When Kīlauea is erupting, the crater rim at Volcano House gives you two shows in one: the sun goes down while the Halemaʻumaʻu glow builds in the fading light. It’s one of the 16 best places to watch the sunset in Hawaiʻi, spread across all four major islands. Most of the rest are west-facing beaches and lookouts such as Kāʻanapali on Maui, A-Bay on the Big Island, Queen’s Beach in Waikīkī, and Polihale on Kauaʻi, plus the summits of Mauna Kea and Haleakalā.
The list is split by island, four or five picks each, logistics included: how far Lava Lava Beach Club is from Kona, why Mauna Kea needs 4WD, which coasts face west. The color peaks after the sun drops below the horizon, so stay put while everyone else heads for the parking lot.
Table of contents
- 7 sunset-seeing tips for Hawaiʻi
- Best Sunset Spots on the Big Island
- Best Sunset Spots on Oʻahu
- Best Sunset Spots on Kauaʻi
- Best Sunset Spots on Maui
7 Tips for seeing the sunset in Hawaiʻi
Most sunset advice boils down to timing. These seven tips cover the rest, starting with what happens after the sun is down and the crowd has left.
1: If watching from a restaurant or bar, get there early
The tables closest to the water go first, usually an hour or more before sundown. Show up early, put your name in, and treat the wait as an extended happy hour.
2: Don’t rush away
Most of the crowd heads for the exits the moment the sun dips below the water. Stay put. The colors in the sky are at their most dramatic once the sun is down, and before long, the stars begin to come out. This is the quietest part of the evening, and you’ll have it mostly to yourself.
3: Don’t sleep on the east
A west-facing coast gets you the sun-into-the-ocean moment. On the east side the light fades behind the mountains and the color plays out across the sky instead of around the sun.
4: Bring snacks
Pick up local food and drinks before you head out; most beach sunset spots have nothing for sale nearby. On Kauaʻi, we stop at Ishihara Market in Waimea for poke on the way to Polihale.
5: Print out your own sunrise/sunset calendar
When the sun sets depends both on the date and on where you are. For example, in Honolulu on Oʻahu, the earliest sunsets take place early December at 5:48 pm, while the latest sunsets take place early July at 7:17 pm. That’s almost a 1.5-hour difference.
There are many tools that you can use to calculate the exact time of the sunset but we like the following website because of how easy they make it to print out a small calendar: www.sunrisesunset.com.
6: You don’t need the famous spot
The 16 spots below are the standouts, not requirements. If the drive doesn’t fit your evening, the nearest shoreline with a clear western view does the job. Take the time to notice the mana (power) of wherever you end up.
The setting sun through palm trees on the south Kona coast. Photo by Michael Schofield on Unsplash
7: Bring your camera
The color after the sun drops (tip 2) photographs better than the sunset itself, so keep shooting after the crowd leaves.
Most current-day phones have a setting made for sunsets, but if you want to get fancy we recommend having a look at this guide to sunset photography.
Best sunset spots on the Big Island
The Big Island stretches the definition of a sunset spot: a beach bar, a waterfront town, a volcano rim, and a summit at nearly 14,000 feet.
A-Bay Beach and Lava Lava Beach Club
There aren’t many places in Hawaiʻi where you can eat and drink with your feet in the sand. One sits about 40 minutes north of Kona: The Lava Lava Beach Club at A-Bay, with live music daily from 5:30 pm and hula during the sunset hour.
Good to know: Before you settle in for drinks, explore the A-Bay area. Walk the undeveloped coastline to the south, keep your eyes out for sea turtles, take a short hike on the nearby King’s Trail past the old royal fishponds behind the beach, or simply relax on the sand and go for a swim. The tables in the sand go first, so put your name in at Lava Lava before you walk the coastline.
You can make great photos of the sunset at A-Bay if you set up your camera behind the fish pond lined with palm trees. The palm silhouettes reflect in the fishpond after the sun drops.
Kailua-Kona Waterfront
The town of Kailua-Kona is filled with waterfront restaurants with sunset views, plus parks and beaches that face west. Everything is walkable, so you can move from a happy-hour table to a seawall bench on foot.
