Polynesian Cultural Carving Experience In Kona

We booked our Polynesian Cultural Tiki Carving Experience at Aloha Adventure Farms. They were amazing in keeping us informed of directions to the farm as well as the possibility of limited internet and phone service. Upon arrival we were informed of facilities and wait time. Mani, the master carver came and greeted us and drove us to a beautiful hilltop area where the carving would take place. It was such a serene setting up there overlooking the ocean in the distance. What an amazing setting for the whole experience. Mani had the area set up and ready for us and after an introduction and some historical information we were introduced to the tools we would be using and how to use these tools. Mani is a very patient and friendly teacher who watched and offered guidance throughout the process. The whole experience was the best thing we did on our NCL Pride of America cruise. We not only learned a new skill but were able to bring home a fantastic Tiki that we created as a memory of our trip. Many thanks to Mani for a truly spiritual and Polynesian experience.

My wife and I did the Polynesian carving experience with Mani, and this was easily my favorite experience of our Big Island trip. We did manta ray snorkeling, Kealakekua snorkeling, a luau, and even got to see some lava overflows at Kīlauea — and I’d still put this at the top. Mani was an incredible guide and teacher. He shared the cultural meaning behind the carvings while giving us plenty of freedom to personalize our own. He took his time helping each of us with our designs, and our finished pieces ended up completely unique. The atmosphere was relaxed, never rushed, and the views from the workshop were incredible. It felt much more personal than a typical tour, and we came home with something we made ourselves that will always remind us of the trip. Absolutely worth doing. If we return to the Big Island, I’d happily do this again.

In a word... AMAZING! Amazing view... Amazing guide/instructor... Amazing experience. AND we took home two Amazing tikis carved by our own hands (with a little help from Mani). Who is Mani?? A 4th generation Master Carver, Mani Lavaka is a fantastic ambassador of Aloha and a tiki caring genius. We were picked up in the parking lot and got a quick ride through Aloha Adventure Farms on the way to Mani's shop/carving area. The view and the vibe was warm and welcoming. Mani took some time to explain the various tiki styles, what they represent, and showed us a view variations of tiki styles from the various pacific islands before we began carving. His instructions were clear, easy to follow and as Mani likes to say... "There is no oops" in tiki carving. He stressed that perfection isn't the key... carving, talk stories, relax and enjoy the experience. Mani assisted at every step of the process and then finished off the top/more ornate portions of our tiki per our requested imagery to give our tikis a nice, finished look. THEY ARE AMAZING! My next trip to Kona will certainly have me back carving tiki again, if not for the experience, but to also just hang out with Mani. Aloha!

OMG, so much fun! We absolutely loved our carving session with Mani. Mani was great, such a good instructor. Probably my favorite experience on our trip.

This was a 25th Wedding Anniversary present to my husband! Our experience was absolutely incredible!! Mani was so patient with a couple from Georgia!! We had the best time admiring his work & accomplishing our own! ( With a little help from Mani 😆) What an amazing time spent learning, hearing stories and soaking up the Aloha spirt up the mountain with Mani!! Hands down a must do when on the Island!! Our Tikis will be displayed to forever remember this experience!! Maholo & Aloha Mani(PS.. don’t tell your brother you received this review 😉😆😆)

Incredibly beautiful location and kind people. We had a truly wonderful time learning to carve with Mani. It was an unforgettable experience and we appreciated his knowledge he shared about Tiki Gods and skill.

Our travel agent recommended this carving experience and we booked it and it was one of the best experiences we did on the island. Mani explained the history of tiki and then tought us how to carve our own. It was wonderful. My 12 year old wanted to go back and do it again just a couple days later. I highly recommend.

My grandson and I had the best bonding experience wth Mani. In a small group under a hut, with a small work station, sitting in a circle, surrounded with views of the ocean below us and the lush flora on the hillside, we learned how to carve our very own tiki from a block of wood. Mani was skillful and helpful as he instructed each of us how and where we might want to carve. He told us the history of the tiki and how to recognize which island a tiki might’ve come from.

