FAQ - Polynesian Island Villages

Step inside our gates and enter a world of discovery and adventure. As you visit each village you immerse yourself in their distinct and beautiful culture. Meet the people, taste the food, play, sing and dance. See why our guests call this the “best cultural experience on the island”.

In the event of inclement weather, events and indoor shows will continue to operate, including all Village presentations, the Aliʻi Lūʻau, Gateway Buffet and the Hā:Breath of Life Evening show. For the safety and comfort of our guests and staff, some outdoor events and presentations may temporarily close until weather improves and safe to resume activities.

Your time in our host village will introduce you to a people rich in tradition, art and a love of the Earth. Hawaiʻians are master story tellers, eager to share not only the beauty of their islands, but the beauty of their culture as well. Come and be enchanted!

Aotearoa (The Land of the Long White Cloud) is the home of the Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, known for their elaborately carved meeting houses, musical harmonies, and dance, including, the awe inspiring Haka. Your visit to Aotearoa will inspire and strengthen your awareness and appreciation for family, past and present.

Fijians may be most famous for their skills in battle, but this is only part of their story. They are also fine singers and makers of clay pottery. A visit to the Fijian Village is a heart pounding good time for the entire family.

Fun-spirited and with a love for life, the Samoans are known throughout Polynesia as the “happy people”. Samoans are famous for both their cooking skills and their breath-taking fire knife dances. Your visit to this village will be filled with laughter and excitement.

Yes, the Tahitians can dance like no other and you will greatly enjoy learning about the different movements, but you will also see that there is so much more to this rich culture. Like love and marriage, fishing and cooking!

The beat of the drum calls you before you even arrive to the village of Tonga. Whether throwing spears, paddling canoes or watching the action packed Tongan presentation, your visit will be filled with laughter and fun.

This island exhibit in the center of our villages features seven hand-carved moai or stone statues created onsite by artisans from Rapa Nui.

Every day from noon to 5:30 pm. The 1850s Hawaiian Mission Settlement is comprised of a small non-denominational chapel, complete with a pulpit and a newly refurbished antique foot-pump organ, an open-sided Polynesian-style school house representing the considerable contributions of early Christian missionaries in western-style educational programs and a rock-walled missionary home with a wide lanai (shaded veranda) circling the building which features many handmade and quilted items for sale. The settlement offers free lessons in Polynesian weaving, ukulele playing and a fascinating history of early Christian missionaries on the Islands.

Every day at 2:30 p.m. The Polynesian Cultural Center holds a one of a kind pageant on the water! Watch as each island puts on a beautiful representation of their dance and music on large, platform canoes as you watch from various viewing areas along the lagoon.

Our pageant  HUKI: A Canoe Celebration is unavailable until further notice

Don’t know where to go first? Jump onto one of our 20 seat canoes and have a personalized tour of our 16 acre facility via our beautiful lagoon. Or catch a ride sometime during the day, while you relax and let someone else do the work, namely one of our strong and knowledgeable canoe pushers.

At the centerpiece of the Iosepa: Voyage of Discovery display is the Iosepa, an all-wood, double-hulled Hawaiian voyaging canoe, originally carved and launched in Lā‘ie, Hawai‘i. Daily interactive activities are coupled with videos explaining the construction, purpose and history of the Iosepa and the ancient Hawaiian sailing ships it is modeled after.

With an exterior depicting a dormant volcano, Hawaiian Journey is a 12-minute immersive cinematic experience, projected on one of the largest screens in the state. The journey transports guests into the gorgeous imagery on screen as they experience crashing waves, mystic valleys and powerful eruptions through interactive special effects that engage their senses.

Take an optional bus tour through Brigham Young University – Hawaiʻi and the town of Lāʻie on your way to the Lāʻie Hawaii Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, all located near the Polynesian Cultural Center. The escorted tours leave the Center every 20 minutes between 3:05 – 6:50 p.m. and lasts 35 minutes. Learn about BYU-Hawaii’s mission to support, educate and enrich students from more than 70 countries. BYU provide the majority of PCC employees and adds to the cultural diversity of the community. As the tour proceeds, the escort will recount the unique history of Laie through its history of entertaining visitors since their first commercial hukilau — a traditional fishing festival and lūʻau — almost 60 years ago. You will then have a 20 minute stop at Laie Hawaii Temple Visitors’ Center where you are welcome to stroll the beautiful temple grounds with its magnificent fountains, turn of the century architecture and lush landscaping. The serene and beautiful Visitors Center features a ten-foot marble replica of Thorvaldsen’s famous Christus sculpture as well as special displays and exhibits explaining the basic beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints including the blessings of temples within their faith.

*Please note, shuttle seating can be limited. All tram passengers are asked to de-board at the temple grounds so that waiting passengers can re-board for their trip back to the Polynesian Cultural Center.