My First Luau - Luau Kalamaku
Somewhere throughout my life, I have developed the impression that a luau in Hawaii would be this large group of people mingling on a beach, the centrepiece a huge bonfire. Hula girls would be dancing and men would be playing ukeleles, with people singing along to traditional Hawaiian music. I pictured a big party with people dancing and laughing, just enjoying the warm evening air, lounging around on a dark, secluded beach.
Kalamaku has the reputation as the best luau on the island of Kauai. Random people we have met along the way have stated this, as did our personal concierge for the house we are renting. Driving up to the site, a few of us were clearly a tad disappointed that it wasn't taking place on a beach. The building is huge, with an open-air architecture. There were tables set up all around a stage that looked on the small side. A band plugged into the amps was set off in one corner, and people tried to keep us entertained throughout dinner until the show started.
Situated a few miles southwest of Lihue, Kalamaku Luau is within a few acres of land on an old sugar plantation site. The mansion still sits, open to the public for drinks and tours at various hours of the day. Upon arrival, guests check-in to receive tickets with their table number on it, which is used as access to the luau grounds. Everyone is ushered to a single, narrow entrance and pathway, which takes you to the requisite photographer, who poses you and expects you to purchase your picture after the show (there are so many of these photographers at tourist attractions now that Bryan and I figured we could have filled up an entire wall by now if we'd chosen to pick them up).
Dinner was buffet-style, after salad and pineapple appetizers brought directly to the table. The entire meal felt very timely and strict - the salad was removed promptly from each table, without so much as inquiry if anyone wanted more. Tables were called upon to visit the buffet in an orderly fashion, which was efficient, especially since there were two identical buffets set up with the ability to travel down either side available.
The buffet, in my opinion, was small - the number of dishes seemed few compared to other buffets I have been at, around 12 items. The first few were a selection of salads, followed by some cooked vegetables and four different meat dishes. And, of course, poi was served.
For anyone unfamiliar with poi (like I was), it's a pale-pink gooey looking gel that is crushed taro root and water. It's absolutely tasteless and has no real use, but is a traditional Kaua'i dish because taro grows abundantly here.
The food was alright, though I found it bland. The best dish was the purple sweet potatoes with coconut milk - yum! I can't comment on the quality of the pork that was roasted in the traditional underground roasting area since I don't eat pork, but it was popular among the patrons.
After dinner, food was promptly removed and the show began on schedule, which I truly do appreciate. The story of the Kalamaku Luau is told from the point of view of a Fijian father who sets off for Hawaii, exploring and conquering new lands, while leaving his young adult aged daughter behind. He wants a good life for her but he does not feel she should make the initial journey. The dancing and singing are quite theatrical, along with the props and the light effects. By far the most spectacular portion of the show was that of the fire-ball twirlers and the guy with the fire sticks.
Unfortunately, the open-air environment made for a cool evening, and by the end of the show most of us were freezing. If the forecast calls for cooler temperatures, a blanket is a must. In fact, I thought that how the restauranteurs in Cabo placed blankets on the backs of every outdoor chair was a great touch, keeping people eating and drinking in their establishments as well as keeping them warm and comfortable.
The luau was a good time - I'm disappointed it wasn't on a beach and that it did not meet my initial expectations. The show itself impressed me, but I don't think the $110 / person price tag for what we got was worth it. The show alone is $50.00, a much more reasonable cost for what you get.
Kalamaku has the reputation as the best luau on the island of Kauai. Random people we have met along the way have stated this, as did our personal concierge for the house we are renting. Driving up to the site, a few of us were clearly a tad disappointed that it wasn't taking place on a beach. The building is huge, with an open-air architecture. There were tables set up all around a stage that looked on the small side. A band plugged into the amps was set off in one corner, and people tried to keep us entertained throughout dinner until the show started.
Situated a few miles southwest of Lihue, Kalamaku Luau is within a few acres of land on an old sugar plantation site. The mansion still sits, open to the public for drinks and tours at various hours of the day. Upon arrival, guests check-in to receive tickets with their table number on it, which is used as access to the luau grounds. Everyone is ushered to a single, narrow entrance and pathway, which takes you to the requisite photographer, who poses you and expects you to purchase your picture after the show (there are so many of these photographers at tourist attractions now that Bryan and I figured we could have filled up an entire wall by now if we'd chosen to pick them up).
Dinner was buffet-style, after salad and pineapple appetizers brought directly to the table. The entire meal felt very timely and strict - the salad was removed promptly from each table, without so much as inquiry if anyone wanted more. Tables were called upon to visit the buffet in an orderly fashion, which was efficient, especially since there were two identical buffets set up with the ability to travel down either side available.
The buffet, in my opinion, was small - the number of dishes seemed few compared to other buffets I have been at, around 12 items. The first few were a selection of salads, followed by some cooked vegetables and four different meat dishes. And, of course, poi was served.
For anyone unfamiliar with poi (like I was), it's a pale-pink gooey looking gel that is crushed taro root and water. It's absolutely tasteless and has no real use, but is a traditional Kaua'i dish because taro grows abundantly here.
The food was alright, though I found it bland. The best dish was the purple sweet potatoes with coconut milk - yum! I can't comment on the quality of the pork that was roasted in the traditional underground roasting area since I don't eat pork, but it was popular among the patrons.
After dinner, food was promptly removed and the show began on schedule, which I truly do appreciate. The story of the Kalamaku Luau is told from the point of view of a Fijian father who sets off for Hawaii, exploring and conquering new lands, while leaving his young adult aged daughter behind. He wants a good life for her but he does not feel she should make the initial journey. The dancing and singing are quite theatrical, along with the props and the light effects. By far the most spectacular portion of the show was that of the fire-ball twirlers and the guy with the fire sticks.
Unfortunately, the open-air environment made for a cool evening, and by the end of the show most of us were freezing. If the forecast calls for cooler temperatures, a blanket is a must. In fact, I thought that how the restauranteurs in Cabo placed blankets on the backs of every outdoor chair was a great touch, keeping people eating and drinking in their establishments as well as keeping them warm and comfortable.
The luau was a good time - I'm disappointed it wasn't on a beach and that it did not meet my initial expectations. The show itself impressed me, but I don't think the $110 / person price tag for what we got was worth it. The show alone is $50.00, a much more reasonable cost for what you get.
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