Why Toa Luau in Waimea Valley is an absolute must see on Oahu
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Alpha Omega Family Adventures was hosted by Toa Luau. This does not affect the opinions shared. All opinions are our own.

I have wanted to visit Hawaii since I was young, probably starting in high school. It has taken me this long (I’ll leave out how old I am) to finally visit. You can imagine just how excited I was once we booked the plane tickets and the daily adventures of the trip could be planned. I had three things that I was really hoping to see when visiting Hawaii – relaxing days on beautiful beaches (maybe a turtle or two), hiking to a waterfall, and attending a luau.

When I started looking into which luau to attend, I realized there were so many choices! All of them include basically the same things – Polynesian show, dinner, and a flower lei. When I read about Toa Luau, I knew it was the one I wanted my family to experience. Toa Luau tickets also include access to Waimea Valley, the waterfalls, and cultural demonstrations all while making the guests feel like part of their family. There are three levels of tickets that can be purchased – silver, gold, and VIP. The venue where they hold the dinner and Polynesian show is small. It can hold approximately 200 guests. This limit is self-imposed by the owners and intentional, in order to allow for a more intimate guest experience. There isn’t a bad seat in the house. We sat in a silver section towards the front and our seats were great! During the luau, we took pictures and video from multiple locations around the venue, including the silver seats that were farthest away from the stage; these seats offered very good views as well. The VIP seats allowed guests to be closest to the stage. All three levels include flower leis, cultural demonstrations, and access to the valley. Toa Luau is relatively new, with their first luau taking place in October of 2017.

It is recommended to arrive at least two hours prior to the luau to fully explore the valley. At the bottom of the valley is a beautiful beach cove that I would recommend if you wanted to arrive even earlier. We didn’t have that option since we had arrived earlier that day from Japan. We barely had enough time to get to the valley in time to hike to the falls. When planning a trip to this area of Oahu, note that the beach – Waimea Bay Beach Park – is accessible even without purchasing tickets to the valley. Also, Waimea Valley is about an hour north-northwest from Honolulu, so to make the most out of the day, I would see as much as I could on the North Side. The Dole Pineapple Plantation about halfway between Honolulu and Waimea Valley, so a stop there along the way could make good use of the day.

The hike up to the waterfalls was a very easy hike on a paved road, unless you a pushing a stroller with three very tired, jet lagged boys in it like we were! It is about 3/4 of a mile to the falls. There is a shuttle ride that can be purchased for those who can’t make the walk on their own. Off the main paved road, there are multiple side paths to see different features in the valley. Those paths included dirt walkways and stairs at times. Walking through the valley was beautiful! There were so many different tropical flowers and plants to see. A variety of birds could be seen around in the trees and on the ground. Upon entry, we were provided a bird identification guide as well. My favorite part of the hike was actually this beautiful green meadow backed by a breathtaking, undulating landscape, covered by the canopies of these stunning trees! Along the hike as well were informational signs including historical facts, plant information, and cultural sites.

The hike to the waterfall was beautiful. Unfortunately for us, the waterfall was not in full flow. It hadn’t rained much there in the weeks leading to our visit. If possible, go here after a significant rainfall to experience the waterfall in all its majesty!
I was amazed at how large these leaves were on this tropical plant!
My favorite part of the hike to the waterfalls

After the hike to the falls, we headed back to the main area to get checked in to the luau. We saw a peacock while we were waiting to be greeted with a flower lei. As the only female in our family of six, I was definitely the most excited to receive the lei, but the boys went along with it! When you check in, you are also given your drink tickets. Silver level gets one drink ticket, gold level gets two, and VIP gets three. For the kids, the drink choices were sodas or Hawaiian sodas. For the adults, it included alcohol drinks as well.

Look at this beautiful peacock watching us as we entered Toa Luau!

Once we found our seats and set our stuff down, we headed to the lawn for the cultural demonstrations. Cousin Billy was the host for the evening. He explained every step of the process the whole night so we understood what was happening. He was so welcoming, so friendly, and so funny! There were so many demonstrations to choose from that we missed some because we lost track of time at a couple stations! Our boys learned how to make coconut leaf headbands and got to try out the Poi Balls. While the dinner and show were amazing, the demonstrations may have been my favorite part of the night. The staff was so friendly, helpful, and informative!

Learning how to make coconut leaf headbands
Andy trying out the Poi swinging

After making our coconut leaf headbands and trying the Poi Balls, we circled around the fire to learn how traditional Polynesian dinners are prepared. Next, we experienced a traditional welcoming ceremony that would take place when friends came to feast together. Some guests were chosen to play certain roles in the ceremony. At the end of the demonstration time, we really felt like part of their family for the night!

Squeezing the coconut milk out of the coconuts
He is making a plate out of coconut leaves. There is a completed plate on the ground in front of him.
Traditional dance during the Welcome Ceremony

We were called to dinner by the traditional horn sounding from the conch shell. Dinner was served buffet style, while the staff brought around samples of different things that had been talked about throughout the night. Everything at dinner was so delicious! I especially liked the Island Mac Salad, while Andy loved the pork and chicken!

Conch shell horn calling us to dinner
Luau meal

Once dinner was over, it was time for the show to begin! Cousin Billy was the master of ceremonies, sharing with us each of the different Polynesian cultures that would be represented with a traditional dress and dance. Nearly all the dancers and employees are family members. It was so neat to see how the family worked together to create such a beautiful, educational experience for all of us at the luau. I feel like I know so much more about this culture than I did before. While all the boys were very intrigued by the show, Adler was especially mesmerized the entire night. At one point during the show, Cousin Billy called couples up that were celebrating anniversaries and gave them a special memento from the night. Then, for anyone celebrating a birthday, there was a special birthday cake.

Tahitian Hula

Of course the night would not be complete without some fire throwing! If you ask each of my boys what was their favorite part of the night, this part would without a doubt be their favorite. It was so captivating, especially when the entire group started hurling flame sticks to each other! Words don’t do it justice – they personified the athleticism, grace, and beauty of the Polynesian culture.

Breathing fire
This fire part of the ceremony was the boys favorite part!
Throwing fire sticks across the circle

Overall, we had such a great experience at this luau. We learned so much about the Hawaiian and Polynesian cultures just from this one night. As a mother of four, it warmed my heart to see my boys learning about the value of family in such a fun and immersive environment. Thank you, Toa Luau, for hosting us and letting us be part of your Ohana (family) for one unforgettable night. We highly recommend a visit to Waimea Valley and attending the Toa Luau as part of an itinerary for anyone visiting Oahu. Visit the Toa Luau and Waimea Valley websites to start making plans now!

These guys were so fun to take pictures with after the show!
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