Hawaii is considered a paradise at the other end of the world. Or are they simply tropical islands with a wanderlust guarantee? That's how many see the small archipelago far away in the Pacific. It is many thousands of kilometres away from the mainland of the USA and yet it is a state of the United States.
America is a country of superlatives. The Hawaiian islands also have many highlights. These include the unique landscapes created by volcanoes. Tours to watch whales, and the numerous hiking trails over hill and dale.
Depending on your interests, it is important that you choose the ideal time to travel to the islands. You should bear in mind that the climate changes from north to south. No matter on which island you spend your holiday: whether on Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, Maui or Big Island, the climate zones are a little different.
We also asked ourselves before our Hawaii trip:
When is actually the best time to travel to the Hawaii island chain?
When is the rainy season and when is it driest?
Above all, which season is better for swimming in the sea or seeing whales?
What are the temperatures like on the islands?
Do I need to bring warm clothes?
In this article I try to answer these questions.
Have fun reading!
Are you planning your Hawaii holiday right now? Then check out these articles:
Hawaii holidays: island hopping tips and round trip planning.
Travel reports & tips for the Hawaiian islands at a glance
1 week Maui: 17 places we particularly liked on the island of Maui.
Oahu with Waikiki, Honolulu and Pearl Harbour. Our highlights for one week
Kauai: 15 reasons why the Garden Island is a highlight of your Hawaii holiday
Eating on Kauai: 7 Food Highlights on Hawaii's Garden Island
The best time to travel to Hawaii
One thing up front: there is no absolute best time to travel Hawaii. The coasts of the islands are too different and depending on the activities (swimming, surfing, hiking) I recommend other months for a holiday in Hawaii.
In general, the weather in Hawaii is pleasantly warm all year round. The best time to travel to Hawaii is therefore all year round. You simply have perfect conditions for varied holidays, wonderful experiences and culture in every month. Different festivals in Hawaii are celebrated in different months.
If you want to avoid the crowds, you should avoid the months of July and August. This is when Americans from the mainland come to the islands to spend their summer holidays.
What do you want to do?
The best time to visit depends on your interests. Do you want to surf, lie on the beach and snorkel in the sea? Or do you want to do a lot of hiking?
There are generally two seasons: Kau (summer) and Hoolio (winter) with a short rainy season.
Hawaii in winter ideal for surfing and hiking
In the winter months, the current is very strong, especially on the North Shore of each island. Swimming is taboo then. Instead, plenty of surfers are in action and waiting for the perfect waves. The months of November to April are suitable for surfing if you are a pro. For beginners, there are spots on all islands. All year round.
In winter (November and December), Oahu and Maui host many pro surf competitions. On the North Shore of Oahu and Jaws (Maui) you can see the absolute pros.
The months between November and April are also very attractive for hiking. There is supposedly less rain, and the mud is always there anyway. The climate in winter is more pleasant: not as hot and tropical as in the summer months.
Hawaii ideal for snorkelling and swimming in summer
If you want to snorkel and swim, you can either choose the high season and then enjoy the hustle and bustle on the beaches. Unfortunately, this is unavoidable with school-age children. Alternatively, you can head for the beaches in the south in winter. These are then correspondingly more crowded, as all the sun-seekers concentrate on these stretches of beach.
But many people also enjoy the early and late season, when the beaches are emptier and travel prices are lower.
The best months for whale watching
Want to join whale watching tours in Hawaii? There are many boat tours to see the ocean giants. The best months are between mid-December and April. On Maui, the giant humpback whales can sometimes be seen as early as the beginning of December.
The best time for whale watching in Hawaii is during the winter months. From mid-December to April, you can watch whales from Maui's west coast in the shallow straits between Maui and Molokai or Lanikai.
About 4000 - 5000 humpback whales pass through the Hawaiian Islands every year. Considering that there are only 6000 - 10000 individuals left in the Pacific region, the number is astonishingly high.
On small boats you have the chance to see the giants up close on the Pacific. In the warm waters off Hawaii, the whales mate and give birth to their young after a year.
