Best time of year in Hawaii?

[joewr]

Thanks everyone! It will probably be in May, August or more likely September.

Doug,

Let me be so bold as to suggest you see if May or September work...fewer vacationers around then.

When it comes to which island, you will find a good opinion for all of them...richly deserved good opinions! Each island is special and each can be a joy. For us, we like the Kona Coast of the Big Island best. Lots and lots of reasons...

Perhaps the most important is that we love about the diving there and it is not so much of a non-diving tourist mecca as Oahu and Maui. That translates to fewer people, something we like. But, do not get me wrong...there is nothing wrong with Oahu or Maui...and some folks would argue, with excellent reasoning, that Maui has the best diving on the islands. It is just that we prefer the Big Island.

I did not forget Kauai...just left it for here. I have written this on other threads...if you want to see turtles, Kauai is number 1! I cannot remember a dive off Kauai when we did not see turtles!

So, be sure to get Hawaii and be sure to let us know all about your trip!

joewr

 

[smatterchu]

I'm glad to hear that much of the year is good in Hawaii. DH and I are coming at the end of November, and I was reallly crossing my fingers at the timing.

We're going the day after Thanksgiving, so while everyone else is fighting over XBox's and Barbie dolls, we'll be underwater!!

We really are looking forward to it - I'll be posting a specific thread as the trip gets closer...

 

[joewr]

I'm glad to hear that much of the year is good in Hawaii. DH and I are coming at the end of November, and I was reallly crossing my fingers at the timing.

We're going the day after Thanksgiving, so while everyone else is fighting over XBox's and Barbie dolls, we'll be underwater!!

We really are looking forward to it - I'll be posting a specific thread as the trip gets closer...

Much of the year is not good in Hawaii...IT IS GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!

And do keep us up to date...

joewr

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

High Season is not just because schools out and Northerners are cold. IMHO, some of the most spectacular shore diving in the State is off the North Shores of Kauai and Oahu and from what I gather the most spectacular schedualed diving in the State is considered to be Niihau (off Kauai). For that diving, September may work but they are considered Summer dives.

As far as I recall, every year some divers from late January to mid March get to see Humpback whales underwater off Maui. If you are not here during snowbird season you will not see Humpbacks (snowbirds?), either on the surface or underwater. Also, as a photographer I prefer Molokini at 11am, not 7am. When It's busy there are second trips every day so way more oppertunity to dive Molokini with light.

I live here so I can go to Kauai or Oahu anytime I want. I go in early September, because that works with my schedual. For Niihau the boats will not go without the minimum passengers, which happens more often in September and October than in the Summer. If you are the only 2 that want to go to Niihau, you must pay for a private (ouch$$). Last time on Kauai in September, weather and minimums did not fit my schedual, so no Niihau.

My Whale Shark dive was Thanksgiving week, my Humpback encounter was February, best dives at Tunnels and Sharks Cove were in high Summer. I have also had GREAT dives every other season of the year, but I only saw whales in Winter!

 

[smatterchu]

Much of the year is not good in Hawaii...IT IS GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!

And do keep us up to date...

joewr

That's awesome!! I never thought we'd be able to visit Hawaii -- so I'm still getting used to the idea that we'll be there for a week!!

I'd love to meet some SB'ians while I'm there....I can't wait!