Polynesian Cultural Center

Very impressed with the set-up and design of this center. Each area provides a taste of cultural history, along with fun, interactive activities for kids and adults alike. The employees are kind, informed, and show passion about sharing their culture with the world. The buffet was one of the best I've had. There was variety in the choices, and the food was tasty. Ha: The Breath of Life was a great production. The fire dancing was absolutely incredible! Highly recommend taking the time to visit here.

This was my second time (my family’s first) and it was just as amazing! We caught the charter bus close to our hotel, the driver was funny and informative. The PCC itself was beautiful. We did a guided group tour- our tour guide was very entertaining and helpful. The only thing I wish was that we could have seen all the villages in the day, but it was still a wonderful experience. The luau and food were great. The nighttime show, though, was phenomenal!! I would highly recommend the PCC if you’re going to Oahu.

We loved our visit to the Polynesian cultural center. It was such a cool and learning experience. The workers there are so unbelievably kind. We had a ride from the hotel to the center and back. The driver gave us knowledge and insight of landscape and landmarks. Once we got there, we had a full day of activities planned. We got welcomed with lei. They settled us with a group and we followed along the whole day. After that we had dinner, and the food was phenomenal. The show was amazing during our meal. And after our meals, they directed us to the end of the night show. I love the Polynesian culture Center so much.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An Unforgettable Journey Through Polynesia! From the moment we arrived, the Polynesian Cultural Center captured our hearts. As a family of five, including our 11-year-old son whose birthday we celebrated here, every moment felt extra special. The team went above and beyond to make the day unforgettable, showering him with smiles and warmth. Every village was alive with vibrant colors, warm greetings, and authentic traditions that made us feel like we were traveling across the islands in a single day. The cultural performances were not just shows—they were heartfelt stories brought to life with music, dance, and spirit. The Gateway Buffet was a feast to remember—an impressive variety of flavors, beautifully presented, and perfectly blending traditional island tastes with modern touches. Every bite felt like part of the Polynesian journey. What truly set this experience apart was the staff’s genuine hospitality. Every interaction felt personal, and the pride they have in sharing their heritage made the entire visit deeply meaningful. We left with not only stunning photos, but also a birthday memory our son will cherish forever, and a profound appreciation for Polynesian culture. This is more than a visit—it’s a once-in-a-lifetime memory. If you’re coming to Hawaii, this is the experience you cannot miss!

A must go place in honolulu. It is well worth the ticket price. We drop by on Friday and don't need to wait at almost all activities. Our guide is a Japanese student. Very polite and very nice. Our package includes dinner and evening shows. Food is fresh and good. The only thing I want to say is their roast whole pig is not as tasty as you take at a Chinese restaurant. Anyway it is native peoples traditional way of cooking. The show is fantastic. I regret that I did not go there last time when I visited Honolulu. It would be even better if you leave Waikiki early in the morning and drop by the beautiful beaches in the road before visiting the culture center.

Loved it! If you want to experience EVERYTHING, make sure you come as soon as it opens or go multiple days. The buffet was full of options, and the Breath of Life show was captivating

Excellent program and activities for all ages. You can always just watch the presentations. Our family with 4 teenagers liked it a lot. Buffet was excellent to try things to just taste test. Yes they have pineapple ice cream! Aka dole whip.

Super cool and educational place, but it felt like being at a Disney park. As a first-time Oahu tourist, I was looking to going to this place to learn more about the different islands and to see the history and the traditional way of each islands and although I felt like I did, I felt like it was more of in a Disney park kind of way. One tip I would give is to plan ahead. Not only with buying your tickets and packages online but also with what you want to see in each island area when you get there. Each island area has multiple shows shows at different times, so if you want to learn Tahiti dance, know at what time it is so you can be there for that. We thought we could just hop from island area to island area, and the shows would "replay," but that wasn't the case. Some shows only happen once, so if you miss it, oh well. Also, when booking your package carefully, read the food offerings. Some packages have the buffet, which we thought was a luau but wasn't, so don't make the same mistake we did. The buffet was good, by the way, so nothing bad there. Try the shrimp, so good! Lastly, the entire place was meticulously clean and very nicely upkept, very pleasantly surprised there.

