Making Luau Decorations – Fun, Easy and Low-Cost

Got a luau coming up and want to have fun before it starts? Make your own decorations. Throw your own great luau for any occasion, no matter what it is — wedding anniversary, birthday, or just for no reason at all. You can make your party a lot of fun and still keep your costs down by getting creative yourself with some magazines, scissors, plastic fish, Styrofoam, and a glue stick.

Time to go to the tropics — at least temporarily

Use your decorations to create a mood of living in the tropics. Use images like palm trees, coconut leaves, tropical flowers like orchids and hibiscus, Hawaiian ambience-inducers like erupting volcanoes and humpback whales, just about anything that will bring the spirit of Hawaii into your party — make that luau.

You can make collages with your magazine pictures using images all of turquoise blue oceans, sailboats, sundrenched beaches, ocean sunsets, beach shacks, or anything that’s going to invoke a wife for you, for your party invitations. If you’re really feeling mischievous, send the invitations out in Hawaiian, and then let your friends figure out just what it is you’re trying to say.

Decorate the sides of tables with make-believe grass skirts by cutting green garbage bags into long thin strips not more than 1-1.5″ wide. On a warm day, have a table or ceiling fan working lazily to create an impression of an ocean breeze blowing softly through the hula skirts.

Your luau needs a theme

Next, you need a theme for the decorations you are going to use for your luau. You can use a beach party theme or a marine backdrop, for example. If you want an ocean theme, find tropical fish in plastic at a toy store or party store, then use fishing line of to hang them from your ceiling.

String them at different lengths to give the illusion, when looking up, that you and your guests are on the ocean floor and the fishes are swimming overhead in the open ocean. Drape plastic seaweed from floor to ceiling, pin up fishing nets on the walls.

To feel like you’re standing on the ocean floor, take cheap white sheets, paint giant clamshells on them, and drape them over your furniture. You can find giant inflatable humpback whales at toy stores and other specialty stores; use one to stand “entry” at the entrance, to greet guests as they come in. This will get them ready for a party.

Beach culture for a little while

Focus on a beach “feel” for your luau decorations. Lowrise tables draped with beach towels, beach balls thrown haphazardly around the room, and beach mats placed on the floor instead of using chairs will give things that definite “beach casual” quality. Have a contest whereby you have guests come in flip-flops they’ve decorated themselves. The person with the most creative design goes home with a Hawaiian prize like a pineapple or a coconut.

Hawaii is not all about sun-drenched beaches and fun and sun. There is a deeply mystical and ancient side to the islands. To recreate the ambience of the old Hawaii, hang large wooden masks on the walls. Give your imagination free rein in making luau decorations with a ritualistic effect e.g. you can create own totems out of Styrofoam cubes and a couple of pots of paint. Look to pictures of old heiaus (temples) for inspiration.

Take your totem poles and put them in corners of the room, turn the lights down, and just like things indirectly with tiki torches and candles. Paste stars that glow-in-the-dark on the ceiling to pretend you’re out on a starry sky trek and just hanging out and have a little party.

You can also create your own volcano out of chocolate. Of course, everyone’s probably going to want a bite, which is exactly the idea. If you want to make it “smoke,” you can use dry ice. These simple ideals will do a lot to make your party into a luau with not much effort. And with them, you’ll have Hawaii’s deep, enduring spirit with you. Aloha! Remember not to take anything too seriously, and just kick back and have some fun.

Make Your Own Decorations and Have a Little Fun.

If you’ve got a luau coming up and want to have some fun before it starts, you can make your own decorations for very little cost and have a lot of fun doing it. Instead of having a regular party, have a luau. You can do it for any occasion no matter what, whether it’s a birthday, wedding anniversary, or just “because.” Keep costs down by getting creative all by yourself with some scissors, magazines, Styrofoam, plastic fish, and a glue stick.

Time to go to the tropics — at least temporarily

Use your decorations to create a mood of living in the tropics. Use images like palm trees, coconut leaves, tropical flowers like orchids and hibiscus, Hawaiian ambience-inducers like erupting volcanoes and humpback whales, just about anything that will bring the spirit of Hawaii into your party — make that luau.

You can make collages with your magazine pictures using images all of turquoise blue oceans, sailboats, sundrenched beaches, ocean sunsets, beach shacks, or anything that’s going to invoke a wife for you, for your party invitations. If you’re really feeling mischievous, send the invitations out in Hawaiian, and then let your friends figure out just what it is you’re trying to say.

