Polynesian Cultural Center
Six Pacific island villages recreated on Oahu's north shore, staffed largely by students working their way through the university next door.
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The centre opened in 1963, run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with an explicit funding purpose: employ students of the adjacent Brigham Young University-Hawaii so they can pay for their education, and a large majority of the staff are students, many from the islands they represent. Six village areas cover Samoa, Aotearoa, Fiji, Hawaii, Tahiti and Tonga, with demonstrations of fire-making, weaving, dance and coconut husking through the day, plus a canoe pageant on the lagoon and an evening show. The presentation is a performance rather than a lived community, which the centre does not disguise, and the arrangement has both defenders and critics among Pacific Islanders.
What you actually see
- Six island village areas - Samoa, Aotearoa, Fiji, Hawaii, Tahiti, Tonga.
- Students from those islands - working to fund their studies.
- Demonstrations through the day - fire-making, weaving, dance.
- A canoe pageant and evening show - the set-piece performances.
When to go
Year round; closed Sundays. A full day.
Honest expectations
It is expensive, and the fuller packages considerably so. It is a staged presentation, not a living village. Closed Sundays for religious observance. The drive from Waikiki takes over an hour each way.
Nearby
The north shore beaches are west; Kualoa is south.
What to pack for Polynesian Cultural Center
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.