Polynesian Cultural Center

Location

The Polynesian Cultural Center is a beautiful 42 acre property on the North Shore of Oahu. It is made up of seven different Polynesian villages, with each village representing one of the seven different Polynesian Islands. The seven different Polynesian villages represented are Hawaii, Tahiti, Tonga, Samoa, New Zealand, Fiji and Marquesas. Each village brings to light the different cultures, people and lifestyles of the represented Polynesian group.

There are plenty of activities to partake in during your visit to the Polynesian Cultural Center. A visit to the center promises to be a learning as well as an entertaining experience. At the end of the day (5pm) they offer a great Luau, the Ali`i Luau, where guests are greeted and their necks are adorned with fresh flower leis. Then it's time to sit back and eat like the Hawaiians do, i.e. "don't eat until you are full, eat until you pass out." The food at this Luau is absolutely great, and features plenty of traditional Hawaiian dishes, including the popular Kalua Pork (pig cooked underground in an Imu) as well as plenty of Hawaiian deserts and local fruits. The "Horizons" night show in late evening is one of the largest shows in Hawaii and features various arrangements of Hula dancing and fire dancing performances.

The Polynesian Cultural Center is Hawaii`s number one paid attraction site and hence can be crowded. If you are traveling by car it is best to go early when the doors open, at 12:00pm). If you do not care to drive, there are plenty of tour buses available to take you to the Polynesian Cultural Center, most tour buses depart from the Waikiki and Honolulu areas. General admissions usually start at $40 per person. The center is closed on Sundays.

Our Polynesian Cultural Center Tips

This is another attraction where you can easily spend the whole day at. There are plenty of activities offered at each village or Island station. There are also many shows representing the respective cultures of each particular island, each show offers a unique learning experience. Unless you plan ahead, you will probably miss a lot of the activities/shows offered throughout the entire center, this is because the site is so immense. To get the best of it all, either plan ahead and map out your route through the center or visit with a tour bus that offers a tour guide throughout the day (usually for an additional fee). If you go with an activity vendor and wish to use the guided tour service, before purchasing tickets, you should inquire about which island stations they will visit and what activities and sites on the island they will tour. There are plenty of tour guides to chose from, you can book with one that tours the activities that are most closely inline with your personal interests.