Polynesian luau with buffet dinner and fire knives
Two hours indoors at a Myrtle Beach inn: a Samoan family's band, hula, siva and a fire-knife finale over a buffet. Water, tea, lemonade and parking included.
The luau in four facts
- Running time
- About two hours, dinner and show together.
- Where
- Indoors, in an air-conditioned room at an inn.
- Included
- Buffet, soft drinks, parking and the show.
- Extra
- Cash bar, photos, souvenirs and tips.
Straight answer
Is the Myrtle Beach luau worth it?
Yes, especially with children
For a family evening on the Grand Strand it is one of the easiest wins: two hours, dinner sorted, a live band from the first plate, and dances that change before anyone gets restless. A Samoan family from Tutuila stages it, and the fire knives wait until the very end. Go knowing that it is an indoor dinner show at an inn, with the bar, photos and tips on top of the ticket.
Inside the inn
A family dinner show
A Polynesian dinner luau in an air-conditioned function room: buffet dinner, water, tea and lemonade, parking, a live band, hula in the old and new styles, Samoan siva, a comic emcee who brings guests into the act, and the fire knife to close.
Not on the night
Not a beach party
A luau on the beach, a sunset dinner or a gourmet meal. There is no sand and no ocean view, the menu changes, and drinks beyond the soft ones come from a cash bar. It is a family show in a hotel room, not an arena spectacle.
Read the dances
The island arts a luau draws on
The family decides its programme on the night, so there is no fixed order to print. These are the dances and music a Polynesian luau show borrows from, island by island, each summarised from Wikipedia.
Hawaiʻi
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Hula kahiko
The ancient style, danced to chant and percussion such as the ipu gourd and the pahu drum. Many dances honoured chiefs or gods, and an error was once thought to bring bad luck.
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Hula ʻauana
Hula shaped by Western influence, sung like popular song to guitar, ʻukulele and bass. The name means to wander or drift; the hands tell the story.
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Slack-key guitar
Kī hōʻalu, loosen the key: strings slackened so the open strings ring a chord, with the thumb on an alternating bass and the fingers on the tune.
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The ukulele
Developed in the 1880s from small Portuguese instruments carried to Hawaiʻi from Madeira, the Azores and Cape Verde; King Kalākaua took it up.
Samoa
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Siva
The Samoan word for dance. Traditional siva is all grace, with subtle, delicate arm and hand movements, and is performed in modern times by a taupou.
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Sasa
A group dance, usually seated, of sharp synchronised claps. The word means to strike, and the gestures act out daily life, from paddling to cooking.
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Siva afi
The fire knife. It grew from the ailao, a warrior's display with a twirled, thrown and caught war club, and is now a fixture of Polynesian luau shows.
Tahiti
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ʻŌteʻa
Rows of dancers shaking their hips at speed to drums alone, led by the tōʻere slit log drum. Once a men's dance, now danced by men, women or both.
Sources: Wikipedia's articles on hula, Siva Samoa, sasa, the ʻōteʻa, the fire knife, slack-key guitar and the ukulele.
How the two hours run
The shape of the night
Times come with your confirmation and the family sets the programme, so this is the outline of the two hours rather than a fixed running order.
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Arrive
Park and show your ticket
Parking is included. Show your ticket at the door, find your table and keep a jacket handy, because the room runs cool.
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Eat
The buffet opens
Serve yourself from a buffet whose menu changes, with water, iced tea and lemonade on the table and a cash bar for anything else.
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Listen
The band plays
A live Polynesian band plays through dinner, and the comic emcee starts warming up the room and picking out willing guests.
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Watch
Hula and siva
The dancers move across the islands: Hawaiian hula in the old and new styles, Samoan siva and other Polynesian dances.
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Fire
The fire knives
The night ends with the Samoan fire knife: spins, throws and catches with both ends alight, to drums. Stay to the end.
Ticket versus bar tab
What your ticket covers, and what it doesn't
Everything on the left is in the price you pay at checkout. Everything on the right is paid in the room on the night, so bring cash.
In the price
- Buffet dinner
- Self-service, with a menu that changes.
- Soft drinks
- Water, iced tea and lemonade.
- The live show
- Band, hula, siva and the fire-knife finale.
- Parking
- At the venue, at no extra cost.
Paid on the night
- Bar drinks
- Beer, cocktails and the rest from a cash bar open all evening.
- Photos and souvenirs
- Sold in the room during the evening.
- Tips
- Not included, and welcome.
Luau or the boat?
A Polynesian luau or a paddle-wheel dinner cruise
Polynesian luau
Dinner cruise
What it is
A dinner show with dancers and fire
Dinner on a riverboat on the waterway
How long
About two hours
About two hours
Food and drink
Buffet, soft drinks; cash bar
Dinner, dessert, water and tea; bar
Entertainment
Band, hula, siva, fire knives
Live music and narration
If plans change
Free cancellation up to 24 hours
Non-refundable
Fire, hula and the Strand
Fire on the floor, sand by day
The Polynesian dance traditions the luau draws on, and the Grand Strand around it.