Your tables can be adorned with make-believe grass skirts. Free grass skirts, cut green garbage bags into inch to inch and a half white strips, and then use a table or ceiling fan to give yourself an “ocean breeze” blowing through the hula skirts as the guests kick back and relax on the beach.

Give your luau a theme

Establish a theme when it comes to making luau decorations – would you like a marine motif or a beach party? Or would you like to invite the Goddess Pele to fire up the event? If using a an ocean theme, find plastic tropical fish from the local party or toy store and hang them from the ceiling on clear fishing line.

Hanging the fish at different heights will give you and your guests the illusion that you are on the ocean floor and when you look up come see the fishes swimming overhead, just going along about their business in the ocean. Hang seaweed that’s plastic from the ceiling, tack fishing nets up on the walls, or do anything else that will give you an “oceanic” ambience.

Create the appearance of an ocean floor by painting giant clamshells onto cheap secondhand white sheets and draping them over your sofas and lounge chairs. Hang a giant inflatable humpback whale at the doorway to welcome guests and get them into the spirit of the luau.

Back to the beach, temporarily

Focus on a beach “feel” for your luau decorations. Lowrise tables draped with beach towels, beach balls thrown haphazardly around the room, and beach mats placed on the floor instead of using chairs will give things that definite “beach casual” quality. Have a contest whereby you have guests come in flip-flops they’ve decorated themselves. The person with the most creative design goes home with a Hawaiian prize like a pineapple or a coconut.

Hawaii’s not just about fun and sun, although it certainly about that. It also has deeply ancient and mystical traditions. “Old” Hawaii traditional spirit can be re-created by hanging wooden masks on the walls, or making decorations for your law that have a “ritualistic” field. Make totem poles out of Styrofoam cubes, which you can paint. Look too old Hawaiian temples, called heiaus, for an idea of what you can do. Find pictures of them for inspiration.

You can put your totem poles in the corners of the room, turn the lights down low, and light things indirectly with candles and tiki torches. Place glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling and pretend you’re out under a starry sky, relaxing and having a casual get-together on the beach.

Create your own smoking volcano out of chocolate (everyone will want a bite of it!) and simulate steam from red-hot lava with clever use of dry ice. A few good ideas go a really long way in making luau decorations – in the spirit of Aloha, don’t take anything seriously and “hang loose.

Honolulu’s Beaches: Explore the Beauty

It may be true that Waikiki Beach is the most famous beach in the world, found in Honolulu. Its two-mile stretch of white sand has recently gotten a facelift with beautiful waterfall features and grassy berms to accentuate it. It may be true that Waikiki Beach is arguably the most famous spot to see and be seen in Honolulu, and it’s also a very popular place to take surfing lessons to swim if you wish to do so.

Besides Waikiki Beach, though, there are many beautiful and not as well known beaches around Honolulu. West of Waikiki is the Ala Moana Beach Park, which has 76 acres of activity. It’s man-made, but it’s still has all the fun of its natural counterparts, with sand, and the ability to wade, sunbathe in swim. However, swimming it can be somewhat dangerous because there can be strong currents even if the tide is low. So be careful if you do swim. Besides the pleasures here, there also lifeguard towers, food concessions, and places to play softball and tennis.

Protected beaches

Just east is Magic Island, a small protected lagoon beach which offers great views stretching from the Ala Wai Boat Harbor all the way to Diamond Head. Protected by an offshore reef, it is safe for swimming and is kept under lifeguard supervision.

Kauai Beach is off Kahala Avenue. A narrow white sand beach, it’s safe for snorkeling and swimming, with a nearby reef for protection. Surfers love to surf the breaks in the reef.

Among the most popular of the Honolulu beaches is Waialae Beach County Park. Used for weddings, it’s close to the five-star Kahala Mandarin Oriental Hotel and the five-star Waialea Country Club. Used more for picnicking than for swimming, it does have windsurfing and windsurfing enthusiasts abound here, as it’s one of the most popular spots.

The Kuilei Beach, also known as the Diamond Head Beach, is great for surfers, snorkeling and fishing. Due to the shallow coral reef, it is less used for swimming.

Kuhio Beach Park has a statue of Duke Kahanamoku, modern surfing’s “father.” It lies within an artificial lagoon and therefore is a favorite of families who have small children.

Beyond Waikiki

The beaches as described above are closest to Waikiki, but many more surround the island. Some of these are:

o Kailua Bay is divided into three sections, Kalama Beach Park, Kailua Beach Park and Lanikai Beach. Flat with soft white sand, swimming is good all year round. Onshore trade winds create perfect windsurfing and kitesurfing conditions especially off Kailua. Snorkel, dive, boat or canoe here or kayak to the twin islands of Mokulua, known to the locals as “the mokes”, if you have energy to spare.

