If you are considering an August vacation in Hawaii, you may be wondering if it’s a good time to visit the islands of Aloha. We’ll examine weather, costs, visitor statistics and more to help you decide if August is the best time for you to vacation in the Hawaiian Islands.
What’s Hawaii’s weather like in August?
August and September are two of the hottest months in Hawaii. August weather in the Hawaiian Islands can be described as very summer-like with lots of sunshine and warm temperatures. Daytime high temperatures at most beach resorts average in the mid to upper 80s F. Nighttime temperatures only dip into the 70s F.
August rainfall levels in Hawaii are generally low. August precipitation levels are only slightly higher than the lowest rainfall averages normally seen in June. Here are the average rainfall levels by island for the month of August:
Kauai – 2.13 inches – This measurement is based on Lihue’s averages per Weather.com. Lihue is located on the southeastern side of the island and is not as wet as the North Shore, but not as dry as the South Shore.
Oahu – 0.93 inches – This average is based on Honolulu’s rainfall per Weather.com, which will include Waikiki Beach. North Shore rainfall will be a little higher, while Ko Olina’s rainfall will be slightly lower.
Maui – 0.5 inches – This average is based on Kahului’s rainfall per Weather.com. Kahului is where Maui’s main airport is, but it’s not typically considered a resort area like Wailea, Lahaina, Kaanapali and Kapalua. Kahului’s rainfall tends to be a bit higher than all the resort areas, with the exception of Hana on east Maui.
Hawaii, the Big Island – 0.67 inches – This average is based on Kailua-Kona’s weather per Weather.com. Kailua-Kona is a popular resort area. Further north on the Kohala Coast, the weather tends to be even drier with only about 10 – 12 inches of rain for the entire year! Hilo, on the east side of Hawaii Island, is another story though, with an average of 9.85 inches of rainfall for August per Weather.com.
Lanai – 1.40 inches – This average is for Lanai City in Lanai’s upcountry/highlands, which tends to get much more rain that the island’s sunny, beach resort at Manele Bay. Data sourced from Weather.com.
Molokai – 0.45 inches – This average, per Weather.com, is for the airport just west of Kaunakakai town. Weather towards the east side will be rainier.
June, July and August are three of Hawaii’s driest months. By August, the drier conditions tend to lessen the flow on some waterfalls. You should still be able to see waterfalls on the islands, however they may be less dramatic depending upon recent rainfall.
It’s worth mentioning that August and September are the “peak” months of the Pacific hurricane season. That being said, hurricanes are relatively rare events in Hawaii and we personally wouldn’t hesitate to book a trip to Hawaii in either August or September or any part of the official hurricane season.
Is August a popular time to visit Hawaii?
From our analysis of Hawaii Tourism Authority statistics, August is one of the top three months with the most visitors coming to the islands. The beginning of August is particularly busy time as August is the last opportunity for summer vacations for American families with children in school.
Based on earlier analysis with more detailed data, August starts out busy and finishes with less visitors.
Is August an expensive time for a Hawaii vacation?
Per our Hawaii hotel rate analysis, August hotel rates start out being higher than average, but by the end of the month, rates lower to below average.
As we’ve already mentioned, per earlier analysis with more detailed data, August starts out busy and finishes with less visitors. Hotel rates reflect that supply and demand. So, hotel rates start out on the higher side, but reduce by the end of August.
Predicting airfare is much more difficult. With August being a popular time to visit Hawaii — particularly in the first couple of weeks — it’s a fairly safe assumption that airfare will be higher than average. Towards the end of August, you are more likely to find an airfare bargain.
Are there any special festivals or reasons to visit Hawaii in August?
There’s almost always a festival or celebration going on in Hawaii. Check the events search feature on GoHawaii.com. Also, we publish a list of the top festivals at least a month or two before each new quarter. Subscribe to our free updates to stay on the pulse of the very best Hawaii vacation news.
In summary, is August a good month to visit Hawaii?