My husband, nephew, and I had a fabulous experience, as did the other couple who joined. The guide, cultural learning, and opportunity to create something unique and distinctively Hawaii was unmatched in our experience to date and unmatchable. My husband and I live locally and will definitely be doing this again. Our fourth generation guide was magnificent.

Learned so much while carving

We learned about the different Hawaiian gods, what Tiki is, and got to bring home a unique souvenir! Mani went above and beyond helping deliver our Tikis as we went over time. His son did a great job helping us out as well, and was friendly and fun!

Absolutely the highlight of our trip! Mani and this experience are amazing! We can’t wait to come back and do it again!

Mani is a great teacher! I liked that he gave some history behind the tikis beforehand. He taught me how to carve and how to hold the tools. He helped when I was having trouble. Afterwards, Mani stopped to let me take pictures of the rainbow eucalyptus trees and let me take a chocolate fruit home. 10/10, you should definitely carve a tiki with Mani! :)

The Polynesian Cultural Carving Experience in Kona was one of the most unique and memorable activities I did on the Big Island. The setting alone is worth it—beautiful views overlooking the land and ocean made the experience feel really special. Due to circumstances outside anyone’s control, the class had to be rescheduled. As a solo traveler, I was especially grateful that the instructor worked with my schedule rather than canceling. I even saw another group finishing just before, but I couldn’t attend that session due to my own timing constraints, so I really appreciated the flexibility. This hands-on cultural experience teaches the basics of traditional Polynesian/Tiki wood carving while also sharing thoughtful information about the island and the meaning behind the carvings. It was my first time ever working with wood, and the instructor was incredibly patient and encouraging. At one point I thought I had completely ruined my piece, but he reminded me there are no mistakes and helped guide me to turn it into something I’m really proud of. I left with a beautiful hand-carved tiki that honestly doesn’t look like a beginner project—one of my coworkers even asked which gallery I bought it from! I highly recommend this experience if you’re visiting Kona or the Big Island, especially for solo travelers. I sometimes worry about feeling like a third wheel when traveling alone, but here I felt completely welcomed and supported.

This was such a fantastic experience for our family! Mani shared his love for and gift of wood carving, his wonderful sense of humor, and many tidbits about Polynesian culture with us. He is so skilled and generous with his talent. We are incredibly fortunate to have spent a few hours with Mani this morning, and love our beautiful tiki carving souvenirs…

We had such a cool afternoon with Mani learning the history and carving tikis. He was so patient with us and even went over our time slot to make sure the tikis turned out just right. He carved customer designs in each of ours and one design that he had never done and it looks amazing. The hut we spent the afternoon had a great view and the ride up in the UTV was a fun time. The experience itself was amazing but Mani made it 10x better and gave us dinner recommendations for later which also turned out to be amazing. Really recommend this tour.

Highly recommend spending time at Aloha Adventure Farms. The family that runs the business is very knowledgeable and kind. I have been to the islands many times, and the class that my son and I took was an authentic experience in every way. Our teacher Mani was very knowledgeable and patient with us. The location and scenery is stunning. We will definitely return and recommend that anyone reading this review to visit Aloha Adventure Farms. It is a very special place with fantastic people and experiences of a lifetime.

Fantastic experience. The property is beautiful, the carving area is set up in a wonderful fashion, the instructor was kind, helpful and skilled. With no prior experience working with wood this was an extremely enjoyable activity with an amazing take home. I would highly recommend this to anyone coming to the area. It was a highlight!

We had an amazing experience during our tiki carving tour! Mani was fun, engaging, and incredibly knowledgeable as he guided us through carving our own tikis. He made the entire process approachable and entertaining. Mani is truly an amazing artist, and it was inspiring to learn directly from someone so talented. We left with unique carvings and big smiles. We highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting the area!

If you’re thinking about doing the carving but not sure you’ll be any good, don’t worry about that. Our instructor was very helpful when we got stuck and was very encouraging, there’s nothing he can’t fix. I loved learning about tiki and how each one represents a specific island. It’s nice to have my carving that looks pretty great as a special memory of my vacation!

Mani was awesome; explaining the meaning of Tiki & how they were identified. The history was very interesting and his gentle, kind way of teaching you how to carve was extraordinary. Great find for locals & visitors.