Amazing! I don't actually remember ever going to PCC since I live here but I'm so glad I did!! It was such a great experience and would highly recommend to anyone coming to visit! We had a friend visiting who had never been to Hawai'i before and wanted to go to a lu'au. I researched a few and decided on this one because I feel like it's one of the most well known. I joined the Ohana Club for discounts as well! 20% discount for Kama'aina and 15% for other tickets! The only thing was that there are so many options and I didn't really know what to choose. Which is also a plus but can also be a little confusing. It it's your first time, you should get tickets that cover everything. The island are where you're going to learn about some of the culture and get do to lots of activities, see demonstrations, play games, make music, taste food. There is really so much, you could spend all day! You should also get food at the lu'au. We did the Gateway buffet and were impressed with the amount of options and variety. We really liked it. The show Ha: Breathe of Life was really good. The performers are really amazing and it's a really beautiful show. All together, it was a great time and everyone is sooooo nice. It's a beautiful place with beautiful people and I would highly recommend!

Great immersive experience. Will recommend with visiting family. All personel are in character and you can see the effort they put on the entire experience. Food was great in Ali'i Luau. Charging stations available while eating. Arrive earlier and eat in the market before you go in so you're not starving during the tour. Plus not crowded shopping experience. After dinner i recommend going back to the islands for crowd free photo opportunities per island. Bring a phone tripod. Buildings and hut will be closed (please respect that) but you'll have the outside area for yourself. Then head to the main amphitheater for the Ha Breath of Life show. Amazing show. NO PHONES ALLOWED.

Fantastic experience. shoutout to guide Luis for bringing us to the top experiences and keeping everything fun for our boys trip with almost 10 people! He really set us up for success on the journeys Pina colada in a pineapple while waiting for the buffet. Refreshing after a long day of activities. Buffet food was good, nothing out of this world but very solid. Overall, would highly recommend the experience (and it also helps support these students working here).

We booked the Aliʻi Lūʻau Package for $210 per person. The tour guide was really nice and accommodating. However, we were about 10 min late to every event he took us to. It looked like we finished every event on time but were always late to the next event. I'm not sure why that was the case. The location is beautiful and they show case the Islands of Polynesia in a great way. The luau food was just very mediocre. I'd rate the food a 3/5. I really enjoyed the unlimited pina coladas though (non-alcoholic). The "HA: Breath of Life" show was a 5/5. The actors and actresses were amazing. The live music was very moving. I enjoyed it a lot. You can even take pics with the performers after the show.

Upon arriving on the island, this was a significant stop on our Aloha Sunshine Tour, guided by Summer (she's amazing and gave us so many tips while we were there). Highly recommend this experience near the front of your time in the island in order to grasp the energy, practices and history of this special culture. Appreciated that this venue not only educates the public but also allows Polynesian individuals to participate in maintaining their practices & heritage. Incredible venue for ALL ages and really enjoyed the live performances, interactive activities, culinary sampling, and personable & joyous energy that radiated from all staff and performers. I wish we could have spent more time here to fully engage in each area. Loved the canoe ride on the park river. Very easy to navigate the park (both signage and for those with mobility issues).

Everything about this experience is wonderful! The cultural significance is remarkable. The villages, canoe rides, luau and night show were a full day's events. Beautiful atmosphere, happy employees who beautifully depicted their native histories. The music was lovely as well as the full immersion experiences. Poi balls, juggling and watching coconut tree climbers made for a fun time for all ages! Plan on all day and have good shoes. Hats help as well. Lots of different options for snacks and drinks. Strict time guidelines for presentations. All the student staff were amazing.

Had an amazing time here. We opted for one of the higher tier packages and we are glad that we did. Our tour guide was awesome and she took our kids to do activities while we watched some of the entertainment. I would break this day up into multiple visits as there is so much to see and do. We purchased the luau reservation and everything was delicious! Watched the breath of life show and it was mesmerizing!

Really fun, there is SO much to see, read, and do. If you are limited, start with the tour of the islands. The cultural talks are 20min each (the Samoa one is amazing!) The canoe ride is fun if you have time. Easily a full day if you do the luau and Hā: Breath of Life evening show.