Among the most popular surfing beaches is Haleiwa Alii Beach Park. In the summertime, this is perhaps the best swimming in the protected south bay, but low tiebreakers can present a danger, so be careful then. In the winter, only experienced surfers should tackle the waves.

Underdeveloped Makua Beach is pristine and perfect on the island coast, northwest. It’s among the best of Honolulu’s beaches, to many. Those who like to body surf love the high surf in the spring and winter, and even love to use the powerful shore breaks. Those historical who snorkel love the marine life that is so colorful on the north end, and if you’re lucky, you can glimpse the spinner dolphins as they frolic.

These are just a handful of the numerous Honolulu beaches. There are altogether more than 100 on the island, each with its own unique appeal. With so much to choose from, it will take several vacations to explore them all!

You Get The Best When You Choose a Big Island Hawaii Lodging

When you choose a Big Island Hawaii lodging you are in for a treat! You get a supreme assortment of choices that range from elegant villas with private pools to secluded beach cottages. Large families may be interested in all the comforts of home while staying in private facilities, which are less expensive than staying in a hotel room. You get exactly what you want when you choose Big Island Hawaii vacation rentals!

While staying in a hotel room you may have the privacy of only your room, although how much room do you have after spreading out your luggage. Alternatively, these amazing vacation rental offers you get many convenient facilities such as a fully furnished home with perhaps a pool, a garden, lanai and so on.

Big Island Vacation Rentals: Northwest Kohala Coast

If you are interested in all the facilities of a large resort and a wonderful getaway, you may choose an ocean side villa or a 3, 5-bath townhouse or a 3-bedroom at the 5-star Villages at Mauna Lani. You will enjoy some 2,200 square foot townhouses that feature some of the most spacious kitchens with granite countertops with gourmet center-islands and a large dinning room as well as elegant bathrooms for entertaining all your guests.

You will feel right at home in the wide covered lanai fully equipped with an under-counter refrigerator, wet bar and gas grill. You can workout in the exercise room and then relax in the luxurious spa or even at the freshwater lagoon-style pool located at the Villages amenity center.

The complex is located within walking distance of the shops at Mauna Lani – enjoy a gourmet market and fine restaurants, unique art galleries, boutique stores, and leave home with unforgettable memories!

Big Island Hawaii Lodging: Hilo

While on a romantic rendezvous, you may want to rent an intimate cottage for two. The cozy cottages of Hula Cove offer a charming vintage atmosphere in these oceanfront properties, Hawaiian beach houses. They provide premium oceanfront pricing all located nearby the historic district of Hilo. They are not luxurious, however they offer plenty of fun times!

You may want to visit the Waiopae marine conservation area with acres of oceanfront ponds with an amazing range of sea turtles, fish and other sea creatures when you are in the mood for snorkeling. The Waiopae ponds are protected from open oceans and you may just want to go wading. Since it is protected from open oceans you may want to snorkel or swim in the tide pools that are about 80-degree water year round with crystal clear waters.

Big Island Hawaii Lodging: Volcanoes National Park

If you are interested in volcano adventures and sightseeing, some family time or a romantic rendezvous just outside the Volcano National Park, make sure to visit here. The 2-bedroom, 1-bath Sugi House is a charming cottage built in the 30s that can provide you will all the comforts of home. It is now restored to retain its beautiful kamaaina charm. It provides acre brilliantly landscaped garden featuring hapu ferns, hydrangeas and azaleas. The lovely antique Hawaiian furnishings, the decorative lava rock fireplace, hardwood floors and original artwork will delight you with a lovely walk down memory lane that will create memories you will cherish forever.

Big Island Vacation Rentals: South Kohala Coast

The Hale Kailani or “House of the Heavenly Sea” is a luxurious oceanfront property on the South Kohala Coast, close to Kona. You may wish to rent a remarkable home that is a blending of true Hawaiian ambiance and old-world European style. It can accommodate a large party of 12. It features over an acre of property with 320 feet of ocean frontage. It is a tropical oasis that features multiple indoor and outdoor pools, a lagoon with a waterfall as well as 2 jetted spas, gym, sauna and many more comforts within its 10,000 sq ft. of space and your very own chef!

Big Island Hawaii lodging offers you the type of rental that best fits your particular requirements. You will enjoy your stay whether you choose the amazing Kohala Coast, historic Hilo, the Volcanoes National Park, or near Kona!

Next Page »