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Luau at The Sheraton Maui Kaanapali

Maui

Luau at The Sheraton Maui Kaanapali

Maui Luaus

West Maui

Time: Evening

Duration: 3 hours

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Highlights
  • Lavish Hawaiian feast and open bar
  • Polynesian music, hula, and other performances, with a grand finale featuring the Samoan fire dance
  • Emceed entertainment with insights into Hawaiian culture and history
  • Beautiful oceanfront location at Kaanapali Beach and a convenient walk from many nearby lodgings

Overview

The Maui Nui Luau at the Sheraton Maui Resort offers an immersive experience of Hawaiian culture, cuisine, and entertainment against a breathtaking backdrop. As the sun sets over the adjacent Kaanapali Beach, with evening cruises passing by and the offshore island of Lanai in the distance, the festivities commence with a ceremonial conch blowing, torch lighting, and a daring ocean dive from the prominent lava outcrop known as Black Rock.

Live music sets a festive atmosphere, where guests can mingle with the welcoming staff while creating flower bracelets, receiving temporary Polynesian tattoos, and watching cultural demonstrations on stage. The abundant buffet dinner features traditional and contemporary local dishes, including ahi poke (raw tuna), wild fern salad, slow-roasted Kalua pork, island fish, and guava BBQ chicken. There is also an open bar, and local sweets for dessert. 

The entertainment portion takes guests on a captivating journey through Hawaii's past and present, showcasing enchanting songs and dances from various Pacific Island cultures. The high-energy Samoan fire knife dance is often considered a highlight of the evening's performances. Audience participation in learning the hula also provides lasting memories.

TravelShack's Choice

WHY WE RECOMMEND THIS OPTION OVER OTHER LUAUS

  • On spacious grassy area with unobstructed views of the adjacent scenic beach, ocean, and Black Rock cliff, unlike the other main Kaanapali Beach luaus which are on concrete immediately adjacent to a hotel building and with mostly obstructed views of the beach/ocean
  • Exciting fire-knife dance (unlike the large Lahaina luau)
  • Pre-assigned seating and personalized check-in time for quicker arrival process and avoiding need to line up early to get the best seats (unlike others)
  • If staying along Ka’anapali Beach, this convenient location means it's likely only a stroll along the beach pathway (no need to drive)
  • Drinks at the included open bar available all night long (others end early)
  • Everyone receives fresh flower lei necklace (pending availability, otherwise a kukui nut lei or carved turtle or fishhook necklace)
  • Self parking only $2 (or $5 for valet)
  • Pre-show entertainment, including Hawaiian crafts, demonstrations, and live music
  • Audience participation/engagement, including hula lesson
  • Professional photo opportunity
  • Imu ceremony (unearthing and parading of a whole pig cooked all day in an underground stove before it is served for dinner)
Update (April)

The luau has been officially scheduled through the end of July. For August and early September, we are offering early (tentative) booking for those who want to get their booking over with and so we can grab you the best seats in the package booked as soon as dates are officially released. If there are any unexpected issues/changes we will inform you as soon as possible with ample notice. There is an option to Pay Later when booking.

If you are interested in one of these tentative dates (August/September) and prefer to wait to book until they are more final or are looking for mid-September onwards that are not yet bookable online, you can check back for when this message has been updated/removed, or you can submit our form to be contacted at that time. You can also check out our South Maui luau.

Key Details

Standard Seating
Age 13+: $190.08
Age 6-12: $105.60
Age 5 & under: Free

Preferred Seating (VIP)
First 2 rows, expedited check-in, and first to buffet
Age 13+: $218.88
Age 6-12: $134.40
Age 5 & under: Free

Since tables are pre-assigned, if your party is booking separately in order to pay separately, please answer the question at checkout about the other parties you want to sit with so you are assigned the same table. Tables fit 10 if mixed parties, or can fit 12 if all one party. If your party is more than 12, it would be helpful to note at checkout how you want to be split up at adjacent tables. 

  • Book early for the best seats (pre-assigned based on when booked) and earlier access to the buffet
  • You may want to book a Friday, since Fridays were only added in mid-April and so generally have the best available seats
  • If possible, it's ideal to book for earlier in your trip in case of a cancellation due to weather/etc. so you can still be rescheduled, especially for Nov-Apr (wetter season)