Recently visited the Polynesian Cultural Center at 55-370 Kamehameha Hwy, Laie, Hawaii on 5/31/25 Saturday. Partook in the complete tour package ~ Polynesian Village Tour, Luau and Hula Show, Tram Tour to LDS Mormon Temple, and Ha Breath of Life Show. Our Polynesian Cultural Center tour group guide "Savannah C", a student attending BYU-HI from her native state of Nevada, made our 'Ohana Club' party of five so welcome. She was so enthusiastic, respectful, and very friendly in making our day long adventure a very memorable experience. Our tour of PCC promptly began at 12:45pm and lasted until 9pm that night. The reason for our recent visit was to celebrate the UH graduations of my two wonderful nieces, Maddie and Cecilia, from Sterling VA. Without Savannah's cheerful ebullient and exuberant personality, our joyful PCC journey would not have been more memorable. Much Mahalo to this amazing PCC team member.

Attended the World Fireknife competition last night to watch the women's competition! Booked our tickets way in advance (actually so far in advance that I forgot I booked it, but luckily PCC sent me a text reminder couple of days before). The performance was A-W-E-S-O-M-E!! With all of the competitors doing such a great job. Will definitely be back next year. To PCC: Please consider bringing out more tables and chairs. Also maybe have the special food booths open a little bit more early so that people can eat before going inside to watch the performance.

We spent about 8 hours at the center and we all loved it. Our family of five includes teen boys and young adults. I highly recommend upgrading to the Alii Luau. It was such a beautiful experience and the food was so good and our pineapple drink was so delicious. Our whole family loved the Ha Breath of Life show and now my son is obsessed with fire knifing.

everything was amazing! From the dancers to the people giving out information, the food and the activities, everything was extremely professional and well executed. When you go, you can take a canoe ride down to the end of the park and walk your way back to the front, which is what we did. It was great because there were different areas of Polynesia on the tour. For instance, one section of the center was Tahiti, one was Samoa, and many many others that I can't remember. I don't even remember taking pictures because I was so in the moment. It was one of the best experiences I've had. we got a package with a buffet and a show to see ha and I'll review those separately, but I will say I was satisfied with everything .

There is tons to do. I brought two toddlers and an infant and everyone, including the adult adults were entertained to the whole time we were there. The luau was beautiful. The food was wonderful. We plan to come back when the kids are older.

WOW! WOW! WOW! I visited Oahu for a softball tournament. When doing my research, visiting the PCC was a must do! It looked interesting and I paid a visit. I booked online and got the package that allowed me to have my own private tour guide, TOARAI. It was an amazing experience! TOARAI showed me around and gave me do some of the activities, which were enjoyable! He also saved me front row seats at the shows he took me to! Worth it! AMAZING! FANTASTIC! The buffet with the Luau was also soooo delicious! The luau was amazing! The dancers were sooooo good! The show in the main theater was AMAZING! Got to sit front and center! What a production! What a great way to help the employees pay for their college tuition!

Even though the trek out to Laie is quite far from town, it is worth it. We previously had an annual pass, but let it expire as life got in the way. Parking: ample, private lot, convenient. They do have a few electric car chargers in their lot. Location: Located in Laie right next to BYU We love their Ali'i luau especially because of the Vaifala smoothie (Samoan pineapple drink), which isn't too overly sweet and soooo good. Bonus tip: you can ask for more even if you finish the one in the pineapple itself. The Ali'i luau is outdoors (but covered) and includes a music/dance show about Queen Liliukolani's life. They also give you a fresh flower lei upon entering and they take a picture of your party (which you have to pay for later as a souvenir). Buffet food includes Hawaiian food. I would definitely recommend the poke and the items in the carving station, which include the pork. We have also tried the Gateway buffet, but this does not include a show and it is indoors. I am unsure whether this was a one-time occurrence, but when we went to the Gateway buffet, it was VERY hot inside despite all the open doors and fans. We were very uncomfortable.. and therefore, we have never gone back to this buffet but opted for the more expensive Ali'i buffet package instead. We also love the Islands of Polynesia villages because you can experience the cultures of each place (Samoa, Tahiti, Fiji, etc) and they have different exhibits, dances, and activities that you can participate in. We love seeing how the different cultures are displayed. Everyone is super nice and willing to help if you are lost as well. The HA: Breath of Life show is in the evening so we haven't stayed for it lately as it is beyond our little one's bed time, but we have enjoyed it many times in the past. The participants really put on a great show and we love it.

