Day #56 - Getting Lei'd and Getting Luau'd!

After a big driving day yesterday, today was always going to be destined to be a pool and beach day! So towels in hand, we set up poolside a...

After a big driving day yesterday, today was always going to be destined to be a pool and beach day!

So towels in hand, we set up poolside and caught up on the blog, socials and holiday reading - all while enjoying the sun, the beautiful blue sky and of course, the tropical vibes. We also enjoyed an early lunch of flatbread pizzas.

Well that was all well and good until some mid-morning rain came along and spoilt our fun!

So we retreated to the hotel room and snuggled up on the king sized bed to watch a Hawaiian themed movie. Having recently watched Finding 'Ohana, and not fancying Jurassic Park, we settled on 50 First Dates.  We were shocked to discover that this film is 20 years old! Eeek! Anyway, here's the trailer in case you've forgotten it:

Skip forward to late afternoon and it was time for us to head to the mainstay of any Hawaiian vacation - the luau. For those unfamiliar, a luau is a traditional Hawaiian feast and celebration that is often accompanied by entertainment such as traditional Hawaiian music, kanikapila, and hula. The word "luau" originally referred to the taro leaves that are traditionally used to wrap the food before it is cooked in an imu, an underground oven.

So suitably attired with fresh flower leis, we settled down to an unlimited buffet and bar right on the oceanfront beside our hotel, which in itself is an historic location - it's where Kamakahonu, the residence of Kamehameha I was located (a 1970's replica of the building now stands there). We had a table all to ourselves, front and centre so our view was great. 

The food was outstanding, the drinks delicious and the entertainment mesmerizing. We were taken on a tour of Polynesian culture which we found fascinating since we are coming the end of our first stop on the Polynesian leg of our trip. 

The dancers were highly skilled and engaging and our compere linked everything together with songs, explanations and attempts to teach us various phrases and words from the islands we were visiting in this colourful luau.

Needless to say, we had a great evening. Very romantic!