net. The teachers were very friendly and guided us throughout.
There's no buffet, but small huts that serve dishes. You can get seconds... Thirds... Or more. The poke taro chips, grilled chicken and the Hawaiian roll were delightful. Bottled Jason Mamoa water was provided. The wait staff was quick to remove finished plates too! As with any outdoor luaus, there will be bugs. Use bug spray and maybe bring a hand fan to shoo them away.
The preshow featured live singing and hula dancing. It was a good workout for the food we were gonna eat!
You got plenty of time in between the preshow and main show to take pictures with the gorgeous sunset.
The main show was the highlight. The story telling was immersive, engaging, easy to follow and enjoyable for all ages. Felt like watching a theatre show! The production was top notch. A lot of dancing, live singing and high energy. Ended with a bang: fiery fire dancers, including the first female fire dancer!
Book it. There's a lot of love put into the production and it shows 💖
Bring light jacket, sunglasses, bug repellent. Do the tattoo on the outside of arm so it doesn't rub
The crew of the Manu Kai, Noa, John, Mark, and Brandon, were clearly experienced with this sensitive and emotional ceremony of leaving our father’s ashes in the waters that he loved. Our family has sailed on this boat many times over the past 4 decades, and the fact that they offer this morning sail was beyond perfect.
They gave us all the time that we needed to watch as our leis and pua surrounded the spot where we left him,gently circling the boat around the area.
The boat was so comfortable and pristine. Launching from Kewalo made it so easy. We plan to go back regularly to honor our dad and spend time on Manu Kai. Mahalo nūnui.
Hanauma Bay was really beautiful and probably one of my favorite places on the trip. The view was amazing, and I took a lot of nice photos just by lying on the grass and looking at the ocean. It felt super relaxing and peaceful. I also saw some really cool fish, which made it exciting and different from just a normal beach.
There were a few things I didn’t like though. The rocks in the water made it kind of hard to walk, and sometimes it hurt my feet. I also didn’t enjoy snorkeling that much, but that was mostly because I felt sick. I think it would actually be really fun if you feel okay.
Be careful when putting on sunscreen and don’t get it too close to your eyes because it really hurts. Also, watch out for mongoose because they might steal your food. I saw it happen to people sitting near us. Overall, Hanauma Bay is an awesome place and I would recommend going.
I went to Pearl Harbor and it was a really interesting place to visit, but there were some parts I liked more than others.
My favorite part was the airplane area. We went to the Top of the Tower (paid extra $10.00 ) and saw 360 degree view of Pearl Harbor. There was one section in the back (kind of like a shed) which I found the coolest planes. I also really liked the submarine. It wasn’t very big, but it was cool because you could see how people actually lived inside. The beds were super small, and it made me imagine how hard life must have been there.
The USS Missouri wasn’t that exciting to me because I didn’t really find anything very interesting there. Also, the bus rides to go back and forth was a little boring and it felt like a waste of time.
One important tip is to eat a good breakfast before you go. Once you start visiting everything, you
Dan was amazing, we had a marvelous time, Dan was patient, knowledgeable, friendly, and fun!
definitely worth the money
Loved the experience! Once in a lifetime so far. Hope to have a repeat someday!!
I booked this Luau with our Ko Olina Kaula Kai Sunset Sail and Luau Combo.
https://www.veltra.com/en/hawaii/oahu/a/201093
After checking in around 5:00–5:15pm, we were instructed to board the catamaran while musicians played and welcomed guests. For safety reasons, women wearing sandals or heels were asked to remove their shoes and board barefoot.
There were cookies and chips available for everyone on board, and once most guests had boarded, the bar opened. It was an open bar with options such as lilikoi mai tai, Waianae sunset, piña colada, turtletini, catatonic, and local beers from Kona Brewing. The boat was quite packed, and with only one bartender, the line became very long—so unless you were willing to wait, you could likely only get one or two drinks. They also ran out of chips, so not everyone was able to have some, until the very end when they refilled the table again.
We departed around 5:30pm. Since this was after the days of the storm, the ocean conditions hadn’t fully settled, and the ride was still a bit bumpy. Fortunately, I found a spot at the back of the boat, leaning against the railing and facing forward, which helped with the motion. We were able to spot a few whales, though they appeared only briefly, making them difficult to capture on camera. We returned to the harbor around 6:30pm, so the sailing portion lasted about an hour.
[Reviewed by HawaiiActivities.com Staff]
I booked this Luau with our Ko Olina Kaula Kai Sunset Sail and Luau Combo.
https://www.veltra.com/en/hawaii/oahu/a/201093
Upon arriving from the boat around 6:30 PM, we headed straight to the luau, just in time for dinner.
Their Luau dinner setup is different from a typical Luau. Guests go to multiple food stations and food trucks to select individual menu items. At each station, guests are served a plate of that item. One highlight for me was that the catering is provided by Moani. Moani Island Bistro in Kapolei is one of our favorite weekend spots, so I was especially excited, and the food did not disappoint. Everything served at the luau was delicious.