PCC is a full day event. We took a PCC coach from Ross (pick up area) and got there before the islands open. We opted to go a self guided tour with gateway buffet and viewing of Ha, the breath of life. Our day started off with watching Huki, boat celebrations. Each island presented their performance on the boats in the river. It was very cool to watch. Before Huki began, we reviewed the map and realized there was no way to fit all the islands in one day. The tickets do allow you to come back within the next 3 days to check out the rest of the islands and activities but we had plans and it's over an hour drive to PCC. We decided to mark down the main showings and events we wanted to partake. We visited Samoa, Hawaii, Tonga, and Tahiti. Some activities we did were weaving fish, fishing using bamboo sticks, taste poi, taste coconut bread, taste sweet potato cooked with onion and coconut, and got temporary washable tattoos. Some events we saw were Samoa fire knife demonstration, Tonga drumming performance, and a Tahitian wedding. The PCC area is very large, almost like akin to a small amusement park. It was beautiful and scenic. The Gateway Buffet was huge. There was so much variety of food and the food is pretty decent. My favorites would be the huge Hawaiian longan, the crispy coconut shrimp and fresh sliced (you see it being cut in front of you) ahi. You do have in and out privileges for the buffet, just make sure you get stamped before leaving. It's open from 4:30pm to 7pm. The Breath of Life show was spectacular. Every seat is a good seat. We sat in aisle S in section 3 and had a great view. The show is essentially a coming of age story starting from birth and weaves different islands' traditions and concepts. There was also a fire knife performance too. Overall, PCC was really fun. I felt entertained while being educated. From my novice point of view, I felt this production was top notch. Highly recommend if you want to get an introductory immersive experience of Polynesian culture.

This place is like going to Disneyworld. There are six different regions to learn about the culture and the history. There's a show or demonstration that's for everyone. The most entertaining one is in Samoa as the presenter acts as a comedian. They also have a boat ride that is a nice general overview of the entire center. Besides the cultural part, we also got tickets for the buffet, which was amazing. You can read more on that in the Gateway Buffet review. The part that everyone comes here for is the luau, which may be the best luau you can see in Hawaii as it's performed in an amphitheater. Although I have to admit that the show at the beginning was making me fall asleep, the story progresses and gets better. The fire knife dance happens at the end and it was intense. Highly recommend and it's worth spending half the day here.

This is a staple for this island. It is made for the whole family and everyone always enjoys it. I have been a couple times now and have learned something new every time. Make sure you make time to go at least once in your time here. Your heart will leave full and with a new respect for this land and those that call it home.

Not what I expected...expected to be more cultural, not as touristy...more family friendly. We still had a lot of fun here. It still has lot of history and it was great to learn. The shows were entertaining to watch and you could spend several hours there. Be prepared. There's activities for people to try.

Straight out 5/5 ! The island was absolutely beautiful and the shows were amazing to see. I learned a lot about Hawaiin culture. My favorite class was the wedding class where you learned some of the dances. It was very interesting. As for the buffet, there were so many options to choose from. I definitely filled myself up. There was also a nice promotion on Groupon, so definitely look into it for a great experience.

Let me start off by saying I know Luau's are a touristy thing to do. But hey, we are tourist and I highly recommend you do one. The Polynesian Cultural Center offers a very professional and very well organized tour of the islands. They give a lot of history and cultural information about the Polynesian culture in a way that's fun. It's very immersive with a lot of hands on activities and crowd participation. We bought a package that included a tour guide for the first 2 hours and the luau that had performers and the Breath of Ha. Our tour guide Stephen (who's Filipino like us) was very knowledgeable and a great tour guide. He was very personable and funny. He made us feel like he was a close friend giving us a look around his backyard. I feel bad that I didn't get to say a formal bye to him because the end of the tour he guided us to the luau and disappeared. Everything was amazing. Well groomed plants and grassy areas. Building and huts were all well maintained. An awesome venue. The Luau its self was amazing. Hula dancers and performers entertained us while we ate food buffet style. The poke, kalua pork and pina coladas were definitely the stars of the buffet. Overall a great experience. A little pricey but well worth it.

The story and lessons that you will get from the Polynesians. The way they live and honor their family. They are really some beautiful people such as their personality. They put on shows and they give demonstrations of climbing trees for coconuts and what they make from the leaves as you really begin to grasp their culture. There will also be areas where you can participate in things such as sphere throwing, hula dancing and receiving a tribal tattoo that last a couple days. Now, I could give five stars but some of the food was not for me.