Most whales are seen between February and March. During our visit, the whales were extremely late. Very few were sighted in early December. The official whale season started on 15 December 2019. Nevertheless, we were able to sight about eight whales on our Whale Photo Safari.
You can read more about whale watching on Maui here.
Weather and climate in Hawaii
The Hawaiian Islands are warm all year round with little rainfall. There are refreshing trade winds that make for a very pleasant stay. No stuffy desert air or dry climate, but a refreshing breeze next to the blazing sun, which can shine mercilessly.
A perfect beach day, especially all year round in the south of the islands. The north can sometimes get quite stormy in winter. Especially on Kauai, a lot of precipitation falls in the form of heavy rain. Floods are not uncommon then. We ended up in thunder and lightning, the green areas next to the main roads were knee-high under water.
Hikes are then very muddy affairs. Watch our video from Kauai, you can see the mud.
The rain is often only temporary. After a few minutes, the sun often shines again. In the morning or around noon it is often rainy, in the evening it is nice again.
Precipitation occurs mainly on the east and north coasts of the islands, concentrated with a strong wind. In the west, on the other hand, there is little rainfall. There are only 9 rainy days per month on the entire islands, and even these have a very pleasant temperature of around 20 degrees. Such summer rain is usually very refreshing.
The climate in Hawaii is almost constant all year round. In summer it is a sunny 29 degrees, while in winter the temperatures rise to 26 degrees. Even at night they stay at 23 degrees, so you can take a suitable walk on the beach even in the moonlight. This is not only refreshing, yet warm enough to linger, but also a dose of romance. Summer, like winter, the temperatures stay at 22 or 23 degrees of the night.
So if you enjoy hiking and brave the rain from time to time, Hawaii is the right place for you, even in the winter months. Here, the sun does not shine down from the sky quite as mercilessly as it does for sun worshippers and surfers in summer. The currents are harmless in all areas of the islands.
Strong storms only occur in winter, hurricanes, on the other hand, are rather rare. Only on the mainland of America are they more frequent. The climate here is very balanced and always summery.
Conclusion on the best time to travel to Hawaii
We love the advantages of the low season. The beaches are emptier, the prices for flights and accommodation cheaper. That's why we went to Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island before the high season in December.
The cheapest months for Hawaii are April to June, September and October. That's when it's emptiest and the weather is best. You can find a climate table for Hawaii on this website. Based on the average temperatures and rainy days, you can see at a glance what the best time to travel is.
The best time to travel to Hawaii is from May to October. Then there are the fewest rainy days and you can see the beaches as they are depicted in the numerous books and brochures. Endless sandy beaches lined with thick and shady palm trees and azure ocean. The sun laughs from the sky and gives visitors the feeling of having landed in paradise. The sunsets are then magically beautiful. We weren't always lucky enough in winter. The weather in summer is of course more ideal for this.
Frequently asked questions about climate and weather
Is there a rainy season in Hawaii?
There is a rainy season in Hawaii. Most rain falls between November and March. Especially in December and January, there can be prolonged rainfall on all islands. On Kauai already in November. Flooding can occur then. In the rainy season it rains very heavily, but often only briefly.
What is the climate like in Hawaii?
Due to its location in the tropical zone and trade winds from the northeast, temperatures are warm but moderate.
The central islands (Maui, Molokai and Oahu) are warmer on average than the outer islands (Kauai and Big Island).
When is Hawaii most convenient?
I find January, April, mid-September, October and November to mid-December to be the cheapest months to visit Hawaii.
Do you have any other tips for Hawaii?
Leave a comment at the end of the article. Maybe you have already been to Hawaii and can tell me your favourite month and the best time to go?
You can find more articles for your Hawaii holiday here:
Hawaii holidays: island hopping tips and planning.
Hawaii travel reviews & tips at a glance
Maui tips: 17 places we particularly liked
Oahu: Highlights for 1 week in the north and south
1 week Kauai: tips and highlights
Eating on Kauai: 7 food highlights on Hawaii's garden island