ECONOGAL

A Hawaiian Luau

Another stop on my recent trip to Hawaii was the island of Oahu. The traditional luau was high on the priority list for one of my fellow travelling companions. Prior to the trip I researched luaus in the Honolulu area where we spent one weekend. I selected Germaine’s Luau and I was not disappointed. I was looking for a family oriented event with audience interaction. Another key in my search centered on the fact I was not renting a car while on the Island of Oahu. Germaine’s runs shuttle buses out to the beach site where the luau is performed.

We were fortunate and had ideal weather for the night we scheduled. The pick-up location was just 3 blocks from our hotel. Germaine’s ran four buses into Honolulu and each made multiple stops. In addition to the driver, each bus had a host or hostess.

The host is tasked with collecting tickets and offering upgrades. Since I considered the trip a once in a lifetime opportunity, I had already signed up for the works. Our host “Cousin Greg” was entertaining and informative. He also excelled at marketing. Quite a few of the passengers bought upgrades and boy it was worth it.

Once we arrived, our Plumeria tickets granted us individual photos with the dancers. The photos are developed before the end of the night so you can take them home. Of course in this age of selfies there are opportunities to take pictures with your cell phone. In our case the advanced photos we had taken included the fire-knife dancer.

Our tickets gave us seats front and center right next to the stage. The upgrade also came with table service. This was particularly helpful for the family we shared a table with since they had young children. Since my experiences with children and buffet lines leaves something to be desired, I count this as a plus.

The amount of food is incredible! The toddler plate would have been plenty for me. The traditional dishes were fun to try. My favorite dishes were the Kalua Pig and the Haupia. As part of the entertainment the guests watch the roasted pig being lifted from the fire pit. The traditional dessert, the Haupia is fantastic. The coconut flavored squares had the consistency of Jello but you (or at least I) use your fingers to pop into your mouth. Of course Poi, made from Taro root, a Hawaiian staple was also served. The poi reminded me of hummus in consistency. I ate too much.

The entertainment was fantastic. Germaine’s really made it a family affair. Audience interaction was a key component and all ages were involved. Part of the success I believe was the ground work laid by the bus host and hostesses who had us interacting on the drive there. The guests on our bus came from all over the world. Many opportunities arose to go up on stage. Many of those on our bus did and it was fun to recognize them. The night we attended, a man who had been stationed at Pearl Harbor on the day of the attack was celebrating his 90th birthday. Naturally we sang Happy Birthday to him.

I am sharing some pictures of the various dancers. Multiple South Pacific traditional dances were performed. The islands of Fuji, Tahiti, New Zealand and Samoa were represented. In my opinion the best part was the Samoan fire-knife dancer. I was so mesmerized I didn’t get any photos of the chief!

I am sure there are many good luaus but I certainly recommend Germaine’s. This is a commercial operation run like a family business. I loved the luau and would like to go back!