This review is solely on the nighttime paddle boarding they offer after hours at the PCC. We had an awesome guide. They were only 4 in our party. We had a great time! It was super safe if you fell in it was only waist deep and you never had to worry about any scary sea life! Bc it was done in the parks water canals. We didn't have to contend with any waves in the open ocean. So much easier! Your board has lights underneath and so you can't ever be lost. And the guide takes so many pictures! This was a fun experience:)

The Polynesian Cultural Center is like a mini-theme park in the North Shore of Oahu with different areas representing different islands like Hawaii, Samoa, Tahiti, Fiji, and more. Some highlights include this cool canoe ride exploring the different "islands." Another cool aspect is the Passport to Polynesia where you can collect four or more stamps to redeem a free kids souvenir prize, free kid's Dole Whip (with the purchase of an adult size Dole Whip for $6), and/or 15% savings online at the Hawaii store. First, bring your passport to Goo's Plantation store in the Hukilau Marketplace to get the final stamp and then feel free to get your Dole Whip treat. It was so much fun to do as a family lolol. Also, the ticket we got is good for three days, so we will definitely be going back!

We had the good time ever at the Polynesian Cultural Center . It was a day filled with activities, food tasting, entertainment .Discover the rich history and traditions of the Pacific Islands at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Oahu. Attend energetic performances, admire skilled artisans, and enjoy authentic island cuisine. It's a must-visit for anyone looking to learn more about Pacific Islander heritage. I like The Polynesian Cultural Center's six villages . It's nice experience. If you made an advance reservation, you can skip the line and show your pass at the Will Call (prepaid) line at the admission counter. If you do not have a reservation, you must queue at any of the general admission lines and present your pass to enter (based on availability).

Review of Ali'i Lu'au Buffet and Ha: Breath of Life--Worth it, worth it, worth it. 10/10 would experience this again without hesitation. Everything from the lu'au to the Breath of Life was excellently executed. All the lu'au food was delicious and authentic. We even got to see them prepare and take out the roasted pig. The staff is very attentive and all the performers did such an amazing job at the lu'au. It's safe to say we enjoyed every bit of the lu'au (getting lei'd, the food was great, and the performances were amazing/choreographed so well). Ha: Breath of Life is 500000% worth your money and time. If you've never been, this is your sign. We splurged a bit on better seats and it was worth every penny. The storyline, the choreography, all of it was so well-executed. I was invested from the beginning til the end. Don't take my word for it-- go experience all of this and see for yourself!

We went here in 2021 and only did the villages, which was great as attested by my 5 star review. In 2024, we returned and did the villages again, this time adding the buffet and the show at night. I not only think the Polynesian Cultural Center is a 5 star experience, it is a 10 on 5 point scale. If you go, you will not be disappointed. You can tour villages from six of the islands of Polynesia: Fiji, Tahiti, Samoa, Hawaii, Tonga, and Aotearoa. Each has demonstrations and information about culture, way of life, food, and games. Each stop also has a presentation of some kind to demonstrate some meaningful cultural activity. It all is very fascinating and one can easily spend an entire day just on a few villages. We spent almost 3 hours just on Hawaii and did not do everything. In 2024, we added the buffet to our experience. We did not do the Lua, but the buffet. They two are different. The buffet was huge with stations for seafood, chicken, pork and beef, vegetables, salad, and dessert. The food was good. Some things were better than others, of course, but overall it was a good buffet and we enjoyed it. Of course we overate (especially shrimp). Then the show. Wow. We added the show in 2024 and I highly recommend it. It started at 7:30 and went until 8:45. The fire juggling at the end is worth the price admission alone. It was beyond impressive. The whole show was not nothing short of spectacular and told a story of a boy who reaches manhood. The dancers do such a great job. Very entertaining. The entire package is not inexpensive, but it is worth the money. Plus you can return for free to do the villages within 3 days of your original entry. To me, a trip to Oahu would not be complete with a stop at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Full disclosure to those who don't know, before you purchase tickets, this cultural center is owned by the Mormon temple, and they have students from the BYU Campus working there. The students are all polite and nice! However, when we purchased the tickets through a vendor, the ownership of the PCC was not disclosed to us. Nor is it on the brochure? This time it takes to tour the whole grounds is approximately 5 hours long of self guided tours, wandering through Polynesian culture, explanations, shows, demonstrations, and the lovely representation of the different islands. We had the silver seating package, which came with the gateway buffet. The buffet itself was fantastic! If you love seafood, the quality of the seafood is stellar! Fresh tuna, tableside appetizer service, drinks, ice cream bar, dole whip, coffee! The show was amazing and the dancers performed extremely well. Loved the explanation and breath of life show! Would've like a better view since we were seated completely on the side.

