Best Big Island Luau: Waikoloa, Feast & Fire and Mauna Kea Compared

Hawaiian Activities — island tours, luaus, and adventures across Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island.

We sell three Big Island luaus, all on the Kona and Kohala side: an open-bar sunset evening at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott, the Feast & Fire Luau at the OUTRIGGER Kona Resort, and the Mauna Kea Luau, which runs twice a week and has been going for more than 50 years.

Big Island luaus compared

Prices and lengths in this table are read live from each booking listing, so they match what you will pay at checkout.

Waikoloa Beach Marriott Sunset Luau

The Waikoloa Beach Marriott Sunset Luau is a three-hour evening at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, with sunset views over ʻAnaehoʻomalu Bay. Seating is reserved in premium general sections, so you do not need to arrive early to claim a table; check-in opens 20 minutes before showtime.

The ticket includes a buffet of Hawaiian and contemporary dishes with fresh poke and local seafood, a full open bar with beer, wine and cocktails, live Polynesian music and traditional dance, and a cultural activity kit to take home. Children under 5 attend free and ages 6 to 12 pay a discounted rate. Cancel at least 48 hours ahead for a full refund or credit.

Feast & Fire Luau at the OUTRIGGER Kona Resort

The Feast & Fire Luau runs three hours at the OUTRIGGER Kona Resort, with sunset views from the dinner tables. The buffet has multiple stations, including imu-roasted kalua pork and a poke bar, and the ticket includes an unlimited full bar with mai tais and beer.

The show covers Hawaiian, Tahitian and Maori performances and ends with a Samoan fire-knife finale, and there are lei-making and poi-pounding stations before it. Parking at the resort is free. Seating is first come, first served, so arrive 15 minutes early, and cancellations need 24 hours’ notice.

If you are also booked on a manta ray night snorkel, do not put the two on the same evening. The rest of the Kona list is in our Kona guide.

Mauna Kea Luau

The Mauna Kea Luau is held on the oceanfront at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on Tuesdays and Fridays, subject to seasonal adjustments, and has more than 50 years of history. The evening runs from 4:45pm, with a welcome photo session, to 8:00pm; doors open at 5:30pm.

The programme includes the imu ceremony, a Royal Court presentation, live music from the Lim Family of Kohala, hula, storytelling and a fire-knife dance. General seating includes the Hawaiian buffet and one mai tai or keiki drink on arrival, from $234.27. Premium seating, from $256.41, adds preferred entry, front-row seats and chips with smoked ahi dip. The listing breaks the adult price down as $120 for food plus $70 for the show, and the child price as $70 plus $60, before tax and gratuity. Cancellations must be made by phone at least 24 hours ahead.

Kona or Waikoloa: where each Big Island luau is

All three luaus are on the west side of the island, but they are not close to one another, and the drive back matters after a three-hour evening with an open bar.

• Kona luau: the Feast & Fire Luau is at the OUTRIGGER Kona Resort on Keauhou Bay, about six miles south of Kailua-Kona town. It is the closest of the three if you are staying in Kona or Keauhou.
• Waikoloa luau: the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Sunset Luau is at 69-275 Waikoloa Beach Drive on ʻAnaehoʻomalu Bay, inside the Waikoloa Beach Resort on the Kohala Coast, roughly 25 miles north of Kailua-Kona.
• Kohala Coast luau: the Mauna Kea Luau is at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, about ten miles farther north than Waikoloa.

From Kailua-Kona, allow around 15 minutes to Keauhou, 40 minutes to Waikoloa and 50 minutes to the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. From Hilo, each of the three is a drive of roughly an hour and a half to two hours each way, which is why a Hilo stay is better paired with a luau on a Kona or Kohala night.

Which Big Island luau should you book?

• You have young children: the Waikoloa luau, where under-5s attend free.
• You want an open bar: Waikoloa or Feast & Fire. The Mauna Kea Luau includes one welcome drink.
• You want a fire-knife finale: Feast & Fire or Mauna Kea, which both list one.
• You want the imu ceremony and Royal Court: the Mauna Kea Luau, on a Tuesday or Friday.
• You don’t want to queue for a seat: Waikoloa, where seating is reserved.
• You are staying in Hilo: none of the three is on that side of the island. A Hilo base is better spent on the volcano, with the luau saved for a Kona or Kohala night; Kona or Hilo explains the split.

Comparing other islands

The Kauai, Maui and Oahu luau guides compare the luaus we sell on those islands, and our ranking of every luau in Hawaii puts them side by side. If this is your first luau, what happens at a Hawaiian luau walks through a typical evening.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a luau on the Big Island?

Of the luaus we sell, the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Sunset Luau starts at $179.14, the Feast & Fire Luau at the OUTRIGGER Kona Resort starts at $185, and the Mauna Kea Luau starts at $234.27 for general seating. The Mauna Kea listing prices adults at $120 for food plus $70 for the show, before tax and gratuity.

Which is the best luau on the Big Island?

It depends on what you want. The Waikoloa Beach Marriott Sunset Luau includes reserved seating and a full open bar, and children under 5 attend free. The Feast & Fire Luau includes an unlimited full bar, free parking and a Samoan fire-knife finale. The Mauna Kea Luau has the imu ceremony, a Royal Court presentation and live music from the Lim Family of Kohala, on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Which Big Island luaus include an open bar?

The Waikoloa Beach Marriott Sunset Luau includes a full open bar with beer, wine and cocktails, and the Feast & Fire Luau includes an unlimited full bar with mai tais and beer. The Mauna Kea Luau includes one mai tai or keiki drink on arrival.

What nights does the Mauna Kea Luau run?

Tuesdays and Fridays, subject to seasonal adjustments, from 4:45pm to 8:00pm. The Waikoloa and Feast & Fire luaus show their dates on the booking calendar.

Can children go to a Big Island luau?

Yes. At the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Sunset Luau children under 5 attend free and ages 6 to 12 pay a discounted rate. The Mauna Kea Luau lists a child price of $70 for food plus $60 for the show, before tax and gratuity.

Is there a luau in Hilo?

Not among the luaus we sell. All three are on the Kona and Kohala side of the island.

Is there a luau in Waikoloa?

Yes. The Waikoloa Beach Marriott Sunset Luau is held at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa on ʻAnaehoʻomalu Bay, inside the Waikoloa Beach Resort. It runs three hours and starts at $179.14.

Which luau is closest to Kailua-Kona?

The Feast & Fire Luau at the OUTRIGGER Kona Resort on Keauhou Bay, about six miles south of town. The Waikoloa and Mauna Kea luaus are on the Kohala Coast, 40 to 50 minutes north.

Prices on this page are read automatically from the live booking listings. Details come from each luau’s listing; availability and rates are set by the operator.