We wanted to do something “different” but still traditional while in Hawaii. Moni was so knowledgeable, skilled, and personable! The time flew by and we learned so much. We customized our own tiki that we made under the watchful eyes of expert 4th and 5th generation carvers. I have told everyone I know about this amazing tour and the beautiful Aloha Adventure Farm. I hope to bring more family back and do it again! Carving is a MUST DO!

Incredible! Monty was a great teacher and you carve your own tiki in a beautiful location. Would do it again for sure! Hope you do too!

Amazing experience that I highly recommend. Mani was extremely patient and very knowledgeable. He is a great teacher! Location was beautiful too. I plan to do this again on a future trip.

What an amazing experience with Mani and Aloha Adventure Farms. We did the Tiki carving session in the morning and loved the time we got to share with Mani and one another carving and creating. Great view from the carving pavilion and such a peaceful environment on the farm. Highly recommend!!

Spending time with Mani and learning about the culture was a highlight of the trip. He is a masterful carver and helped us create beautifully unique tikis. Mani was a great teacher and we couldn’t recommend this any more. We plan on carving with Mani every time we visit the Big Island!

This isn’t just a tour, it’s a cultural experience! The carver is so personable and a great teacher. Everyone carves a tiki. Such a memorable and beautiful day. It’s a little hard finding the entrance, but well worth the trouble.

My partner and I did the carving with Mani last week and everything about it was fantastic. We learned about Hawaiian culture and the symbolism of the carvings. Mani walked us all thru the carving process, with lots of dedicated help from Mani and his son. Mani is a 4th-generation carver with a wealth of knowledge. The location is perfect - a beautiful shaded area further up the mountain, overlooking the ocean and surrounded by trees. The set up has been moderized - with a vice to hold the wood, and chairs to sit on - so ignore all those photos of people sitting on the ground. It all felt very safe and no one in our group had any issues with the carving - even those this no previous experience. Mani was very generous with his time and advice - making sure those that needed to finish on time were able to, while giving us some extra time to finish up our carvings. I will be recommending this to everyone I know who visits Kona.

Its an experience that my family wont forget and you get a keepsake that you made as part of your experience.

Our teacher Moni (spelling?) was so great. I was worried it might be too difficult for my ten year old but she and another kid (9) had a great time and were also able to carve themselves. We turned out with great souvenirs and a great experience

My family and I attended the wood carving session with Mani and we truly enjoyed our time. The small group setting made it feel like a one of a kind experience. Mani was a great instructor! He was patient, kind, informative, and a great teacher. He took his time and we weren’t rushed even though we exceeded our time. In the end we also get to take home our unique creations that will always remind us of our wonderful vacation on the big island!

My brother and I did the tiki carving class with Mani. This was such a good time. Mani is extremely personable and knowledgeable. I had an amazing experience. The carving itself was also a great time. Not too difficult, fun and very rewarding. No souvenir can beat something so culturally relevant that you work on with your own hands. Thanks so much for everything!!

Awesome experience all around. The date were wanted was booked, so I called Aloha Adventure Farms. They were wonderful on the phone and happy to give us a spot in the 1:30 class. Manny, the carving instructor was great and also gave a good history of tikis. My 11 year old daughter absolutely rocked at carving and loved the experience. The staff made this the highlight of our trip! Plus, we have great souvenirs to take home.

It was a great experience. The tiki carving instructor was very knowledgeable as well as easy to ask questions and taking instruction from him. I would recommend this to anyone.

This workshop with Mani was absolutely incredible and easily one of the highlights of our entire honeymoon! Mani is not only a master carver but also an amazing storyteller, sharing the rich cultural meaning behind each design with so much passion and knowledge. The workshop was hands-on, fun, and surprisingly meditative—there’s something truly special about creating your own piece of Polynesian art with traditional tools under the guidance of someone so skilled and kind. Whether you're an artist or a total beginner, Mani makes everyone feel welcome and supported. We walked away not just with beautiful tiki carvings to remember our trip by, but with a deeper appreciation for Polynesian and Hawaiian culture. This experience was unforgettable, and we can’t recommend it enough. If you're in the area—do not miss this!

