I am planning our first family trip to Hawaii (April to the Big Island) and had no idea what luaus were all about. Both La Cochinita and I can't stand forced kitschy entertainment and based on the descriptions in this thread I think we would regret going to one.

I have heard (although not attended it first hand) the luau at the Kona Village Resort is quite good and fairly non-kitschy. Guests not staying at the resort need to make reservations well in advance....and it's only held on Fridays.

From the luaus that I've been to, including the California-nized versions that the universities hold, the emphasis seems to be more about entertainment and display of different dances and musical styles. B/c s o much work goes into the showy aspect, the food suffers. Given what I know of traditional Hawaiian cuisine, the fare is very simple to begin with and was never meant to feed massive numbers of people such as tourists.

Long story short, I would advise travelling to HI during one of the hula festivals or a slack-key guitar festival so you get the talented part of the luau minus the kitsch.

I used to work at one on maui at the wailea marriott one for about
4 years. Supposed to be the one of the best one on maui.
I would not spend $75 dollars a person on it.
The reason: I would have to sit 4-6 hours in a cheap plastic chair
with about 12 people around me I do not know around me.
Only because of the thought of the cheap chairs would scare me away.
But thats just me. They use the cheapest typs plastic chairs you can find at wal mart I think. The thing lasts about 4 hours. Food is OK, show is
almost a must!! but the chairs! oh my god, why cant they have decent ones.
My advice: check the location and make sure they have good stuff. They have the same show running almost every day so you can chack it out.
Also dont come late or you will get the worst seats. In the back with 10 kids around you. First come, first seated! At least at our hotel. I think nowhere different.

[QUOTE= We used the money saved by skipping the luau to buy good meals and enjoy all of the above. I just couldn't imagine being trapped in an event with tons of tourists from the mainland....my idea of pure misery.[/QUOTE]

Nice way of saying!! Thats exacly how I felt beween 600 people
from cruisships and hotels all aver. All wearing hawaiian shirts and flowers.
IMOA( Iam loughing my ... off) But the show is actually pretty nice.
If you find a luau that has not 600 people from one cruise ship attending it might be worth it. May be get information about how big the luau is going to be. Ours was ranging from 150 to 700 people. Also for you guys with back problems, check the chairs.

As luaus go, KVR does do a good job. Many of the participants are folks who work at the hotel. The food is good and the setting is beautiful.