The Sunset Luau Review

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The Sunset Luau Reviews

Enjoy the following reviews of The Sunset Luau at The Montage Kapalua Bay on Maui. Held every Tuesday evening and the occasional Thursday, The Sunset Luau is unique and will leave you with lasting memories.  This luau has been canceled.  Check out Maui Luaus for available upcoming luaus.

See Montage Kapalua Bay Map

 

Montage Kapalua Bay

The sun is almost through with its daily westward march across the sky, and it is illuminating the small crowd I’m mingling with, in golden light. The deep hollow sound of a conch shell cuts through the yellow evening as I sip my complimentary Mai Tai.

I am at The Sunset Luau at Montage Kapalua Bay. Held every Tuesday, the luau takes place on the oceanfront lawn of the resort, offering up striking views of the Pacific, the neighboring islands of Molokai and Lanai, and the sunset.

Beach Club Luau Wahine Hula

The Sunset Luau at Kapalua Bay is not my first rodeo. Having grown up in Hawaii, I am well versed in these traditional Hawaiian celebrations. However, I don’t typically go out of my way to attend luaus. While Maui is known to have some real gems, some luaus can be, for lack of a better word, too touristy, cramming hundreds of guests into venues for mediocre shows and sub-par buffets. So, lured by the promise of a personal experience and an individually plated, chef-curated menu, I find myself at the Sunset Luau.

Montage Kapalua Bay is consistently praised for its elegance, service, and location- and the Sunset Luau proves to be no different. Upon arrival, a smiling staff member hands me a Mai Tai, made with a selection of fruit-forward rum- a perfect concoction for sipping in the Hawaiian sunset. A few other guests enter with their teenage family members, graciously included in the welcome by receiving tropical mocktails.

Beach Club Luau Montage Sunset

The sun begins to fade, and guests start to mosey to their tables in anticipation of the show’s commencement. Once settled in for the two-hour performance, the rest of the guests and I are afforded a front-row seat, and I start to appreciate the small size of the luau. Individual parties sat at their own table, no more than 8 people per party. A thoughtful benefit of choosing this luau.

The Sunset Luau at Kapalua Bay

The show kicks off, and the audience is instantly transported to the Hawaii of the past- via stories, songs, and traditional fares. Swaying dancers tell ancestral tales, and sweet Hawaiian music floats through the air as I indulge in the plate of sweet potato rolls with macadamia nut butter and kalo hummus, Lomi Lomi dip, and sweet potato chips before me. Amid the captivating entertainment, I immediately respect the unique way chef Eric Faivre incorporates kalo, an integral Hawaiian food staple, into a dish other than poi.

Beach Club Luau Show

The night wears on, and the entertainment never wanes as the luau transitions from interactive Hawaiian hula lessons to the dances of Tahiti, coming to a captivating close with the electrifying Samoan fire knife dance. The food keeps up its delicious pace as well, hardly straying from traditional Hawaiian eats, albeit remastered. While some luaus serve foods that encompass the modern cultures of Hawaii, like chow mein, chicken katsu, etc., Chef Faivre’s menu at the Sunset Luau is unmistakably Hawaiian. The main course menu includes pipikaula (cured beef) poke, Kona kanpachi poke, ulu (breadfruit) mac salad, and catch of the day with steamed bok choy. Pua’a kalua (kalua pork), baked Molokaʻi sweet potatoes, grilled ribeye with aliʻi mushrooms, and a Kumu Farms mixed green salad with sugarcane lilikoi dressing are also available. Lastly, a dessert as exciting as the fire knife dance is placed before me. Another kalo integrated masterpiece- a poi cheesecake.

Beach Club Luau Montage Fire

I leave the luau feeling satisfied- not only by the commanding entertainment but by the polished menu that expertly showcases Hawaiian cuisine. As I depart with a renewed appreciation for these ancient Hawaiian celebrations, I am confident that The Sunset Luau will serve as a model for the standard of luaus in the future. For now, the celebration at the Montage Kapalua Bay will continue to push the boundaries of what a luau can be.


~Serene

 

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Sunset Luau Map