The Polynesian Cultural Center Honolulu Hawaii Ticketing: Take the "Super Ambassador" tour... you will be greeted by a personal guide, taken to a private bungalow and offered water and snacks while you wait for the tour to begin. Once the tour begins you'll be escorted to several Polynesians countries; Tongan, Hawaii, Māori, Samoan, Tahitian, Fijian. Reservations: You can plan your experience online at www.polynesia.com and www.habreathoflife.com. Plan on an all day adventure, being immersed in Polynesian culture. Your tour will begin with lectures, cultural events specific to each island nation and activities... a total cultural experience! Experience: Once you've finished the island nation tour you're escorted to a full blown "traditional Luau" the food is plentiful exotic and delicious (buffet style). I loved that table are feed in an orderly manner to prevent bottle necks however you are welcome to return as many times as you like. Note: This whole experience is operated by university students, the servers, escorts, performers, and staff. The proceeds all go to their education i.e room, board, books etc. "unbelievable "!!!

Wow. I this place! It made the whole trip perfect. Definitely splurge on the VIP option. Highly recommend. Plan on spending at least half the day here. There's cool shopping, entertainment, and delicious food. The beauty of this is just astounding. I like this as a last event for our vacation as a relaxing wind down outing that we just get to relax and enjoy.

Really cool experience! We arrived when the gates opened at 12:15pm and did the canoe show, guided tour of the villages, Alli Luau, and Ha Breath of Life show. The guided tour was nice because we got preferred seating at the canoe show, and our guide took us to all the villages and provided a good balance of performances and activities. I would have been overwhelmed without her. The luau food was authentic cuisine and no one in my family liked it. I wish we would have skipped and gone to the food trucks in the Marketplace. The Ha Breath of Life show was REALLY cool. It was all a great experience, but it was a long day since we didn't leave until the show ended at 8:45pm.

We walked around all day through the different area then finally got to the buffet. Lots of different options for food. I really like the dessert table as well as the ice cream booth they had. What was top notch was the friendly servers at the dinner buffet. Constantly clearing the table. Also got a great recommendation to get the chocolate soufflé with macadamia nut ice cream! My favorite was the raspberry lychee panna cotta

To much fun it's like Disneyland of the Polynesian islands. Dancing boat shows individual live music talk about each place restaurant cute little villages. The luau was amazing !! Love there great food options. The fire show wow was awesome. Makes for a super long day get plenty of rest and find some shade !!

Overall it was pretty good, but the different islands felt a bit repetitive. We also didn't have time to see everything before they kind of closed-up the more interesting aspects. Overall we had a good time.

Last visit was 10 years ago. They were even more amazing this time. More shade was great. Dancing, shows, everything was great! Day went fast. Luau and Ha were absolutely wonderful. Wirth getting the Super Ambassador package.

The Polynesian Cultural Center is such a cool place!!! It's like bringing Moana to real life. I got to learn so much about all of Polynesia: Fiji, Aotearoa, Hawaii, Samoa, Tahiti, Tonga, and others. Each island has their own section and it's soooo cool. So for example, in the Fiji section, they have actual Fijians working there in their traditional attire and teaching us how to make different recipes (we made a staple coconut bread) and how to make coconut oil direct from a coconut. It's extremely hands on. In the Tahiti section, we did a luau. You can literally spend all day here and still not do everything! Fun fact: This place is run by Mormons. Brigham Young University (based in Utah) has a Hawaii campus. Students from the Polynesian islands are offered full scholarships to attend BYU in exchange for working part time at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Take the time to speak with the staff, you'll learn some really cool things. Also, I had such a great time that I'm actually trying to plan a trip to Fiji next year!