Good to know: In high season, waterfront tables go an hour or more before sundown. Classics include Huggo’s on the Rocks, the Kona Inn (reopened in June 2026 under new local ownership), and Don the Beachcomber at the Royal Kona Resort. There are many good places along Aliʻi Drive with sunset views, so try a few over the course of your stay.
Sunset photo taken along the Kona coast on the Big Island. Photo by Heather Morse on Unsplash
Volcano House at Kīlauea
Whenever Kīlauea Volcano is erupting in its summit crater (Halemaʻumaʻu), it ranks in our book as one of the best places to catch a sunset on the Big Island. Seeing the “glow” at night is the popular move, but the sunset hour is better: the sun goes down while the glow comes up, a combination you’ll find nowhere else in the country.
The sunset paints the sky above the Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake in the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (10/09/2021). NPS Photo/J.Wei, source.
Good to know: We live up in Volcano, and when the crater is active the routine never changes. Kīlauea has been erupting on and off since December 2024, so check the USGS Kīlauea status page before you drive up; the glow only shows when lava is active. Show up about an hour before sunset, claim a spot along the crater rim in front of the Volcano House, and watch the sky change color while the glow from the caldera grows brighter, lighting up the clouds above. Bring warm clothes: it gets chilly once the sun goes down.
Mauna Kea Summit
If you want the highest vantage point in the state, head to the summit of Mauna Kea, just shy of 14,000 feet. The summit is often above the clouds, so you look down on the sunset rather than up at it.
Good to know: You need a four-wheel drive to reach the summit of Mauna Kea. Stop at the Visitor Center on the way up to let your body adjust, because the thin air at this altitude hits some people fast. Don’t go up within 24 hours of scuba diving. Bring warm clothes (jacket, warm hat, gloves). The summit is the one spot on this list where you don’t linger after dark: rangers ask everyone to start down soon after the sun is gone, and the stars read better from lower down anyway. So do the opposite of tip 2 here, and save the stargazing for the Visitor Center on the way down.
Consider combining the sunset with a stargazing session down at the Mauna Kea Visitor Center (open daily until 9 pm), or jumping on a guided tour that includes the sunset and stargazing.
Read more about going to the summit in our guide to visiting the Mauna Kea summit.
Sunset from the Mauna Kea summit: above the clouds at nearly 14,000 feet
Best sunset spots on Oʻahu
Oʻahu has the widest range of sunset settings of any island: a hotel-district beach, an open-air bar under Diamond Head, a ridgeline hike, and a whole west-facing coast.
- Queen’s Beach
- The Deck (open-air bar in Waikīkī)
- Lanikai Pillboxes (hike required)
- The Waiʻanae Coast
- Bonus: sunset horseback rides along the North Shore
Queen’s Beach (Waikīkī)
Waikīkī Beach fills up for the sunset every night, partly because it’s where most visitors stay, and partly because the shoreline faces southwest with restaurants and bars right on the sand. The surfers and bodyboarders stay out until dark.
Good to know: To avoid the crowds, walk east to Queen’s Beach across from Queen Kapiʻolani Park. Same southwest view, same surfers, far more towel room than the main stretch of Waikīkī.
A Waikīkī sunset. Image credit: Edmund Garman, source.
Also good to know: Waikīkī works for sunrise too. See for example the following picture, taken from the Magic Island beach park:
Sunrise over Waikīkī Beach (Honolulu, Oʻahu). Image credit: Edmund Garman, source.
The Deck
There are plenty of places to catch a drink at sunset in Waikīkī, but here’s the one we send people to when the beachfront bars are packed: The Deck, on the open-air third floor of the Queen Kapiʻolani Hotel. The Deck looks straight at Diamond Head, which catches the light and glows during the sunset hour.
Good to know: Arrive at least an hour before sunset to secure a table; happy hour runs 2 to 6 pm. Hike Diamond Head earlier in the day and you’ll be watching a summit you stood on that morning.