An unforgettable experience! We had an amazing time time carving our own tikis. The hands on activity with Mani was both fun and meaningful. Highly recommend for families looking for something unique and memorable!

This was so much fun and by far the most underrated activity we had planned for our Hawaii trip. We found out about it it from a random reddit thread, but I'm convinced it should be on every travel bloggers' "things you must do while visiting Big Island" list. We learned a ton about the history of carving tikis, the symbolism of the tikis we carved, and lots of helpful tips while he guided us step by step in our carving. He finishes things off by cleaning up your piece a bit for you and doing some detail work of your choosing on the top of the tiki, and the end result is that they look SO GOOD while still feeling like we learned a ton about the techniques used and feeling proud of having done the bulk of the carving work for the tiki faces. We have two incredible tikis coming home with us now and we will totally be coming back for another session on any future Big Island vacations!

Tiki Carving with Mani was the best excursion of our vacation! We had so much fun, and Mani was so patient and helpful. I definitely recommend it if you want a homemade souvenir!

We were first time Tiki carvers & Mani was so great at explaining how to do everything. We also lived hearing about the different types of Tiki & where they come from. I would recommend this for anyone who thinks it sounds fun.

Truly one of the best things we have done here on the Big Island. Mani was very informative and so very fun to listen to, work with and learn from. HIGHLY recommend this to all ages!

Carving with Mani was one of the absolute highlights of our trip! It was FANTASTIC! We learned so much about this authentic and traditional Hawaiian craft. Mani is one of the best carvers in the world. He took so much time with us. He is hysterical!! I will do this every time I visit the Big Island. Great activity for families with teens.

This was a great ending to our Hawaiian vacation. Our host was amazing. He was a great teacher and ensured that we all went home with a tiki we were proud to have made. We had lots of laughs too. Definitely recommend this experience.

Our Master Carver (sorry, I forgot his name, but I remember his face) was amazing! He was personable, shared with us some history of carving, and made our carving experience memorable. He showed us how to use the tools effectively and monitored our progress. We got to choose the design we wanted, and did the basic carving with his instruction. Then he did the finishing touches and styling for us. We got to take home something we made with him, something you cannot get at a gift shop. His skill and artistry is exceptional. Unlike the picture in the ad, we did not sit on the floor. We sat in chairs and had vices hold the wood in place. For those who are older and are not able to sit on the floor that long, this is still a good option. I highly recommend!

We happened to stumble across Mani and his wood working class as we were on our way to a Kona coffee tasting. We saw another couple "carving with Mani" and they were having a blast! So based on 5 minutes of watching them and then talking with Mani, we decided to come back the next day and try it ourselves. We are so happy we did, as it was one of our best experiences while visiting the island of Hawaii. The carving was fun, but Mani is what makes the experience really special! We each made a traditional Tiki sculpture. We also bought a beautiful Manta Ray Koa wood sculpture that Mani had made. His wood sculptures on display in the Office and around the studio are stunning. Thanks for the experience, Mani !!! Duncan & Cathy

The tiki carving was amazing! Definitely worthwhile and maybe the best experience of the trip. You make your own presentation ready tiki statue, and with the help of the master, it really looks amazing. Can't recommend the experience enough.

We stumbled onto this activity from a pamphlet. We were so glad we did it! We were a group of 8—from mid sixties to age 8. We all had a good time. It’s harder than it looks but Mani was very good about coming around, instructing, and lending a hand to help clean up and enhance your carving. Highly recommend this one.

This was such a fun, unique experience for our family. We all enjoyed learning about the culture and hearing Mani’s family history. Believe me when I say you do not have to be crafty to do this! Mani guided us and fixed things if they needed to be fixed. Then he let us each choose the symbol for the top of our tiki and he carved that on for us. It will be a souvenir we treasure!

Most amazing experience! Mani is a true craftsman and enjoys sharing his passion with others. Mani helped our group of 3 create personalized tikis that we will treasure forever.

We live on Island and our favorite place to take people is to Aloha Adventure Farms. We always have a great time and so do our visiting family and friends. We had such a great experience this past visit, as we carved tikis. Mani is VERY talented, kind, funny, and patient! Highly recommend!