Polynesian Culture Center was a last minute addition to our trip and I am glad we went. We got the aliʻi lūʻau package with pickup from Waikiki beach hotel. Our trip started with a motor coach pickup from Waikiki hotel which was only a few blocks from my hotel. Our driver was very passionate but was easy to lose track of what she was saying. She would give good information but I couldn't keep up, a little almost ADHD. We arrived at the PCC a little before it opened so we wandered a little and got some early lunch with some food trucks. And then once the door opened, we got a group tour which was part of the package. Our guide Georgie was top notch! He gave us a quick tour of all the "islands" and we arrived to each show right on time so there was little to no waiting. He was with us from 12pm - 430pm He took us to our buffet dinner and it was amazing! It started with a pina colada from a pineapple. And we got access to the soda machine. Shortly after, dinner started with a nice show. Food was very good and there was a a huge variety of meats offered with a little poke area and carving station with a slow cooked pork and fish. After dinner, we were left to do whatever you wanted.... Before Ha: Breathe of Life started. The options included a tram to BY University, imax video of Hawaii. Or we picked to just wander and go shopping The Ha: Breathe of Life was amazing. Dancing and chanting/singing. And especially the fire dances! Loved every second of it With our package, we only got a quick tour of each island. However, we got a nice perk of being able to re-visit this place in the next 3 days to spend more time. Only issue is that it is a 1.5hr drive from Waikiki Beach...a little too far for my blood In the end, our package was a little expensive but I thought it was worth every penny. Every staff here was very friendly and engaging. Their skills and story were nothing but top notch. I would return in the future!

Quite eventful to say the least. Was definitely top 3 highlights of our trip. This dude Kap was so inspirational was. Teary eyed most of the day. And an older lady at the chapel teaching us about the center and LDS. I think her name was Thalia? My husband I learned a lot from you. Thank you

I absolutely loved my experience here and only wish I had more time to see everything! I purchased the super ambassador VIP package which I recommend since you get your own tour guide. I will say, I did wish the tour guide asked us which places we wanted to see/things we wanted to do the most. It was great because they told us when and where to go see the different presentations. That package also gives you entry to the luau. Although it's a buffet luau the food was still amazing and I think slightly better than the other food option, if you can splurge on the VIP tickets! Ha the breath of fire was a great show and I recommend to anyone!

Best comprehensive luau experience on island. Only thing that could have made it better was a Mai Tai. Be warned - it is a LONG day and you will definitely not see everything in one trip.

We had gone to PCC about 28 years ago but couldn't really remember much other than visiting the different villages. This time, we visited the villages and had great seats at the luau. But the best part was the HA: Breath of Life show, it was amazing and to think I was tired after the luau and almost said "Let's Go". Better than any show I've ever seen and what's more amazing is that most of the staff are university students just trying to make some money to go towards their tuition. The whole day was so amazing that we came back for a second day! We really didn't want to do anything too touristy but trust me, you gotta go here. Even the drive here from Waikiki was amazing.

My family truly enjoyed visiting the cultural center. They were able to experience the various cultures around the islands, the food at the evening feast and the guide was helpful and knowledgeable.

We booked this tour online for our Christmas holiday. The tour bus picked us up from a hotel when we arrived in Honolulu and dropped us off around noon and picked us up at 9 PM. The facility is beautiful, clean, and all the staff are friendly and polite. We were given a private guide for a tour for our family of four and she was a university student from Samoa, who was so helpful and informative. We were so impressed by all the performances and really enjoyed ourselves. The food in the market place is delicious, but expensive and the souvenirs are also expensive. They even charge you 60 cents for a bag after purchasing items from stores. The luau was nice, but the food was cold. I would visit again, but for a shorter duration.

The best cultural experience ever. They just needed more food samples and then it's a 6 star. Loved everything the buffet is amazing and so detailed on showing food allergies

