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Hawaii Polynesian Cultural Center

Usually when one visits the Islands it is a temporary respite, no longer than a few short weeks.  It is hard to see a couple of the Hawaiian Islands in that short amount of time, much less to see the other islands that make up Polynesia.  However, there is a place on Oahu that can offer a glimpse into life on the other Polynesian islands; that place is the Polynesian Cultural Center.

The Polynesian Cultural Center, located in La'ie, is a one-stop attraction for all things Polynesian.  The park is divided into six different "islands," Hawai'i, Samoa, New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti, and Tonga.  Each island, although part of the Polynesian triangle, are very different in language, dress, food, and dance.  These differences are just some of the things that a visitor at Polynesian Cultural Center can experience firsthand.  At the Polynesian Cultural Center one can learn the Hula, Tahitian dance, receive a tribal tattoo, participate in a pig hunt, watch fire dancers, and possibly even join the Tongan drummers on stage, all without spending a small fortune traveling from place to place.  It is the participation of the guests who visit Polynesian Cultural Center that make the park not only educational, but unforgettable.

The Polynesian Cultural Center also presents the Rainbows of Paradise canoe pageant.  Each island represented at the park has its own canoe and the models perform different dances and chants as the canoe floats along the lagoon.  This pageant is the perfect respite for visitors who need to rest a while, eat lunch, and enjoy the beautiful Hawaiian weather.  As if there is not enough to do at the Polynesian Cultural Center, there is also a luau at the end of the day.  This luau features the Ali'i (Hawaiian royalty), a roasted pig, dancing and music, as well as exotic dishes served buffet-style.  After the luau, visitors can make their way to the auditorium where they will watch Horizons: Where the Sea Meets the Sky.  This show, featuring dances and music from the different Polynesian Islands, is the perfect ending to an exciting and memorable day.

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