Everyone likes going to things that are easy to get to and that are convenient to everything right? Well that’s just what the Waikiki Starlight Luau at the Hilton Hawaiian Village is!
Where is the luau located?
It’s held on the rooftop garden of the resort which is right in Waikiki so it’s walking distance from a lot of the hotels. You get to see the sunset across the skyline while enjoying the fresh open air being on the rooftop.
The resort is pretty cool itself so I would recommend just checking it out even if you don’t go to the Waikiki Starlight Luau or checking it out beforehand! Even though we got there a little late, we would have loved to have been able to check out the shops and the restaurants on site, as well as a beach area beside the lagoon.
Although they don’t offer pick up for this luau, depending on where you are staying I would suggest just walking over. The good thing is that they do validate parking on site, so just make sure you bring your parking ticket with you to check in.
What happens when it rains?
Also, a thing to be aware of is that they still hold the Waikiki Starlight Luau rain or shine so if it is raining before the luau begins they will move it indoors as long as the ballroom is available.
If it starts raining after the luau begins though, they may still hold it outdoors since passing showers are pretty common in Hawaii.
When my friends and I went it did rain on us some during the evening, so they passed out ponchos at the start of the rain and the show continued on.
I will admit that it was not the most ideal situation but luckily the great food and entertainment made up for it and we still ended up having a great time!
It was not a steady rain, just a quick passing shower here and there. It made it a night to remember though because we got some lovely pictures of us wearing the clear plastic ponchos!
What did we do before the luau started?
We chose the standard package which came with standard table seating and a welcome Mai Tai. If I were you though I would probably bump up to the golden circle package which will get you a fresh orchid lei greeting, seating closer to the stage and an additional drink along with the welcome Mai Tai.
As most luaus have, you will have some activities that you will be able to do if you would like before the night begins, and the Waikiki Starlight Luau is no different. They have traditional Hawaiian games, Hawaiian crafts and the opportunity to get a temporary tattoo.
Throughout the evening they also have live music being played as well.
To begin the luau, they held a conch shell blowing contest to get the guests involved and it was hilarious! It definitely seems to be a lot harder to do than it looks!
The food at this luau was definitely one of my favorites out of the three other luau that I’ve experienced! Known for having the best Hawaiian luau food on the island, just one bite and I quickly saw why.
With a great variety of different cold salads along with kalua pork, teriyaki grilled chicken, seared island fish, Hawaiian fried rice, and BBQ brisket, there was something for everyone.
They even had stir- fried vegetables with tofu which was a great since my friend is vegan! She loved it and was so happy that a luau actually had tofu on the buffet.
One of the things that I noticed and thought was really great, was they also had a separate kids buffet. Kids can be fussy eaters with simpler tastes, so the little ones can chow down on pineapple BBQ meatballs, teriyaki chicken bites, tater tots, corn cobbettes and fresh fruit!
How is the luau show?
Voyage across the South seas is the show that they put on. They had some of the best costumes that I have seen! There were traditional dances and music from Hawaii, Polynesia and the Pacific. Now even though I am not a fan of audience participation for myself, it was great seeing audience members brought up on stage.
If you happen to be lucky enough to hop on stage, don’t let the opportunity pass you by. How often can you say that you were on stage, in Hawaii, dancing in front of hundreds of people? So get ready to shake it!
One of things that I was amazed with was that they even have four acrobatic fire knife dancers! It was amazing to watch them run around, spin on the ground and even climb on top of each other while holding fire. They made me nervous a couple of times, not knowing how they are able to do that.
It is incredible to know that these performers have been doing this for years. They are not only spinning double edge knives, but they are also on fire. I know I say fire a lot, but seriously, they are on fire!
You can tell that they have lots of practice though, so they know what they are doing. They are amazing at it! This was the highlight of the night for me for sure!
So if you are looking for a luau that is convenient to get to right in Waikiki that also has some of the best food, you should definitely book the Hilton Waikiki Starlight Luau!
