- WhereRoyal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows, oceanfront on Kāʻanapali Beach, West Maui
- The showThe moʻolelo of Māui told through hula and chant, closing with a fire knife performance
- DinnerAn all-you-care-to-eat Hawaiian buffet, opened by the imu ceremony
- BarOpen bar with mai tais and other tropical cocktails made with local rum, plus beer, wine and soft drinks
The legend
The legend
A Myths of Maui evening runs as a sequence rather than a single act — the imu, the feast, the moʻolelo on stage, and the fire that ends it.
- I
The gates open
VIP gates open at 5:15pm or 5:30pm depending on the time of year, General gates roughly fifteen minutes after — a lei greeting on the oceanfront lawn starts the evening for both.
- II
The imu is unearthed
Ahead of the buffet, the imu — the underground oven where the puaʻa has slow-roasted all day — is opened in front of the guests, the traditional start to a luʻau feast.
- III
The feast and the bar
An all-you-care-to-eat Hawaiian buffet follows — kalua puaʻa from the imu alongside seared fish, chicken, salads and island desserts — with an open bar of tropical cocktails, beer, wine and soft drinks.
- IV
The moʻolelo, in hula and chant
The stage tells the moʻolelo of Māui — among Hawaiʻi's best-known legends, how he's said to have hauled the islands up with his hook and snared the sun above Haleakalā — through hula and chant.
- V
The fire knife finale
The night closes with a fire knife performance, the show's traditional finish.
Which gate time applies depends on the season and your ticket tier, and the resort changes both twice a year — check your confirmation rather than this page for the exact time on your date.
The feast on the lawn
The buffet and the bar
Dinner is an all-you-care-to-eat Hawaiian-style buffet, served after the imu ceremony, with an open bar running alongside it.
On the buffet
Kalua puaʻa from the imu, seared mahi mahi with lilikoi cream, Tahitian chicken and lomi lomi salmon, alongside Kula-greens and hōʻiʻo-fern salads, poi, taro rolls and sweet potato, then desserts — haupia, pineapple upside-down cake and lamington cake. A children's plate of chicken tenders and macaroni and cheese is also served.
At the bar
The open bar pours mai tais and other tropical cocktails made with local rum, plus beer, wine and soft drinks, from the gates through dinner.
Hula, chant and the finale
Hula, chant and the finale
Hula carries the story
Hula is a Hawaiian dance form built to express mele and oli — song and chant — through movement: a sweep of the hands can stand for a wave, a tree in the wind, or a feeling with no other word for it. On this stage it's the vehicle for the evening's moʻolelo, not decoration around it.
The moʻolelo of Māui
Māui is a culture hero across Hawaiian and wider Polynesian tradition, credited with hauling the islands up from the ocean floor with a magic fish-hook, Manaiakalani, while his brothers paddled, and with lassoing the sun's rays above Haleakalā to slow it down so his mother could finish her work by daylight. These are the feats the resort's own material points to when it describes the show's "moʻolelo of ancient Hawaiian mythology."
The imu, before any of it
Before the stage show, the imu — the underground oven the puaʻa has cooked in since morning — is opened and unearthed in front of the crowd, the traditional start to a luʻau meal.
The finale
The night closes with a fire knife performance — the resort bills it as the show's finish, after the chant and dance have carried the moʻolelo through.
General or VIP
General or VIP
| Option | What's included | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| General admission | The shell-lei greeting, the imu ceremony, the full buffet, open bar and show, with your table assigned by booking order | A first luau, or a family keeping to a budget |
| VIP | Everything in General, with gates opening fifteen minutes earlier plus the VIP perks shown at booking | Anniversaries, proposals, or a group that wants to settle in before the crowd |
Want the earlier VIP gate and its extra perks? See VIP seating on GetYourGuide ↗
Getting there in West Maui
Getting there in West Maui
Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows
The luau is held oceanfront at 2780 Kēkaʻa Drive, Lahaina — on Kāʻanapali Beach, in the resort built in 1962 as one of Maui's first properties and run by the Hogan family for sixty years before its recent change of ownership.
Gate times move with the season
VIP gates open at 5:15pm from mid-October to mid-March and 5:30pm the rest of the year; General gates follow roughly fifteen minutes later. Check your confirmation for the exact time on your date.
What to bring
The resort suggests light clothing, sunscreen, a hat and a light sweater for after sunset in summer, or long sleeves or a light jacket in winter. Closed-toe shoes are suggested; bare feet aren't permitted. Parking is $10 per vehicle, subject to change.
More about the evening
More about the evening
A Myths of Maui evening, step by step
From the lei at the gate to the fire knife finale — what happens, roughly in order, on Royal Lahaina's oceanfront lawn.
Read the luau guide →the story on stageThe legends of Māui the demigod
The moʻolelo the show is built around — Māui's best-known feats in Hawaiian tradition, before you watch them told in hula and chant.
Read the luau guide →what's on the tableThe imu and the feast
What the underground oven does to the evening's main dish, and what else is on the buffet alongside it.
Read the luau guide →the show, explainedHula, chant and the finale
How the stage moves from storytelling to spectacle — what hula and chant are doing, and what the fire knife finale adds.
Read the luau guide →general or vipChoosing your seat tier
What actually changes between General admission and VIP seating, and who each one suits.
Read the luau guide →families and groupsPlanning a West Maui evening for a family or group
What to know before booking the Myths of Maui Luau for a family visiting from the mainland or a group staying in Kāʻanapali.
Read the luau guide →FAQ
Luau questions, answered
What is the Myths of Maui Luau?
An oceanfront luʻau at Royal Lahaina Resort on Kāʻanapali Beach — an imu ceremony, an all-you-care-to-eat Hawaiian buffet with an open bar, and a stage show that tells the moʻolelo of Māui through hula and chant, closing with a fire knife performance.
Where exactly is it held?
On the oceanfront lawn at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows, 2780 Kēkaʻa Drive, Lahaina — on Kāʻanapali Beach in West Maui.
What's the difference between General and VIP seating?
VIP gates open fifteen minutes before General, and the VIP ticket adds the perks shown at booking. Both tiers share the same buffet, open bar and show, and tables in each are assigned by how early you booked.
Is the buffet all-you-can-eat?
Yes — an all-you-care-to-eat Hawaiian-style buffet, including kalua puaʻa unearthed from the imu, seared fish and chicken, salads, poi and island desserts. A children's plate is also served.
Is there an open bar?
Yes. The open bar serves mai tais and other island cocktails made with local rum, plus beer, wine and soft drinks.
What should I wear?
Light clothing, sunscreen and a hat, with a light sweater for after sunset in summer or long sleeves or a light jacket in winter. Closed-toe shoes are suggested; bare feet aren't permitted.
Is parking available?
Yes, at $10 per vehicle, subject to change.
What time should I arrive?
Gates move twice a year: VIP opens at 5:15pm from mid-October to mid-March and 5:30pm the rest of the year, with General gates roughly fifteen minutes later. The time printed on your booking is the one to trust for your date.
More Maui evenings
Pick your evening
Other Maui activities GetYourGuide lists nearby, on their own listings.