Entertainment Overview

Looking for wild island nightlife? We can't promise you'll always find it here. This quiet island has little of Waikiki's after-hours decadence, and the club scene (if you want to call it that) can be quirky, depending on the season and the day of the week. But sometimes Maui will surprise you with a big-name concert, outdoor festival, or special event, and it seems the whole island usually shows up for the party.

Before 10 PM, there's a lot to offer by way of luau shows, dinner cruises, and tiki-lighted cocktail hours. Aside from that, you should at least be able to find some down-home DJ-spinning or the strum of acoustic guitars at your nearest watering hole. Lahaina and Kihei are your best bets for action. Lahaina tries to uphold its reputation as a party town, and succeeds every Halloween when thousands of masqueraders converge for a Mardi Gras-style party on Front Street. Kihei is a bit more local, and in parts, can be something of a rough and rowdy crowd. On the right night, both towns stir with activity, and if you don't like one scene, there's always next door.

Outside of Lahaina and Kihei, you might be able to hit an "on" night in Paia (North Shore) or Makawao (Upcountry), mostly on weekend nights. Your best bet? Pick up the free Maui Time Weekly, or Thursday's edition of the Maui News, where you'll find a listing of all your after-dark options, island-wide.

Luau

A trip to Hawaii isn't complete without a good luau. With the beat of drums and the sway of hula, luau give you a snippet of Hawaiian culture left over from a long-standing tradition. Early Hawaiians celebrated many occasions with luau -- weddings, births, battles, and more. The feasts originally brought people together as an offering to the gods, and to practice hookipa, the act of welcoming guests. The word luau itself refers to the taro root, a staple of the Hawaiian diet, which, when pounded, makes a grey, puddinglike substance called poi. You'll find poi at all the best feasts, along with platters of salty fish, fresh fruit, and kalua pork.

Luau are still held by locals today to mark milestones or as informal, family-style gatherings. For tourists, they are a major attraction, and for that reason, have become big business. Keep in mind -- some are watered-down tourist traps just trying to make a buck, others offer a night you'll never forget. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. Many of the best luau book weeks, sometimes months, in advance, so reserve early. Plan your luau night early on in your trip to help you get into the Hawaiian spirit.