Oct 15th, 2007
The Best Times to Visit Hawaii - Weather, Price, Crowds
Many people wonder when is the best time to visit Hawaii. There are multiple answers to that question. In my opinion, there’s really not a bad time to go to Hawaii. You’ll always be able to find nice warm weather in Hawaii, even in the winter.
Though winter months (November - March) tend to be rainier, chances are you won’t have to contend with rain through your entire trip. I’ve been to Hawaii in all the seasons and rarely has rain cause any issues. Many times rain showers are short lived and you are treated to a rainbow afterwards.
Most people like to consider weather, crowds, and costs when choosing a good time to go to Hawaii. In true former industrial engineering geek form :-), I’ve developed the following decision matrix that helps you compare all the key factors. I’m going to use Kauai as an example of temperatures and rainfall levels so that you can get an idea of overall trends that will generally be true across Hawaii.
| Example: Kauai | Avg High Temp (F) | Avg Rainfall (in) | Crowds | Costs |
| January | 78 | 4.6 | High | High |
| February | 78 | 3.4 | High | High |
| March | 78 | 3.6 | High | High |
| April | 79 | 3.0 | Med | Med/Low |
| May | 81 | 2.9 | Med | Low |
| June | 83 | 1.8 | Med/High | Med |
| July | 84 | 2.1 | High | Med |
| August | 85 | 1.9 | High | Med |
| September | 85 | 2.7 | Low | Low |
| October | 83 | 4.3 | Low | Low |
| November | 81 | 4.7 | Low | Low |
| December | 79 | 4.8 | Low until mid-month, then High | Low/High |
From the matrix, you can see that May and September are optimal times for best weather, least crowds, and lowest costs. The end of April and beginning of October are also quite good. Another great time to consider is the very beginning of June before kids get out of school in the U.S.
I’ve compiled this list of links to see average weather trends for each island:
- Maui (Kahului) temperature and rain averages by month
- Kauai (Lihue) temperature and rainfall averages by month
- Oahu (Honolulu) temperature and rainfall averages by month
- Big Island (Hilo) temperature and rainfall averages by month
- Big Island (Kailua-Kona) temperature and rainfall averages by month
- Lanai (Lanai City) temperature and rainfall averages by month
- Molokai temperature and rainfall averages by month
The best places in Hawaii for avoiding rain on each island and practically any time of the year are:
- Maui: Wailea area
- Kauai: Poipu Beach
- Big Island: Kohala Coast
- Oahu: Waikiki Beach
- Lanai: Manele Bay
Some sources and references you might want to explore:
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2 Responses to “The Best Times to Visit Hawaii - Weather, Price, Crowds”
I can hardly wait till the highs are in the 70s!
Kailani - Don’t rub it in that your winters are in the 70’s. (Just kidding!)
Here’s hoping for many nice days for you this winter. 