Starters

  • Ahi Poke
    Fresh-caught local raw tuna with Maui onions and seaweed
    (gluten-free (GF), contains sesame, soy)
  • Hawaiian Potato Macaroni Salad
    (contains gluten, egg, soy)
  • Kula Mixed Green Salad
    Mixed greens with cucumber, tomato, carrot, and papaya seed dressing
    (GF, contains soy)
  • Fern Salad
    local wild fern shoots, tomato, Maui onion, and cabbage
    (contains gluten, sesame, soy)
  • Cucumber Namasu
    with kelp and carrot
    (GF)
  • Pineapple
    with Li Hing Mui powder (made from dry plum skins)
    (GF)
  • Lomi Lomi Salmon
    Salted salmon with tomatoes and Maui onions
    (GF, contains seafood)
  • Island Poi
    Hawaiian dish from taro root
    (GF)
  • Hawaiian Sweet Taro Roll
    (contains gluten, dairy, egg, soy, tree nuts, sesame)

Main Course

  • Kalua Pua'a Slow-Roasted Pork
    Roasted in underground pit (imu) all day, with Hawaiian sea salt
    (GF)
  • Grilled Teriyaki Beef
    Flat iron steak with sesame seeds
    (contains gluten, soy, sesame)
  • Steamed Island Fish
    with sizzling soy, green onion, and cilantro
    (contains gluten, sesame, seafood, shellfish)
  • BBQ Chicken
    with passion fruit / orange / guava BBQ sauce
    (GF)
  • Steamed Moloka'i Sweet Potatoes
    with coconut-milk syrup (haupia) and toasted coconut
    (GF, contains dairy)
  • Local Style Fried Rice
    with spam, kamaboko (Japanese fish cake), and garlic
    (contains gluten, soy, egg, sesame, shellfish, seafood)
  • Vegetable Chow-Mein
    Noodles, vegetables, and sesame
    (contains gluten, soy, shellfish, sesame)

Dessert

  • Mochi Pineapple Upside Down Cake
    with rice flour, pineapple, and cherry
    (contains eggs, dairy, soy)
  • Chocolate Coconut Bar
    Milk chocolate with coconut milk
    (contains gluten, dairy, egg)
  • Ube Cheesecake
    Purple yam
    (contains gluten, dairy, soy)

Beverages

  • Open Bar with distilled spirits, beer, wine, tropical cocktails (Mai Tai or Pina Colada), non-alcoholic cocktails (e.g., Pina Colada)
  • Soft drinks, island-style punch, fresh coffee, teas, water 

The luau is conveniently located right off the main Kaanapali Beach at the Sheraton Maui Resort. The exact location is the large lawn just steps from the beach and beachfront path (popular for a stroll), with direct views of the ocean (and Lanai in the distance), as shown in this map image (red arrow).*

Driving Distance
5-15 min from Napili and Kapalua
40-60 min from Kihei/Wailea

Parking
Parking at the Sheraton parking structure is $2 for luau guests (with validation). Valet parking is also available for $5 (with validation).

Walking
If you are staying at lodging along Kaanapali Beach, you can likely just take a short walk on the paved and lit beach walkway.

Other Transportation
Many hotels in the area have a free Ka’anapali Resort Shuttle that goes to the Whalers Village shopping center, which is a 5 minute walk along the beachfront path to the Sheraton; ask your hotel for details. In addition, the Maui Bus ($2) connects Whalers Village to multiple areas.

Uber & Lyft are also active on Maui.

* On rare occasions, the luau is held on another lawn closer to the hotel (but still between the hotel and the beach/ocean). On the one hand, this means there isn't a direct view of the ocean/beach and cliff dive; on the other hand, it's a more intimate luau with ~50% less people. Currently no luau dates are scheduled with this change, but this message will be updated when there is one at the alternate location, as well as any booked guests contacted.

Check-in is around 4:30 pm (winter) or 5 pm (summer). When you enter checkout, you'll see the check-in time for your selected date in the booking summary. Although drinks and live music begin shortly after check-in, dinner service doesn't start until almost an hour after check-in and the official show about one hour after that, so arrival times are flexible without missing key components of the evening. The luau wraps up around 7:30-8 pm.

  • The luau company (Tihati Productions) is owned and operated by a local family since its founding 50+ years ago
  • Walking distance from Kaanapali Beach hotels/condos means less transport used (i.e. less pollution/carbon emissions)
  • Reusable cutlery, plateware, and cloth napkins reduce landfill waste
Traveler Reviews

Customer Rating:

(46 Reviews)

4.8 out of 5 stars

Also rated on:

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TripAdvisor

Guidebook Reviews

Maui Revealed guidebook:

This is one of the better shows overall. Good food, including more traditional items than you'll find at most other lu'au. 

Moon Maui guidebook:

The grassy luau grounds are more spacious. The dancers are entertaining. The best part is the atmosphere, looking out at Pu'u Keka'a and experiencing the torch-lighting ceremony.

Location
Tax added at checkout
  • 4.712% Hawaii sales tax (GET)
Cancellation Policy
  • Refundable until 24 hours prior to the luau
Gallery

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