Hawaii Oyster Pearl?

Travel Info
Does anyone know where in Oahu/Honolulu, Hawaii you can find a tourist spot where you open up a freshwater oyster to get the pearl? I've heard of it but don't know where to find these spots.

Anyone have any ideas/opinions of things to do in Oahu, Hawaii would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking for an UNFORGETTABLE experience luau. Any opinons would be greatly appreciated.

Also, when you get off the plane at the airport, do the people lei you upon arrival or is this something you purchase on your own? It will be my fiance's first time and I want it to be an unforgettable experience! All ideas and info. would be GREATLY appreciated! Thank you!

Travel Tips

In order to get a pearl, you need to go to the international market place (its a huge outdoor shopping center right across the road from waikiki beach). i got my pearl there. there are actually tons of those little carts around the international market place..so its not like its just one main place that you have to go. also, if you want a certain color, let them know because some how they were able to help my mom get a black pearl and me a pink one.

Whenever you get off the plane at the airport, you have to purchase the lei greeting. whenever we went, we just had the people that picked us up do the lei greeting, but i suppose there would be people at the air port that could do it as well.

As for things to do on oahu..well heres the list of stuff that we did and things that i wish we had of had more time to do.

- Pearl Harbor & U.S.S Missouri Ship - this is a must see! i didnt think i would be impressed at all, but this was one of my favorite parts to our trip. it is very interesting and you actually get to tour the missouri battleship. then pearl harbor is just interesting because its something that you always have learned about in history class, but then you are experiencing it first hand. its amazing.
- Sea Life Park - it was something to see, but it wasnt that great. they did have wonderful dolphin and sea lion shows, but it wasnt what i thought i was going to be. its actually rather small and you can see it all in a matter of an hour tops. but if you are going to swim with the dolphins or walk underwater then it would have been cool but i didnt do any of those things. Also, we did the Sea Life Park luau and i dont reccommend it! i honestly HATED the food there and the entertainment was very amatured too. Gerrmaines is suppose to have a good luau, so you may check it out.
- Haunama Bay (snorkeling) - I loved this! it was just a day to go out and see all the fish in the coral reef, as well as relax on the beach. it was wonderful and cheap too! it only cost us our transporation out there...rental equipment to snorkle and then $5 to enter the park. which isnt bad at all.
- Dole Plantation and North Shore Tour - we did this all in one day and the dole plantation was another thing that i wasnt that impressed with, but if you do go there, you have to get some pineapple chilli and pineapple whip ice cream..both are simply delicious!
- Swap Meet - Aloha stadium - its a HUGE flee market. it costs about $3 to get in and you can stay there all day and get awesome bargains! i got a really cute binkini for $13 dollars.
- International Marketplace - Great shopping as well! its something that you have to see - they have everything and anything!
- Waikiki Beach - awesome place to just relax and watch the people. also if you want to be relaxed and have fun at the same time...go to an ABC store (they're all over waikiki) and get a floatie and float around in the ocean...its wonderful! i thought i was going to fall asleep once.

thats all the places that we visited. we also wanted to visit the zoo and the aquarium because we actually heard that the zoo was suppose to be better than Sea Life Park. i dont know how true that is, but it might be worth it just to go see what all it has. also, i wanted to go parasailing, but i never got around to doing that either.

We stayed at the Pacific Beach Hotel and if you dont know yet where you are going to stay then you should check that place out. its really nice and has a great location. its right across the road from waikiki beach and within walking distance of the international marketplace as well as great places to eat. the hotel also has a restraunt in it that on certain nights has an all you can eat buffet of crab legs and prime rib, plus alot of other stuff too! it was great and actually not that unreasonably priced!

hope you have fun in hawaii and i hope that i have helped you out and answered your questions!! ALOHA!
Others

A tourist spot to open up an oyster (and hopefully find a pearl in it) would be the International Marketplace. But usually, if you go to the orientation breakfast the following morning when you first arrive in Honolulu, they will take you to the Maui Divers Store. and then, on to Hilo Hattie's store. Hilo Hattie's is a hughmongous store that has anything and everything in it!! You can watch them make clothing right there on the spot, and they have the largest Aloha shirt in the world there!!
I have never been to a luau, but there are a few there.
I have been to Oahu (honolulu/waikiki) six times on vacation. Now, when you get off the plane, it depends if you paid to get a lei or not. If it is included in your package deal, then you will get one. If not, then you can purchase one if you want.
also, if you are not renting a vehicle, buy a four day Discovery TheBus bus pass at any ABC store. This will take you around the island or wherever you want for four consecutive days.
Go on the Navatek 1 Sunset Buffet Dinner Cruise. It is fantastic and very romantic!! A full buffet dinner and entertainment while you watch the sunset. It is something not to be missed!!
www.thebus.org
www.atlantisadventures.com
www.101thingstodoOahu.com
www.visit-oahu.com
www.thisweekinOahu.com
www.hawaii.com
www.tripadvisors.com
www.hilohattie.com
www.abcstores.com
www.hulapie.com
www.cheeseburgerland.com
Generally, there's no one to greet you at the airport gates that I know of...

One of the luau's that pretty well known is the luau at Paradise Cove on the west side of the island, away from the bustle of Waikiki. I found this link...not sure how helpful it will be:
http://www.paradisecovehawaii.com/...
There are many places where you can open a pearl in Waikiki. I know that International MarketPlace has a stand as well as Hilo Hattie. My suggestion is to walk around Waikiki, you're certain to find one. Just keep in mind that these pearls are not from Hawaii (our waters are too warm for these guys to grow).

I would suggest you check out either Germaine's Luau or Paradise Cove. Both of these luaus are in about the same location and are both great. You can board a bus at most big hotels in Waikiki and head out there for a great time. Check with your conceierge at your hotel.

About the lei, in general, no one is going to greet you unless you are part of a package deal that includes a lei. If you booked your package with Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays (for example), you'll get a lei along with someone greeting you by name.

Of course, you can always stop by the lei stands and purchase a lei on your own if you want to get a better quality lei at a much lower price.

Good luck and have a great trip!