Polynesian Cultural Center is an Immersive Island-culture Experience

The Polynesian Cultural Center is one of the most visited attractions on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. With so many people seeking to experience all the activities and presentations at the PCC, there are somethings you’ll want to know ahead of your visit so you can get the most out of your visit.

The first time I went to the Polynesian Cultural Center (back in 2012), I had no idea of what to expect. We observed one cultural presentation, and then walked around before heading back to the hotel. So I wasn’t really impressed and was unsure if I wanted to visit it again as my wife and I headed to Hawaii to celebrate our five-year wedding anniversary.

I’ve put together five travel tips to help you prepare for and maximize your visit to the PCC. It’ll help you know more of what to expect and help you plan your visit.

Purchase Tickets As Early As You Can

The Polynesian Cultural Center is so popular, tickets may sell out. If you wait too long, you may miss out on the ability to experience what they have to offer. During peak times (summer, Christmas, whale season), tickets sell out weeks in advance. As soon as you book your flights and hotel, grab your tickets to the PCC.

NOTE: The Polynesian Cultural Center is closed on Sundays and Wednesdays.

When you visit the Polynesian Cultural Center website to purchase tickets, don’t be confused by all the different options available. Here’s a rundown on the options so you can find what works best for you. The more exclusive the package, the further out they book. For example, as of today (July26, 2021), the Super Ambassador Luau Package is booked out through Oct. 30, 2021. That’s three months out. Wowzers! Again, PLAN AHEAD!

Since prices can change, I’ll just mention that they range from $70 to just under $250 per person, depending on the package you select.

General Admission

These tickets, also known as Islands of Polynesia Tickets, will give you access through the front gates. Once inside, you can wander to all of the islands, watch all of the cultural presentations and participate in the activities on each island. You can go at your own pace, but that also means you’re on your own as you try to experience as much as possible. This ticket option does not include admission to any of the buffet options, luau or “Breath of Life” show in the evening.

Gateway Buffet Package

In addition to getting access to all six of the island areas at the Polynesian Cultural Center, this package includes the Gateway buffet dinner with live music. You also get general seating access to the “Breath of Life” evening show.

Alii Luau Package

Similar to the package above, you’ll get access to the six islands to explore and interact with the island villagers and participate in the activities. As the islands close, you can enjoy the Alii Luau buffet dinner and better seating at the “Breath of Life” evening show.

Super Ambassador Luau Package

The most exclusive ticket package gives you a lot of benefits. It starts with a private, guided tour through all six of the islands. We saw several people on those guided tours, and it definitely helps you get a lot out of your visit. But those tickets were out of our price range. When the islands close, you get premier seating at both the Alii Luau and the “Breath of Life” evening show.

Arrive The Moment the Gates Open and Stay Till they Close

The six islands of Polynesia open at 12:45, with presentations and activities starting at 1 p.m. They close at 5:30 p.m. so the afternoon is your window of opportunity. If you show up late, you’ll have missed some of the cultural presentations and narrowed the number of activities you’ll be able to enjoy.

If you have general admission tickets, you’ll want to use every possible minute wandering the islands. Especially if you’re like me and want to ensure I get every possible experience out of the ticket price.

RELATED POST: Spend the morning at Pearl Harbor and the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial

There is no cost for parking, so if you’re at the Polynesian Cultural Center by 12:30, you can walk through the marketplace (more on that below), take a bathroom break, and get your bag checked at the security check. Then you’ll be ready to scan your tickets at the gate and begin your visit.

Plan the Cultural Presentations You Want to See

Each of the islands have multiple opportunities to attend their cultural presentations. There are a couple of different ways you can go about seeing the cultural presentations. First option – just wander through the islands and grab a seat at a cultural presentation when you see it happening. Second option is to plan each one out and build a schedule. There are advantages to each option, so go with what works for you.

During our visit, we knew all the cultural presentations begin at either the top or bottom of the hour (:00 or :30). So as we wandered from island to island, we’d see people gathering for a presentation and would join in. Others were already underway, so if there was room for us to grab a seat in the pavilion, we would.

What do the cultural presentations include? Well, here’s a rundown on two of our favorites.

TONGA: During the Tonga presentation, three guys from the audience were invited on stage to wear the colorful skirt and do some dancing and drumming. It was hilarious. My wife really wanted me to raise my hand and end up on stage, but I’m so glad they didn’t see when she grabbed my hand and tried to raise it for me. The presentation was very entertaining.