Tonight, and the rest of the week
The luau, a dinner cruise, an arena show and the marsh
The luau is the reason you are here. The other three are a different dinner night, a much bigger show and a morning on the marsh; each link opens its own booking calendar.
Paddle-wheel dinner cruise from North Myrtle Beach
Two hours on the Intracoastal Waterway aboard a wooden riverboat with indoor and outdoor decks, dinner, dessert, live music and narration. Non-refundable.
Pirates Voyage dinner and show
A big arena production with a four-course feast, acrobats, high dives and sea lions around an indoor lagoon. About 90 minutes; free cancellation up to two days ahead.
Salt-marsh eco tour at Murrells Inlet
Two hours by boat with a marine biologist: touch tanks, a creek-bed dredge, blue crabs, birds and a beach stop for shells. Arrive 30 minutes early.
More to do in Myrtle Beach
Before you drive over
Parking, cash and a jacket
The venue
The show runs in an air-conditioned room at St John's Inn in Myrtle Beach. Put the inn's name into your map app and show your ticket at the door.
By car
Parking is included with the ticket. Allow extra time on the beach roads in summer, and use a taxi if you plan to drink.
Arrive on time
The start time comes with your confirmation; be seated before the buffet opens.
Bring cash
The bar, photos, souvenirs and tips are paid in the room, so carry cash for each of them.
Bring a layer
The air conditioning is strong and the room can feel chilly, so pack a light jacket for everyone.
Access and diet
Wheelchair users can attend. Message seat or food requests from your booking ahead of the night.
Luau reading
Six guides for a luau night
- Start here
Myrtle Beach luau: worth it?
What two hours at the Polynesian dinner luau in Myrtle Beach include, what you pay for on the night, why it is indoors, and how it works for children. Open this luau guide → - Compare
Luau or dinner cruise: which?
The Polynesian dinner luau against the paddle-wheel dinner cruise from North Myrtle Beach: food, show, weather, children and the cancellation rules. Open this luau guide → - The dances
Hula, siva and ʻōteʻa
The dances and music a Polynesian luau draws on, from Hawaiian hula kahiko and ʻauana to Samoan siva and sasa, Tahitian ʻōteʻa, slack-key guitar and ukulele. Open this luau guide → - The finale
The Samoan fire knife dance
Where the fire knife comes from: the warrior's ailao, the hooked nifoʻoti and the whalers' knives that shaped it, and the world championship held every May. Open this luau guide → - Plan
Getting to the luau by car
How to reach the Polynesian dinner luau in Myrtle Beach: driving along the Grand Strand, the included parking, arrival, what to bring and accessibility. Open this luau guide → - Make a day of it
A Grand Strand day and night
How to build a Grand Strand day around the luau: a salt-marsh eco tour at Murrells Inlet, the beach and the SkyWheel, and the Polynesian show to finish. Open this luau guide →
FAQ
Before you book the luau
Is the Myrtle Beach luau worth it?
For families and first-time visitors, yes. You get two hours of live Polynesian music, hula, Samoan dance and a fire-knife finale with a buffet dinner, soft drinks and parking included. It is an indoor dinner show, not a beach party, and bar drinks, photos and tips cost extra.
Is it on the beach?
No. It takes place in an air-conditioned room at an inn in Myrtle Beach, so there is no sand or sunset, and weather never cancels it. The room can feel cold, so bring a light jacket.
What is included in the ticket?
A buffet dinner, water, iced tea and lemonade, parking and the live show. The menu changes, so no dishes are promised.
What costs extra?
Drinks from the cash bar, photos and souvenirs sold during the evening, and tips. Bring cash for all of them.
Is it good for children?
Yes. Families are its main audience: the band plays from the start, the dances change often and the fire knives close the night. The flames and drums are loud and bright, so very young children may want a lap for the finale.
Will we be asked to join in?
Audience participation is part of the evening, led by a comic emcee who brings some guests into the act. You are free to stay in your seat and watch.
Who performs?
The show, billed as the Polynesian Fire Luau, is staged by a Samoan family whose home village is Nuʻuuli on Tutuila, in American Samoa, with a live Polynesian band. No performer line-up is promised for any date.
Can I cancel?
Yes. Yes. Call it off on GetYourGuide no later than 24 hours before the show and the whole amount is returned; payment itself can be deferred.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
Yes. The venue is suitable for wheelchair users; send any seating or food request by message from your booking ahead of time.
Is this the show's or the venue's website?
No. This site is written independently for visitors: the show, the inn and the family who perform have no tie to it and do not run it, and every booking is made with GetYourGuide.