Regarding seating, since this was an Industry FAM night, I'm not sure if this was normal but there were no assigned seats. Instead, a designated area was reserved for FAM attendees on a first-come, first-served basis. We were seated on the left side of the stage at the last table in the back, but still had a great view.
The stage itself was beautifully designed, very unique and inviting. The storytelling was engaging. It felt like a full production, almost like an outdoor broadway show, with impressive lighting, sound effects, and screen animations, oh and we were surprised to see an acrobatic too! It actually reminded me of “Auana” in Waikiki, almost like a Westside version in Ko Olina. The performance featured a wide range of Polynesian dances, which was fun to watch.
Highly recommended especially for those staying at Ko Olina Resorts or on the West side.
Was a nice and fun experience never. Weather was really nice in the afternoon. There so much to do and see not enough time for everything lol . We also had a really good tour guid his name was Sam .
The Pearl Harbor Tour was everything I hoped it would be. Patrick was our very helpful and courteous bus driver and guide, and he was an excellent stand-in for Bob Hope who couldn’t be there. Patrick regaled us with jokes and historical anecdotes about Honolulu and Pearl Harbor. Though his Elvis Presley and Don Ho imitations need a little work, Patrick made the trip quite enjoyable. I did not previously know about Elvis Presley’s contribution to the Arizona Memorial, nor did I know that the Walmart in Oahu had to keep its Spam under lock and key because it is a highly pilfered item in Hawaii. Mahalo, Patrick.
Bus seats on the driver's right afford the best vantage to take pictures while in the Punch Bowl.
10/10 recommend. Great staff. Friendly. Great music.
We had such a fun visit to the Manoa Chocolate Factory on Oahu with my toddler daughter. She loved it, and so did I.
The tour starts with a really interesting intro about how they source cacao locally, which gives the chocolates unique flavors from different islands. The chocolate fountain tasting was definitely a highlight for us. Everything was so rich and delicious.
We ended up picking up a few chocolates to take home. Highly recommend stopping by and supporting a local business like this.
Their designer is pretty good. Check out their merchandises at the gift shop.
The staff was amazing ! The dolphins are angelic. We had an awesome experience. Thank you so much .
I had to share the experience to my sister and her family that my kids and I had the first time we went here back in June 2025. For my nephew's bday March of 2026, I suggested to go to the Kaneohe sand bar again. The consistency of their best service is just really incredible. From the warm welcome of the staff, the island vibe voices of the singers, the lifeguards who constantly keeping an eye to the kids, the captain who made the banana boat super exciting and safe. The place, the view and the people gave us all an unforgettable experience. Looking forward for the next visit, hopefully with the rest of our extended family. Mahalo/ Salamat!
[Reviewed by HawaiiActivities.com Staff]
The evening began with a warm welcome as guests boarded the catamaran around 5:00–5:15pm, accompanied by live music at the dock. Light snacks were available and an open bar offered a variety of tropical cocktails and local beers, creating a fun, relaxed atmosphere. The boat was quite full, which led to long lines at the bar and limited snacks at times. The sail departed around 5:30pm and lasted about an hour. Ocean conditions were still a bit rough following recent storms, but we were still able to spot a few whales, which added a special touch to the experience.
After returning to shore, we headed straight to the luau and arrived while dinner and entertainment were already in progress, so we likely missed some of the pre-show activities such as hula lessons and cultural demonstrations. Dinner was described as a buffet, but it was actually set up more like a series of food trucks, kiosks, or booths, where guests visited different stations to receive plated items. While this setup provides a wide variety of options, it can also lead to using multiple plates per person.
The food was catered by Moani Island Bistro, which was flavorful and well-prepared. Seating was first-come, first-served for this event, but even though we were seated in the back, we still had a good view of the stage. The show itself featured engaging storytelling, Polynesian dances, and impressive production elements like lighting and visuals, giving it a polished, theatrical feel.
Overall, the combo offers a unique way to experience both a sunset sail and luau in one evening. However, timing overlaps may cause guests to miss some activities, and those sensitive to motion may find the boat portion challenging.
Take motion sickness pill before the cruise, and arrive early to secure a good spot on the catamaran
We had a great experience. Joshua communicated well. We needed to make a last minute venue change, due to the weather. Everything worked out perfectly!
We really had a good time. As the person in the very front, I got pretty wet, but the water was not cold at all. It was awesome seeing Waikiki from a surfer’s perspective.
This was an awesome tour! Our tour guides were amazing and shared some incredible stories about the ranch, the movies and the island itself.
My husband and I had a wonderful first trip with this company and first excursion together. All the staff were very friendly and accommodating. There was live music and the atmosphere was great. We would definitely recommend this for anyone else looking for something fun to do while you’re staying in Hawaii.
Show was great! Chief and his family put so much positive energy into the whole event! Food was very good!
Get middle tier tickets!
Our tour guide Jonah was really nice and super flexible with the schedule so you don’t feel rushed at all. The route is ideal and recommended by locals I talked to. It was a great tour and we really appreciated the tour guide answering all our curious questions happily!