HAWAII: We watched as a few professionals did a hula on stage. Then the audience was invited to stand up and learn a few of the moves. The emcee on stage said that while they were there to entertain us, the hula moves from the audience provided great entertainment to them. A young woman in a colorful dress performed a great hula dance as well. It was graceful and relaxing to watch.

Regardless of which cultural presentation you choose to watch, it’s sure to educate and entertain.

Know What Activities You Want to Try Out

There are so many activities spread across the six islands, that I think it’s impossible to participate in all of them in a single day. I guess that just means you’ll have to come back again.

Since we didn’t bring our kids with us, there were a few activities I don’t think they wanted us adults to do. I wanted to try the fishing, but since I didn’t have a kid with me, they kept overlooking me as they brought the next person from the line into the open hut to try fishing. So we left and went to some other activities.

Here are the activities we were able to participate in – but I encourage you to explore the list of activities available at the Polynesian Cultural Center and head to what interests you.

Make a Fish – We were given two long leaves and learned how to weave them together into a fish. Then we were given the spine of a big branch and hooked it to the fish to make a fishing pole of sorts. It’s a fun little toy for kids.

Free Ukulele Lesson – My wife and kids all have their own ukulele (pronounced oo-koo-lay-lay). But my wife was interested in learning some strumming techniques. So thee free ukulele lesson offered at the Polynesian Cultural Center was a no-brainer. And our teacher was amazing and even showed us his waterproof ukulele.

Spear Throwing – I was really interested in trying this one out. Glad we did. Although I probably need to practice a little more. We had fun tossing a spear toward a circle target 30 feet away. The teacher was amazing as well, sharing humor and good techniques.

Go Canoeing – I really wanted to do this one, but we didn’t get a chance with all the other activities we were enjoying. Take a seat in a canoe and paddle your way around the lakes.

Don’t Be Afraid to Try the Foods at the Polynesian Cultural Center

I didn’t know there were free food samples at the Polynesian Cultural Center. After watching the tail end of a cultural presentation, we went to a fire pit area and learned how they make Coconut Bread. After the short demonstration on how the dough is wrapped in banana leaves and placed into a pit fire that uses lava rocks, we were given a little sample of the bread. They also shared the recipe, so now all visitors can make it themselves at home… probably in the oven instead of a fire pit with lava rocks.

Another popular food on the Hawaiian islands is poi. I hadn’t heard of it before my visit here, but I was open to giving it a try. We learned how it’s made and then had a little spoon of the paste-like food. To be honest, it wasn’t my favorite, and I’ve heard it can be amazing when mixed with other foods. I’ll give it another try.

There may be other foods to sample among the six islands, but those were the only two we came across. But keep your eyes open and your mouth ready for some local foods.

Plan for Lunch or Dinner in the Marketplace

The Hukilau Marketplace is right outside the entrance to the Polynesian Cultural Center. While the islands open at 12:45, the marketplace opens at 11 a.m. As such, you can arrive early and do some shopping and grab some lunch from one of the many food trucks or food stands. I enjoyed a local dish – kalbi – while my wife grabbed a crepe from a little food stand.

It seems like we spent most of our vacation shopping for dresses for my wife. She loves the colors of the Hawaiian clothes, and since she needed a few new dresses, we stopped in just about every single clothing store we walked by.

After spending a few hours wandering the islands, you can grab some dinner on your way out. So if you didn’t book a luau or grab tickets to the “Breath of Life” evening show, you can grab dinner from one of the many places in the Hukilau Marketplace. We were able to enjoy some live music near the center court, too.

The Details:

Address: 55-370 Kamehameha Hwy, Laie, HI 96762

Cost: Tickets range from $70-$250 per person, depending on which package you go with.

How Long to Spend: For the best experience in the islands, plan to spend five hours. If you have tickets to the luau or evening show (“Breath of Life”), plan on being there until 9 p.m.

Parking: Free parking is available in front of the Polynesian Cultural Center. Follow the signs and park in designated parking areas.

Hours: The islands are open from 12:45-5:30 p.m. The buffet dinners, luaus and evening show go until 9 p.m. It’s closed Sunday, Wednesdays, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The Hukilau Marketplace is open from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and is closed on Sundays, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Website: https://www.polynesia.com/

Phone: 1-800-367-7060

PIN THIS