People often ask me what the best time to visit Maui is. The correct answer, like many other questions, depends on who is asking, and what their interests might be. If you are interested in seeing whales, then the answer is definitely winter. The whales begin arriving around early December and whale season officially starts December 15 and runs thru May 14. Whales are one of the big reasons people come to Maui, but you have to accept that it is not the best time of year in terms of weather. Winter in Hawaii means lots of gray, cloudy days, and loads of rainy ones. In other words, don’t plan on sunbathing on the beach in whale season, you may find yourself disappointed.
If you are interested in the best weather and fewer crowds, then the answer could be September. School has started everywhere on the mainland by then, and the crowds visibly thin out for a month or so. The weather is still warm and lovely with frequent afternoon showers and gorgeous sunsets. It is, however, hurricane season so there are the tropical storms that take aim at the island chain on their way across the Pacific, and we have to deal with the heavy winds and rains that they can bring as they pass, hopefully harmlessly, near the State. Fortunately most of the time these storms tend to first strike the island of Hawaii, aka the Big Island, and are shredded apart by the two enormous mountains, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea before they fall apart and just rain over the other islands.
The one disadvantage to coming during the slow season is that occasionally certain activities may get cancelled due to not having enough people booked for the tour to go out! This does not happen often, and it can be an annoyance, but with proper planning this, along with weather cancellations, can be managed most of the time.
August was a busy month and the Boogie Van spent most days on the road, but September is wide open, so if you are looking for some great weather and spacious beaches, it’s time to come to Maui! The sunsets are lined up and waiting!
