- The mai tai was invented in California in the 1940s, not Hawaii — it arrived here and stayed.
- A real mai tai is rum, lime, orange curaçao and orgeat. No pineapple juice.
- The lava flow is the tropical one people actually mean: piña colada with strawberry purée swirled through.
- Blue Hawaii was created at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in 1957 — genuinely local, and blue from curaçao.
- Open bar included in a ticket is worth $60–$100 for two adults across an evening.
- Non-alcoholic options matter too — the same drinks work without the rum.
Quick Answer
The classic luau drinks are the mai tai (rum, lime, orange curaçao and orgeat — an almond syrup), the lava flow (a piña colada with strawberry purée swirled through), the blue Hawaii (rum, blue curaçao and pineapple, created at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in 1957) and simple rum-and-juice highballs. The mai tai is Californian in origin despite the association. At Huakaʻi Lūʻau the open bar is included in both ticket tiers.
The four you will meet
| Drink | What is actually in it | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Mai tai | Rum, fresh lime, orange curaçao and orgeat (almond syrup). No pineapple in the original. | Invented in California in the 1940s; adopted by Hawaii |
| Lava flow | Piña colada — rum, coconut cream, pineapple — with strawberry purée swirled up the glass | A Hawaii resort-bar creation; the one people usually mean |
| Blue Hawaii | Rum, blue curaçao, pineapple and sweet-and-sour. The colour is the curaçao. | Created at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, 1957 — genuinely local |
| Rum punch / highballs | Rum with pineapple, guava or passionfruit (lilikoʻi) | The everyday luau pour |
The mai tai thing
The drink most associated with Hawaii was not invented here. It came out of the mid-century tiki bar scene in California in the 1940s and travelled to Hawaii with that whole aesthetic, where it settled permanently.
The version you often get — heavy on pineapple juice with a float of dark rum — is a long way from the original, which is a rum sour: spirit, citrus, a little curaçao and orgeat for body. Both are fine. They are just not the same drink.
What an open bar is actually worth
This is the practical bit. Two adults at a cash bar can easily spend $60–$100 across a luau evening. When a competing show looks $35 cheaper on the ticket, that gap usually closes at the bar — the arithmetic is in our pricing breakdown.
At Huakaʻi Lūʻau the open bar is included in both General Admission and VIP, and runs from doors through the finale.
| Ticket | Adult (13+) | Child (6–12) | Infant (0–5) |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Admission | $180 + tax | $72 + tax | Free |
| VIP | $210 + tax | $84 + tax | Free |
Not drinking?
Every one of these works without the rum, and the fruit-forward ones lose very little. Non-alcoholic options are available at the bar alongside coffee and tea with dessert — see the menu page and the food guide for what is served alongside.
Pace it, and plan the drive. An included open bar and an unlit highway home belong in the same thought. Nominate a driver before you arrive, not in the car park.
Huakaʻi Lūʻau performs weekly on Tuesdays. That is one show per week, not one per night — so a seven-night stay overlaps with exactly one or two performances. Check your dates against the calendar early rather than on the day.
Frequently asked questions
What is in a mai tai?
A traditional mai tai is rum, fresh lime juice, orange curaçao and orgeat — an almond syrup — served over crushed ice. It contains no pineapple juice. The sweeter, juice-heavy version common at resorts is a later variation rather than the original recipe.
Was the mai tai invented in Hawaii?
No. The mai tai came out of the mid-century tiki bar scene in California in the 1940s and travelled to Hawaii with that aesthetic, where it became strongly associated with the islands. The Blue Hawaii, by contrast, was genuinely created in Hawaii — at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in 1957.
What is a lava flow drink?
A lava flow is essentially a piña colada — rum, coconut cream and pineapple — with strawberry purée swirled up the inside of the glass, which produces the red-through-white effect the drink is named for. It is the tropical drink most visitors actually have in mind.
Is the bar included at a Maui luau?
It depends on the operator — some include an open bar and others run a cash bar. At Huakaʻi Lūʻau the open bar is included in both General Admission and VIP tickets and runs from doors through the finale. Two adults at a cash bar can spend $60 to $100 across an evening, so it is worth checking before comparing ticket prices.
Are there non-alcoholic options at a luau?
Yes. The classic luau drinks are all built on fruit juice and coconut, so they work well without the rum, and non-alcoholic options are available at the bar alongside coffee and tea served with dessert.
The Bar Opens With Doors
Huakaʻi Lūʻau · The Luau Lawn at Hilton Grand Vacations Kāʻanapali Beach Club
104 Kāʻanapali Shores Place · Lāhainā, HI 96761
Performing weekly on Tuesdays
Pricing, showtimes and menu items are current as of August 2026 and are subject to change; taxes are additional at checkout and menu offerings may vary with seasonal availability and operational requirements. Price ranges quoted for other Maui luaus are general market guidance rather than quotes — confirm current pricing directly with each operator. Seating within each ticket tier is first-come, first-served.