Preferred time of year to visit Hawaii?

[Tobagoman]

My wife and I are planning on visiting Hawaii for diving in 2006. We plan on doing a week in Oahu and a week on the Big Island. What recommendations would you give for the best time of year to dive these islands, plus be able to visit some topside attractions?
Thanks in advance!!

 

[justleesa]

hmmm....if you want see whales (chances are slim to see them underwater) you'll want to come between December and May.

The South and East are a bit smoother than West and North in the winter months.

The North Shore between May and September.

The diving can be good all year round (had some great days last week, but also had 3-5' swells on other days) but I'd say the best months are from April - Ocotober.

 

[Tobagoman]

Great, thanks for the reply. I kind of figured that would be the better time. I know the south Pacific has a rainy season starting in November.

 

[justleesa]

It rained all day Saturday (by the bucket) This morning we had 67 degrees....brrrr.....glad we're heading towards spring!

 

[hecker-the-wrecker]

:11:

It rained all day Saturday (by the bucket) This morning we had 67 degrees....brrrr.....glad we're heading towards spring!

are you kidding? we had a week of 20 below zero farenheight!!, I would be happy if it was 45f when I come over to Maui in Feb. I think i'll go back to sobbing now. P.S. it's suppose to be really cold in a couple weeks!

 

[justleesa]

lol...I seem to remember weather like that, originally coming from Chicago and all . I guess now that I am spending my 3rd winter in Hawaii, it seems that I have gotten used to our temps and 67 feels cool....sorry .

 

[bluemagoo]

Just "happy if it's 45degF", Wrecker? Dude, expect to break your face grinning 'cuz, as the locals say, "Guarans ball-barans". The only chance for anything near those temps on Maui is up on the summit of Haleakala. (In the mornings, 50'sF is norm for up-country.)

 

[pigletfish]

For visiting the Big Island, I'd definitely recommend the summer. July and August have both been gorgeous for us. When we visited in March, the Hilo side was raining buckets and its beauty could not be properly enjoyed. Ditto for the Waipio Valley hikes up north. Stayed sunny and warm in Kona/Kohala, but the water temperature was down to about 73 degrees, which is a bit too chilly for my tastes. March does have whale watching, though!

 

[friscuba]

September and October will have the warmest water and fewest tourists. Kona's rainy season (if you can call it that, we get convection rains in the hills during summer) should be pretty much over by mid-September. The best time for whales is February through late March/early April. May is anouther slow tourist month and the water is warming up.

There is really no "bad time" or "best time" to come here, however we do seem to get 20-60 days a year when the diving can be compromised by swells and the bulk of them seem to be from mid-December through February. If diving is your top priority you might want to keep that in mind.

Steve

My wife and I are planning on visiting Hawaii for diving in 2006. We plan on doing a week in Oahu and a week on the Big Island. What recommendations would you give for the best time of year to dive these islands, plus be able to visit some topside attractions?
Thanks in advance!!

 

[George Scherman]

We had great weather and conditions in Kona around Thanksgiving. Wish I was there now.