When to visit the Big Island, and how to plan your trip

The weather barely changes on the Big Island: coastal temperatures stay between 75 and 85°F all year. The best time to visit comes down to crowds and prices, both at their lowest from mid-April through May and September through October, just after school holidays and before the winter rush. Traveling then can save hundreds of dollars per person over the summer and winter peaks.

For a first trip, decide which coast to base on before anything else. The west side (Kona) is the dry, sunny side, and the east side (Hilo) is the wet, green one, with most of its rain falling overnight. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park sits on the Hilo side, so splitting your stay keeps you close to both. Work through these questions before you book:

Once your dates are set, the next step is your day-by-day plan. Our Big Island itineraries lay out routes for trips of different lengths.

Best Time to Visit the Big Island: Weather and Prices

There’s no bad month to visit the Big Island, weather-wise. Coastal temperatures stay between 75 and 85°F year round, with only slightly more rain in winter. Choose your dates around crowds and cost instead. Hawaiians split the year into two seasons, Kau (summer, roughly April or May through October) and Hoʻoilo (winter, the rest of the year), but for planning a trip the more useful split is high season versus low season.

Booking in the low season makes a Hawaiʻi trip more affordable, since flights and rooms are not all sold out in advance. Our flights to Hawaiʻi guide has tips for finding the cheapest tickets.

Daylight swings by more than two hours across the year. Between the shortest day, December 21st, and the longest, June 21st, the Big Island gains 2 hours and 23 minutes of daylight, close to 20% more time outdoors if you come in summer.

The longest day in Hawaiʻi has 20% more daylight than the shortest day. The top panel shows the hours of sunlight per day throughout the year. The bottom panel shows the breakdown for the longest day of the year: June 21st. Image source: timeanddate

• For a month-by-month breakdown, see our guide on the best time to visit the Big Island.

High Season for the Big Island

Summer holidays fill mid-June through the end of August, when families travel. A winter peak runs mid-December through mid-March, when visitors come to escape winter at home. Hawaiʻi residents call these winter guests snowbirds. Spring break adds a smaller bump through March and April.

Japan’s Golden Week, a run of national holidays from late April into early May, brings a bump in visitors from Japan.

Low Season for the Big Island

That leaves low season in the shoulder months: mid-March through June, and September through mid-December. The weather is just as good. The lighter crowds come down to school calendars and travel habits, not conditions.

With fewer visitors, flights and rooms cost less and are easier to get. Our pick for the sweet spot is mid-April through May, or September and October, just after the school holidays and before the winter rush. Time a trip for those windows and you often save hundreds of dollars per person.

Rainy Side vs. Sunny Side

Weather on the Big Island can flip within a couple of hours, but the big pattern is steady: the west side (Kona) is the dry side, and the east side (Hilo) is the wet side. On the Kona side, the coast itself is dry, dropping below 20 inches of rain a year on the Kohala coast at Puakō, though the coffee-belt uplands above town get 60 to 100 inches a year. The Hilo side is far wetter: the windward slopes get around 200 inches a year, and the wettest spots top 300, most of it falling overnight.

If you want reliable sun, base yourself on the Kona side; for waterfalls and rainforest, choose the Hilo side. Our detailed weather summaries for Kona and Hilo have the month-by-month picture.

Weather on the Big Island

Because the volcanoes run down the middle, it can be raining in one spot while the sun is out five miles away, so a shower rarely lasts. Wait half an hour or drive a short way, and you’re usually back in the sun.

At the coast, temperatures average about 85°F in summer and 75°F in winter, and they fall as you climb. Volcano Village sits 5 to 15°F cooler than the coast (see our detailed Volcano weather summary), and the summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa can drop below freezing. Pack a warm layer if the mountains or the national park are on your list.

Our Big Island weather guide covers why the island has a wet side and a dry side, and maps the yearly temperature and rainfall patterns.

Top Things to See and Do on the Big Island

Five volcanoes built the Big Island, and their mark is everywhere: the old and new lava flows underfoot, the many climate zones, and the ever-changing weather. If you do one thing here, make it Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

Two more experiences to plan for: the manta ray night dive off the Kona coast, and seeing the island from the air on a helicopter tour.

Measured from its base on the ocean floor, Mauna Kea stands about 4,000 feet taller than Mt. Everest. We made the full case for the island in The Big Island, an island of extremes.

Need-to-Know Tips for First-Time Visitors

A first trip to the Big Island can feel like a lot to organize. It’s a big island with long drives, and the range of things to do and places to stay is wide. Our companion guide Big Island for Beginners: Need-to-Know Tips for First-Time Visitors walks through planning a first trip:

• Getting there (and getting around)
• What is the Big Island like?
• Where to stay
• How many days is enough?
• The most popular activities and attractions
• 5 visitor tips to guide your visit.