One thing everyone boasts about when you talk about visiting the Hawaiian Islands is going to a Luau. Culture mixed with music, dancing, and a little knife throwing is custom on the islands and the Wailele Polynesian Luau at The Westin Maui is something spectacular to witness.
Located in the resort’s Aloha Pavillion, we simply walked from our Beach Tower room at the resort across the property and my excitement grew with each step. While waiting in line, drinks were served and the evening of Blue Hawaiis, Mai Tais, Westin Sunsets (signature drink) was just beginning.
The show itself boasts the most extreme troupe of fire knife dance performance in Maui with one of the members, Tavita, as a third generation fire knife dancer. Catch spell-binding Fiji and Maori performances with the choreography and dance moves carefully supervised by Fiji and Maori chiefs. The show will also include dances and songs from: Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand and Samoa – a truly authentic Polynesian revue!
Included in your ticket price are unlimited drinks, dinner, gratuities, and the show, for just a bit more per ticket you can sit in the first 3 rows. There really isn’t a bad seat in the house, though I love that each table is family style with about 10 people. We met a lovely couple from New Jersey that were celebrating their first anniversary as we were celebrating our 15th, the conversation was lovely and it’s fun to hear about people’s experiences on the island.
The stage is set against the beach and the setting sun, for the first part of the show you get a real bright and ethereal view. The singing and music to start is completely relaxing, you can hear the ocean just on the other side of the stage, the warm winds are blowing, and you are with your loved one, bliss.
The food comes and is served on a lazy Susan for all to enjoy. Some of the appetizers I looked up afterwards to find that pipi kaula is a brisket or flank steak and also served was ahi and salmon, taro chips, dried mango (YUM) and taro rolls and butter. Everything we tried was just extremely tasty the flavors just burst in your mouth. Dinner included Kalua pork that we’d had on our trip and was again amazingly tasty and tender as well as my first time eating a bright purple Molokai sweet potato.
The amazing story-telling through song, dance, and narrative was so neat to see. The night rolled on so smoothly and was so relaxed, the excitement came after the sun set and the fire dancers and knife throwers did their thing. I was shocked how the main fire dancer had such long and full hair that risked singeing.
The talent was a amazing sight. Finally dessert was served, and we enjoyed haupia, macadamia nut tartlet, kona chocolate cake, and pineapple caramel cake. Haupia is a coconut-based custard that is like the consistency of tofu. The desserts were bite sized and just enough to fill our tummies with some hot coffee after a great dinner and show.
From the shell lei greeting to finale of the event, we had the best time, a taste of Hawaiian culture that cannot be missed.
A full itinerary of the night, menu, and prices can be found here, http://www.westinmaui.com/dining/wailele.
Our evening was hosted, all experiences and opinions are ours.