Warm weather along with lower than average precipitation levels make August a pleasant time to visit Hawaii. The first half of August tends to be more expensive and crowded as compared to the second half, when rates are cheapest for August and below the annual average.
Have you been to Hawaii in August? How was your experience?
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To learn more about other months for visiting Hawaii, see this link – when to visit Hawaii.
Sheila Beal
36 comments
Aloha Sheila !
This is your Italian friends !
As always we SO LOVE reading your blog !! Keep up the wonderful job !!
Yes , we use to come & visit Hawai’i on August : 😉 that is when we get our vacation time , off work !
BUT we also like to visit during August as there is so much going on in those magical islands :
Two years ago we went on Kauai to a very interesting Sand castle festival (this year it will be the 2nd of August)
http://hawaiisandcastle.com/
and also we loved (on Kauai ) their All girls rodeo (this year on the 10th of August)
http://www.kauaiallgirlsrodeoassociation.com/#!calendar/cuoo
This year WE ARE COMING BACK !!! YAY !!!
and we plan to watch in Waikiki the China Uemura Longboards competition (31s of July – 3d of August)
http://www.chinauemura.com/Upcoming_Events.html
and the Na Hula festival (3rd of August)
http://www.gohawaii.com/oahu/events/imported/2014/7/210B930F-A19E-5AA9-7FC0AD22BF945645
IMHO these are very interesting “cultural” events , which give you a deepest knowledge of the islands’ life and help making new experiences and … NEW FRIENDS !!!
CIAO !! Laura & Marco
Aloha Laura and mahalo for adding these festivals. They all sound great and I’m happy to hear that you and Marco will be enjoying Hawaii next month.
🙂 🙂
We can’t wait !!
Arriving to Honolulu on July 29th !!
and visiting also kauai and Maui !!
YAY !!
Hi,
Would like to visit Hawaii in August or September this year. Staying 12-14 days which would include a 7 day island cruise on the Pride of America. Do you have any deals for 2 adults.
Cheers Jenene
We’re not travel agents so we don’t sell hotel bookings.
I’m sure you can find a nice deal in August or September. I don’t know of anything specific at the moment. We often post some of the best deals that we come across here on the site. If you’ve not already done so, consider subscribing to our free updates as described here: https://govisithawaii.com/2008/04/20/are-you-subscribed-to-go-visit-hawaii/
Aloha Sheila, this august im going to fufill my life long dream of visiting Hawaii, I have choosen Honolulu, Oahu as my first timer, but now that my trip is getting closer and closer im scared… mostly because of the “Thre are too many people in august, its not worth visiting” but how do you experience it? is it something thats easy to ignore or?
Love Martin from Denmark (btw sorry for the bad writing)
Aloha Martin – don’t worry about it. Whenever we’ve visited Hawaii during “crowded” times it really didn’t feel crowded. You’ll enjoy your trip. Let us know how it goes.
P.S. Your writing is perfect! 🙂
I visited Oahu in December and it seemed crowded. If you go snorkeling, at Hanauma Bay, your trip will be worth it and go to the North Shore. I did not like the beach at Waikiki, because it was too crowded. I am sure you will have fun no matter what time you visit.
My husband & I have been to Oahu & Maui several times. This August, we are headed to the big island of Hawaii from 8/7 thru 8/21. I am trying to put a list together of things to see & do. We did hike Diamond Head & toured Haleakala on our previous trips, so Kiluea is at the top of my list, especially since it is an active volcano.
The next thing to do…hmmm. My maiden name is Marlin. What activity would go along with that name? Fishing sounds like a possibility but not sure what. I read that the billfish tournament is from end of July and concludes 8/6. Would that type of fishing still be available mid-August?
We are certified scuba divers but not sure that I can handle that anymore. Which leads me to this next thought… I will be celebrating my 60th birthday while on the island. Sounds like a lot of fun but would love any ideas as to what to do. A trip to Hilo Hattie’s is a must to. I know that fliers and brochures will be plentiful for us to read thru and we are familiar with Roberts Hawaii tours. Would you be able to suggest a few activities? Thank you for your time.
