Ask the Big Kahuna
“Answering the most common visitor questions”
Question:
Is there such a thing as the best time of year to visit the Hawaiian Islands? Is there an on-season and off-season?
Thanks.
CC
Herndon, VA
Response:
Aloha CC,
Many people ask the Big Kahuna this question. For the Big Kahuna, the best time is Hawaii Time and Hawaii Time is all the time. To the Big Kahuna, “off season” is when I’m “off-island” (traveling off my home island), a rare occasion. Hawaii’s beautiful weather doesn’t really have an off-season, as even the rainy days bring the rainbows.
What you like and like to do can help you pick the best time to come. For example, the best time to see whales is from November through March, though the humpbacks are most abundant in February and March. When Keiki (children) are in school, there are fewer families visiting the islands. The most cost-effective times are after Labor Day till mid-December and then again from mid-January through April. Typically, rates go up and availability goes down from about December 15th through January 15th due to the holiday season. If it’s warm weather you like, temperatures run about 85 degrees from May through October and about 78 degrees from November through April. It’s drier in the summer months than the winter months, though the west and south sides of the islands are always drier than the north and east sides of the islands.
If the Big Kahuna had to pick the absolute best time to visit Hawaii, I would say the best time to come to the islands is when it’s the worst time to be where you are.
Enjoy your visit, whenever you do come,
Big Kahuna