Lanikai Pillbox
If you want to combine your sunset with a hike, take the Lanikai Pillbox hike. The ridge it climbs faces east, which makes it a sunrise magnet, but it’s just as good at sunset and much calmer, with mostly locals using the trail for exercise. From the pillboxes you watch the color change over the ocean, the offshore islands, and Kailua town below.
Good to know: Bring a flashlight so you can make your way down at dusk. After, head into Kailua town for a beer at Lanikai Brewing, or grab dinner at Buzz’s beachside restaurant across from Kailua Beach Park.
While technically not a sunset, this sunrise shows the Pillboxes’ view over the offshore islands; at dusk the color plays out over the same water. Photo by Amanda Phung on Unsplash
Waiʻanae Coast
Locals call it the “west side.” The Waiʻanae Coast is lined with beaches that all face the setting sun. The sand runs from Nānākuli in the south to Mākaha and Yokohama up north, with room for everyone even on busy evenings.
Good to know: The west side is a solid drive from Honolulu, the North Shore, and Kailua, so make a day of it. Head over in the morning and beach hop: start in the north at Yokohama, walk the trail out to Kaʻena Point, watch the surfers at Mākaha, have lunch in Waiʻanae, snorkel at Electric Beach (experienced snorkelers only), and then catch the sunset in and around Nānākuli before heading back after dark.
Golden hour, just before the sun sets off Māʻili Beach Park on the west Oʻahu coast. Photo by Pono Lopez on Unsplash
North Shore Sunset Horseback Ride along the Beach
The North Shore’s beaches are known for big winter surf and the contests that come with it, but they are also one of the few places in Hawaiʻi where you can ride a horse along the beach at sunset. It’s a booked, paid ride rather than a spot you can walk up to.
Sunset Horseback Ride on Oʻahu’s North Shore
Polo ponies on Mokuleia Beach at sunset, on Oʻahu's North Shore. A private guided ride for all experience levels, capped at 8 riders, with guides taking photos at a beach stop along the way.
from:
$188
What is a suggested tour?Our suggested tours are hand-picked tours that receive consistent good reviews, give back to the community, and work hard to minimize their impact on the environment. Read more about these tours on our website.Best sunset spots on Kauaʻi
Kauaʻi’s four picks include Polihale at the literal end of the road and the developed beaches at Poʻipū:
Some of the best pictures we see are taken during the golden hour, the hour before sunset. Photo by Cristofer Maximilian on Unsplash
Polihale State Park
Polihale sits at the remote west end of Kauaʻi: a west-facing beach with clear blue water and views of the Nāpali Coast. Because it’s a far drive from all the major hubs, the crowd is mostly local, with lots of room to spread out.
Good to know: The park gate is open 5:30 am to 6:45 pm, and in midsummer the sun sets after the gate closes, so plan a fall-through-spring visit or book a camping reservation if sunset is the goal.
The access road to Polihale is unimproved (dirt and sand), and four-wheel drive is advised, especially after it rains. Some rental car companies prohibit their cars from being taken to Polihale. If you go, bring a cooler with snacks and drinks; Ishihara Market in Waimea (see tip 4) is the last real stop before the road turns to dirt.
Keʻe Beach
Keʻe Beach anchors the northwest end of the road, and its draw at sunset is the view: the cliffs of the Nāpali Coast lit from the side as the sun drops. Photographers get the combination of jagged coastline and reflective water in one frame.
Good to know: Keʻe sits inside Hāʻena State Park, and non-residents need an advance reservation: $5 per person for entry, or $10 per vehicle for parking plus entry, released 30 days out (Hawaiʻi residents are exempt). The north shore shuttle is the no-reservation alternative, but its last run leaves the park around 6:40 PM, before summer sunset, so for a sunset visit book the parking reservation instead. More details are in our guide to getting around Kauaʻi. Pick up drinks and snacks in Hanalei.
Nāpali Coast sunset. Photo by Spencer Watson on Unsplash
Hanalei Bay
Hanalei Bay gives you a northwest sunset over the water part of the year; other months, you watch it drop behind the mountains from your beach chair. The horseshoe-shaped bay is calm in summer and carries real surf in winter, backed by tall peaks, and the flat sand makes it one of the better sunset-walk beaches on the island.
