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Help build an imu and share a backyard-style feast on Hawaiʻi Island. This hands-on experience taught by native Hawaiians blends practical cooking skills with cultural storytelling.
Help build an imu and share a backyard-style feast on Hawaiʻi Island. This hands-on experience taught by native Hawaiians blends practical cooking skills with cultural storytelling.
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Imu Mea 'Ai Food Tour Hawaii · Hilo, Hawaii
You arrive in a backyard where steam rises from earth-smoothed rocks and the air smells of smoke and sweet taro. Local men—keepers of an old way—greet you with measured rhythm, inviting you to help shape an imu: a pit oven lined with lava rock, packed with banana leaves, and fed by coals until the ground itself hums with heat.
easy.
4 hours.
Suitable for people in average physical condition; requires standing, bending, and light lifting.
Yes—children can participate under supervision, but parents should be aware of hot surfaces and uneven ground.
Inform hosts at booking; the team typically prepares a variety of dishes and will try to accommodate common dietary needs when notified.
The meeting point is a private residence; guests are instructed to park on the street and walk up the driveway to the designated area.
Full refunds are available if you cancel at least 24 hours before departure; the experience may be canceled for bad weather or insufficient travelers.
Imu cooking is a Polynesian import adapted on Hawaiʻi Island; the underground oven became central to communal feasting and ceremonial gatherings.
The operator practices regenerative tourism—emphasizing local sourcing, cultural stewardship, and minimizing single-use waste to protect island ecosystems.
Imu Mea 'Ai Food Tour Hawaii operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
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