Maui - Hawaii with Kids - page 308

A Night to Remember: Luau, Maui Style
Most of the larger hotels in Maui's major resorts offer luaus on a reg-
ular basis. You'll pay about $65 to $75 to attend one. To protect your-
self from disappointment, don't expect it to be a homegrown affair
prepared in the traditional Hawaiian way. There are, however, com-
mercial luaus that capture the romance and spirit of the luau with
quality food and entertainment in outdoor settings.
Maui's best luau is indisputably the nightly Old Lahaina Luau
( & 800/248-5828 or 808/667-1998; www.oldlahainaluau.com). Located
just oceanside of the Lahaina Cannery, the Old Lahaina Luau maintains
its high standards in food and entertainment, in a oceanfront setting
that is peerless. Here's something the entire family from the youngest
to the oldest can enjoy together. Local craftspeople display their wares
only a few feet from the ocean. Seating is provided on lauhala mats
for those who wish to dine as the traditional Hawaiians did, but there
are tables for everyone else. This luau offers a healthy balance of
entertainment, showmanship, authentic high-quality food, educa-
tional value, and sheer romantic beauty. (No watered-down mai tais,
either; these are the real thing.)
The luau begins at sunset and features Tahitian and Hawaiian enter-
tainment, including ancient hula, hula from the missionary era, mod-
ern hula, and an intelligent narrative on the dance's rocky course of
survival into modern times. The entertainment is riveting, even for
jaded locals. The food, which is served from an open-air thatched
structure, is as much Pacific Rim as authentically Hawaiian: imu-roasted
kalua pig, baked mahimahi in Maui onion cream sauce, guava chicken,
teriyaki sirloin steak, lomi salmon, poi, dried fish, poke, Hawaiian
sweet potato, sautéed vegetables, seafood salad, and the ultimate
taste treat, taro leaves with coconut milk. The cost is $82 for adults,
$52 for children 12 and under, plus tax.
coming down the aisles, drummers and musicians in surprising corners, and
mind-boggling stage and lighting effects that draw the audience in. Some spe-
cial moments: the goddesses dancing on the moon, the white sail of the first
Europeans, the wrath of the volcano goddess Pele, the labors of the field-worker
immigrants. The story unfolds seamlessly; at the end, you'll be shocked to real-
ize that not a single word of dialogue was spoken. Performances are Tuesday at
6 and 8:30pm, and Wednesday through Saturday at 6pm only. Tickets are $48
to $68 for adults and $28 to $48 for children ages 3 to 10.
A very different type of live entertainment is Warren & Annabelle's,
900 Front St., Lahaina ( & 808/667-6244; www.hawaiimagic.com), a mystery/
magic cocktail show with illusionist Warren Gibson and “Annabella,” a ghost
from the 1800s who plays the grand piano (even taking requests from the audi-
ence) as Warren dazzles you with his sleight-of-hand magic. Pre-show entertain-
ment begins at 6:45pm nightly. Tickets (book in advance) are $45, cocktails and
food are extra. You must be 21 years old to attend, although they occasionally
have a 5pm family show (minimum age is 6 years) without food or cocktails; call
for details.