Polynesian Cultural Center

I can not believe we have not visited the Polynesian Cultural Center before now.

This has been my favorite tourist attraction so far. We bought annual passes so we can go often.

If you are planning a trip to Hawaii, this is a must see!

The Polynesian Cultural Center consists of eight villages representing Hawaii, Samoa, New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Easter Island, Tahiti and the Marquesas. Each village has crafts, music, houses, games, and natives in traditional dress to give you an idea of what these Polynesian islands are like.

Granted, these villages don't have pigs and chickens running around in them. And the "natives" smell clean and have all their teeth, so it's probably a Disney-esque version of Polynesia.

And for this we are truly grateful.


I put most of the pictures in a slideshow at the top of this post. I took so many, this post would run on for days if I tried to describe everything.


We saw dances, listened to concerts, watched ancient rituals, tried fresh poi, took a canoe ride, watched an Imax film on coral reefs, and just generally enjoyed the heck out of our day.


I can hardly wait to go back!

We even got temporary tattoos in one of the villages!

So cool. And so temporary. I'll let her get a permanent tattoo when she finds a hairstyle she wants to keep forever. Or a shirt she can happily wear every day for the rest of her life.

One look back at the disco era ought to strike fear into her heart about being stuck with the same look forever.

As usual, there was the same Hawaiian scourge that spoiled the day:

Shave Ice and a white tee shirt.

When will they learn???