Hawaiian Imu Experience: Cultural Heritage Tour

Dive into Hawaiian culture by building an imu, cooking traditional dishes, and supporting local heritage with native Hawaiian guides.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • 15-1380 Auina St - Discover the art and tradition of preparing indigenous Hawaiian cuisine! An imu is an underground oven that utilizes natural materials to slow-cook food to perfection. In this interactive experience, participants will have the opportunity to help construct an imu from the ground up, under the guidance of native Hawaiians whose…
What's Included
  • Bottled water
  • Activity Guide
  • Lunch
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Meal Options
  • Kalua Pork - Pork steamed in an underground oven
  • Kalua Chicken - Chicken steamed in an underground oven
  • Kalua Vegetables - Vegetables - including local sweet potato, kalo (taro), carrots, celery, and more - steamed in an underground oven
  • Kulolo - Hawaiian desert made with kalo (taro), coconut milk, and honey
Additional Information

Experience an unparalleled Hawaiian adventure that goes beyond any typical lūʻau or tour. Guests are invited to actively engage by constructing an imu—the traditional Hawaiian underground oven—and preparing authentic dishes, embarking on a hands-on exploration of Hawaii’s rich cultural heritage. This is regenerative tourism at its finest: sharing…

Location
15-1380 Auina St
Auina Street
The meeting point is a place of residence. Please park on the street and walk up the driveway.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(35 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
S2472thgracec
Mar 29, 2025
Grateful for community building with emu and sharing Hawaiian culture and food - The heart of what I felt in how the community emu building was conducted with the Men of Pa'a connected me with others in my community that felt like ohana.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Z625alseanl
Mar 29, 2025
Warm cultural experience! - Fantastic event. Warm and welcoming team. Knowledgeable in sharing culture and tradition. Everyone was involved and participating in the experience. The food was awesome!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jaim801
Mar 29, 2025
Beautiful cultural experience with our local community - This was a wonderful experience. I took my girls 11, 9, and 7. It was a beautiful cultural experience and we would go again. The whole experience from start to finished was enjoyable. Would highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dream651743
Mar 29, 2025
Keeping Tradition Alive: A Community Celebration by Men of Pa‘a - The Men of Pa‘a put on an incredible community event that embodies the spirit of sharing, tradition, and cultural preservation. One of the highlights is the hands-on experience of learning how to build an imu (underground oven), a vital part of Hawaiian cooking and history. The event is not just about teaching a skill—it’s about passing down knowledge, fostering community connections, and keeping traditions alive. What makes this event even more special is that it’s completely free, and after the imu is built, everyone gets to enjoy a meal together. It’s a beautiful way to bring people together, honor Hawaiian heritage, and create a space where culture is lived and shared. Events like this remind us of the power of community and the importance of keeping traditions strong for future generations. If you ever get the chance to attend, it’s definitely worth it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Elizabethcf5084ve
Mar 29, 2025
Keep doing it! - Amazing. Good way to get back to roots and connect to people who have similar interest. It was a blessing to be able to eat food made for us with such love and time. Thank you to everyone who spent their Saturday preparing and teaching.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
60marenb
Mar 17, 2025
Great experience - The entire experience was really engaging and the food was delicious. We learned a lot about the culture while we got to build the imu.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sydneyld6218uh
Mar 17, 2025
Amazing cultural experience with Iopa and Charles! - I loved the culture and Ohana I found in this group. The hands on experience was amazing. Not too hard, and very fulfilling.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Discover04850340656
Mar 17, 2025
So “on’o” - One of the most fantastic experience - through the work of Iopa and the men of Pa’a, we were able to experience a variety of different parts of the culture and learn his story in addition to the stories of others.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
348okn
Mar 29, 2025
Imu workshop - Great experience very knowledgeable hosts and ono food! Learned new skills and Hawaiian “manners” would definitely attend again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ranyee2025
Mar 17, 2025
Phenomenal Experience!! - Incredible food. Amazing scenery. Interactive staff. I learned so much about Hawaiian culture and history, and I felt so connected to the land!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $150
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).