Encompassing more than 40 acres in Laie on Oahu’s northeast shore, the Polynesian Cultural Center is considered a living museum. Eight Polynesian island nations and cultures are displayed and exhibited, with activities and demonstrations taking place throughout the day.
The islands cultures highlighted include Hawaii, Tahiti, Rapa Nui (Easter Island), the Marquesas, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and Aotearoa (Maori New Zealand). From traditional arts and crafts to dance performances and educational exhibits, the atmosphere is vibrant and exciting.
Visitors can take a canoe ride through the lagoon, dance the hula, and participate in a variety of hands-on activities. You can also visit the nearby Laie Hawaii Temple which is the fifth oldest Mormon temple in the world.
From 2:30 to 3 pm each day the Rainbow of Paradise dance performance takes place in the Center’s lagoon on platforms with performers in full costume. The Center’s 600-seat IMAX Theater with its 65x93-foot screen shows movies about Hawaii’s underwater world throughout the day, with one showing in Japanese.
At 5 pm each day, a traditional Hawaiian luau feast takes place with an abundance of food and live entertainment. The sumptuous food ranges from kalua pig roasted in an imu (underground oven) to fresh island fish, poi made from taro, and haupia (coconut pudding). You can also dine in the Center’s restaurant.
Every evening at 7:30 pm, there is a 90-minute show in the Center’s 2,800-seat Pacific Theater. The show is called Ha: Breath of Life and features more than 100 performers.
Located adjacent to the PCC is the campus of Brigham Young University-Hawaii which owns and runs the Polynesian Cultural Center under the auspices of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. About 700 students from the school work at Cultural Center to help earn tuition and other college costs. Also nearby to the Polynesian Cultural Center is the historic Mormon temple that is known as the Laie Hawaii Temple.
The Polynesian Cultural Center is open daily except Sunday. Island tours and cultural presentation begin at noon. The Center is located on the northeast coast of Oahu, 35 miles north of Honolulu.