Things I wish I had known before going to the Polynesian Cultural Center Imagine that you thought you were going to a Marine Life Conservation Center and find out it's actually Sea World, where marine life is exploited and orcas do tricks for the audience's pleasure. That is the Polynesian Cultural Center. The entire operation was built and is operated by Mormons. Every person working there is a Mormon, and there's a creepy vibe as a result. I asked if anyone who worked there wasn't Mormon, and they said they "weren't sure." The event starts with a weird dance and song routine by the students set to a dance beat to get the crowd "pumped up" before they open the doors. Once they open the doors, there is a canoe show where students, again in costumes, float around on different canoes representing different islands sing a cringe-worthy song about family as they float by and wave and smile and sing and dance for the audience in a way that is forced and unnatural (also set to a dance beat). The sound is horrible, the song is horrible, and I was horrified that I signed up for this. I actually thought this would be a learning experience. Students attending Brigham Young University are, for the most part, forced to wear costumes and pretend to be indigenous "characters" that kind of stand around awkwardly in various "scenes" that represent each island. These have been staged for your amusement. In all fairness, some are actually from those islands on Oahu studying for school, while others are just of that ancestry, but it was all forced. The tour guides are not experts on Polynesia but instead memorize extensive scripts that they repeat from memory, but they can't answer questions that aren't covered in their script. Meaning that you are fed exactly what the Mormons want to you to know and their own telling of Polynesia. It does not come across as genuine or authentic because it is, in fact, not at all genuine or authentic. The dinner food is not good with the exception of the pig. Think: "wedding reception at a Radisson hotel." And don't expect a Mai Tai. It's Mormon, so when I asked for one, they didn't even know what a Mai Tai was. They laughed when I told them it was alcohol because Mormons don't drink, so you don't either. The food to purchase are things like hot dogs and cookies. Not at all native Polynesian. Most of the items in the gift shop were not made in Hawaii or anywhere in Polynesia. Many were marked "Made in China." The "Ha, Breathe of Life," play (they give you a playbill) had aspects that felt like a big-budget college musical production put on by the drama department. There were moments when it was good, but the "play" was a very loose story designed to, again, have college students dress up in native garb and dance around for your amusement. I'll admit, the fire portion was cool. One woman sitting next to us was trying to recruit another woman to join the church. The vibe is awkward and cringy across the board and it really left a sour taste in my mouth. Know before you go that this is a money making and recruitment tool for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and not at all meant to be a genuine, authentic learning experience.

The Polynesian Cultural Centre (PCC) can be a little expensive depending on which package you get, but COMPLETELY worth the splurge, as it is a full day experience (about 11-12 hours worth of cultural fun and learning)! I purchased the Aliʻi Lūʻau Package ($194.95), and had a wonderful time. This package includes: 1) A guided group tour through the 6 island villages - the tour guide will take you to what he/she thinks the highlights of each of the "islands" are (which can include but not limited to island themed shows, hands on activities, and a canoe ride) 2) Dinner with live entertainment at the Alii Luau buffet, which includes a flower lei upon arrival, pineapple smoothie, and free digital photo (photo package can be purchased) 3) Gold level seating at the "HA: Breath of Life" evening show (A MUST SEE) 4) Free 3-day pass to revisit the island villages (without the evening show and luau dinner). One day is definitely not enough to see everything at the PCC, so if you have time, and a car, it's worth going back to the PCC to visit places and take part in activities of interests to you that may have been skipped during the guided tour. For those that do not have a car, you can purchase a round trip motor coach shuttle service from Waikiki to the PCC for an additional $27. The motor coach will drive through the island's most scenic route narrated by a local guide.

Update on my review- from one to three I just wanted to sincerely thank Colleen Pistorius from Guest Relations who followed up on my complaint and the concerns we endured at their show Ha: Breath of life. Although this will never fully make up for what happened; she did what she could. Again, Mahalo Nui Loa to Colleen, Neil PCC tour guide and Nanasi usher/rep at Ha show.

I've passed by here several times over the years. Today, was the first time my wife wanted to stop by. It was neat to walk around and learn about the center. Tourist trap? Yes, but it was still interesting. We didn't eat here nor did we see the show/Luau. But it was fun walking around.

Wondering what to do for your next full day off? Why not visit Polynesian Cultural Center and immerse yourself in the vibrant culture and history of Polynesia. This place will get you excited as you experience the different island cultures, history, agriculture, and the fire dance. You can choose to explore by yourself or join the interactive games such as spear throwing, hula dancing, fishing, canoe ride, and much more. You can visit Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie. It is open from 12:30 to 9:00 pm except on Wednesday and Sunday. They offer multiple packages including the Super Ambassador, Island of Polynesia, Alii Luau, Gateway Buffet and the Island of Polynesia & Ha, Breathe of Life Packages. The price ranges from $89.95 to $289.95 depending on the package you select. Don't forget to remind them that you're a Kamaaina for that additional discount. I highly recommend the Ha Breathe of Life show. It's one of the best show that I've seen telling a story and the culture in the most breathtaking, beautiful and will keep you in awe. The performers were incredibly and amazingly talented. Thank you Polynesian Cultural Center. I'll definitely come back again and again.