Helumoa 3-D Light Shows: Free Waikiki Entertainment!

Sheraton Waikiki Poolside
2255 Kalakaua Ave.
Honolulu, HI 96815
(Diamond Head side of building)
8pm & 9pm, Nightly

To help you visualize this new and unique Hawaii vacation attraction, I’d say the Helumoa light shows are comparable to the Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas… without the stiff neck… and underwater… and right next to beautiful Waikiki Beach.  Okay, maybe they’re not that similar.

Nevertheless, just imagine digital animations of erupting volcanoes, ocean life, hula dancers, wave riders, Waikiki Beach hotels, and more.  Then project these images onto rocks, plants, deck chairs, and the bottom of a 200,000-gallon swimming pool.  Add music, sound effects, and tiki torches.  Then you’ve got Helumoa – the newly-created free Waikiki attraction that the Sheraton Waikiki hotel bills as the world’s first permanent 3-D pool mapping light shows!

Additional information about the Helumoa light shows:

Spectators are welcome even if they aren’t staying in the guest rooms at the Sheraton.  However, you must be a guest to play in their pool before and between shows.  Whether walking in from the beach or off the street and through the lobby, you need to get to the “Helumoa Playground” beachfront pool area on the southeast side of the Sheraton tower (facing Diamond Head crater).

It is reported that there are two different shows; and each runs for approximately five minutes.  The 8pm show is about the birth of the Hawaiian Islands from the first lava rising up out of the sea to highlights of native Hawaiian culture.  I’m told that the 9pm show is supposed to be about the story of Waikiki from ancient surfing spot to the early days of Oahu tourism.  Unfortunately, I can’t confirm this second show, because when I went, they played the first show twice.

From what I’ve seen in the press release photos provided by the hotel, the very best viewing location is one of the ocean-view guest rooms on the Diamond Head side of the Sheraton Waikiki.  But if you’re not a hotel guest, here’s how I’d watch it if I were you…

How to enjoy the light shows from poolside:

I’ll tell you straight-up that these light shows are not the most incredible things I’ve ever seen.  Nor are they unimpressive.  I wouldn’t plan your entire evening around this one Hawaii attraction.  Nor would I say you should just skip it if you’re going to be in the area anyway.  So here’s how you can add this bit of free Waikiki entertainment to your enjoyable evening of Waikiki activities:

• Go on a Friday night.  Walk down the beach to the Outrigger Reef Hotel where you can watch the Waikiki fireworks at 7:45pm.  Then if you hurry, you can make it back to the Sheraton Waikiki for the 8pm Helumoa light show.  Or you can enjoy some leisurely time on the beach and make it back to the Sheraton in time for the 9pm show.

• Go get some drinks and pupus (hors d’oeuvres) at the adjacent RumFire beachfront restaurant (outside seating, of course) and enjoy some light shows with your libations.

• Go for a refreshing (possibly romantic) walk down Waikiki Beach.  If your timing is right, you can catch one show on the way out and the other as you return.

Was this information helpful?  If so, please give it a "Like" below so that more people will be directed this way...

Thank you for visiting!