Good to know: Everything west of Hanalei along the north shore is regulated with shuttle and parking restrictions (it is still a great place to stay though). Hanalei is still a good base, with restaurants in walking distance, and after winter rains the peaks behind the bay run with waterfalls.
Sunset at Hanalei Bay on Kauaʻi. Photo by Roberto Nickson on Unsplash
Poʻipū Coast
The Poʻipū coast faces southwest, so you get a view (or partial view) of the sunset throughout the year. There are many beaches to choose from: Poʻipū, Brennecke’s, Shipwreck, Lawaʻi, Spouting Horn Park, and Baby Beach, among others. Check where the sun sets during your dates and pick the beach with a clear line to it.
Good to know: Poʻipū gets busy at sunset. Walk a couple hundred yards out along the Mahaʻulepū Heritage Trail and you’ll have a quieter spot to yourself. Bring a flashlight for the walk back at dusk.
Best sunset spots on Maui
Maui has some of the most colorful sunsets in Hawaiʻi. Where to catch them:
- Kāʻanapali Beach
- Lāhainā (fire recovery update)
- Pāʻia Beaches
- Haleakalā
Kāʻanapali Beach
With more than a mile of soft white sand and unbroken views to the west, Kāʻanapali Beach is the classic Hawaiian beach sunset. Watch from your beach chair, or walk the (normally) calm shoreline or paved beach path while the color spreads across the water, with Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi framing the horizon. From November to March, you can also spot whales.
Good to know: The nightly sunset cliff dive and torch lighting ceremony at Black Rock, out front of the Sheraton, dates to the resort’s 1963 opening and still runs most evenings. Go a couple hours before sunset for beginner snorkeling at Black Rock, then stay to watch the ceremony and the sunset.
Sunset cliff dive at Black Rock. Photo by Andre Gaulin on Unsplash
Lāhainā: rebuilding after the 2023 fire
Lāhainā’s Front Street was Maui’s sunset-dinner strip, and until 2023 this is where we sent you. The August 2023 wildfire destroyed the waterfront restaurants we recommended here: Fleetwood’s, Kimo’s, Lāhainā Fish Co., and the Pioneer Inn all burned, and their return has been slow, though Kimo’s and Fleetwood’s have both said they plan to return.
Access has reopened in stages. On 1 August 2026 Maui County reopened Front Street from Pāpalaua to Shaw with no regularly restricted hours, and commercial activity is returning to the town center. Rebuilding continues, so check what is open before you plan an evening there. For dinner with a West Maui sunset, head a few miles north to Kāʻanapali instead, and check Maui County’s recovery updates before planning any visit to the town.
Sunset against a stormy sky from the Front Street waterfront in Lāhainā, Maui, photographed before the 2023 fire. Image credit: Kent Buckingham, source.
Pāʻia Beaches
If you’re staying in Kahului or elsewhere along the north shore, don’t fret: the beaches in and around Pāʻia get their own version of it. The sun drops behind the West Maui Mountains rather than the water, and the color spreads out over the ocean while the mountains reflect the changing light.
Good to know: Baldwin Beach is the best walking beach in the area, with those mountain views the whole way, and on Fridays a drum circle often gathers at sunset. Afterwards, head into Pāʻia town for dinner at one of the many local restaurants.
Haleakalā
On Maui, you’ll get your fill of beach sunsets. Trade one of them for the summit of Haleakalā, up past the Upcountry towns, which sits at 10,000 feet, with walking trails to explore and an aerial view of the island as the sun drops to the west. Some evenings the summit sits above the clouds, and you watch the sunset from on top of them.
Seeing the sunset from the Haleakalā summit above the clouds (at 10,000 feet elevation). Photo by Rina Miele on Unsplash
Good to know: Unlike sunrise, sunset at the Haleakalā summit needs no reservation; you just pay the park entrance fee. Consider combining it with a stargazing tour. This one from Maui Stargazing, for example, combines the sunset and stargazing experiences. Dress for winter at 10,000 feet either way, and bring a thermos with a hot drink if you can.