Janet –
I would imagine you should still be able to go billfish (and other) fishing in August.
We have lots of suggestions of what to do on the Big Island. See this article: https://govisithawaii.com/2007/10/25/best-big-island-budget-fun/
Hi Shelia, my wife and myself are coming to Hawaii with our 14 year old Granddaughter on the 19th August. We will be staying in Honolulu, Waikiki Beach at the Hilton Hotel but we have been told that food in resturants is very expensive. Do you know if there are some very reasonable ones there where we can get a decent breakfast for a decent price. We don’t what her to keep having McDonalds every day. Also I would love to go to the memorial in Pearl Harbour, is that somewhere that you could get a bus to.
Regards,
Roger
We’ve found that breakfasts in Waikiki are relatively reasonable as compared to other resort areas in Hawaii — probably because there’s more competition in Waikiki. Pick up the free coupon books when you get there. You’ll likely find good coupons for breakfasts. If you go to a restaurant that offers a buffet ask if the restaurant has an a la carte menu. You can find hearty breakfast options without having to pay a hefty buffet price.
There’s a Denny’s and ihop in Waikiki that are pretty reasonable.
Spec taking the current tracking of two storm systems in the central pacific developing into hurricanes heading for Hawaii with a civil defense head’s up for Wednesday August 31 “Madeline” and Saturday September 3, 2016 “Lester” taken into consideration?
This article was written in 2014 about August in Hawaii in general and not for any specific year.
Hi Sheila,
I was wondering, which island would be better for us to vacation? It would be my husband’s and I first time vacationing in Hawaii. We’re not quite sure which island is better suited for us.
Kalusha – check out our guide to picking the right Hawaiian Island(s) for you: https://govisithawaii.com/2010/06/28/how-to-pick-the-best-hawaiian-islands-for-your-vacation/
Hello Sheila,
Me and my wife are planning to visit Hawaii on August 2017, for our honeymoon, to fullfil our dream (my dream actually 🙂 15 Aug-30 Aug will be our time I hope, I wonder if you could guide us about which island to choose, and some honeymoon tips would be good.. (locations, festivals etc.) Thanks from now on, and lots of love from Izmir, Turkiye!
Here are some helpful articles that are very relevant to your questions:
– How to pick the best island(s) for your Hawaii vacation: https://govisithawaii.com/2010/06/28/how-to-pick-the-best-hawaiian-islands-for-your-vacation/ (Note the honeymoon section of this article.)
– Our first time visitors guide: https://govisithawaii.com/first-time-visitors-guide-to-hawaii/
Enjoy!
My husband and I are planning out trip and want to mainly see Pearl Harbor. What would be the best place to stay and do they offer bus or transportation to these sights?
You could pretty much stay at any of the major resort areas on Oahu and be able to get to Pearl Harbor. The major resort areas are listed here: https://govisithawaii.com/oahu-vacation-guide/
Regarding public transportation see this link: https://govisithawaii.com/2017/10/10/what-are-the-public-transportation-options-in-hawaii/ Some private tour companies offer transportation from Waikiki to Pearl Harbor.
See this article which answers your questions: https://govisithawaii.com/2017/10/31/where-to-stay-if-you-want-to-see-pearl-harbor/
Greetings! Planning to stay on the Big Island of Hawaii from
Aug 14 -21, 2019. Will I be able to do a day trip (entire day) to Maui?
I am planning to visit Hawaii July 27 through august 8th with a 2 year old baby and my mom, could you please recommend me which Island to visit and beaches that are kids friendly with calm water and not much jelly fish. Thank you so much Sheila!
See these recommendations: https://govisithawaii.com/2016/02/10/where-are-the-best-places-for-family-vacations-in-hawaii/
Jellyfish aren’t really a problem except for the box jellyfish at Waikiki and Hanauma on Oahu 7 – 11 days after a full moon.
My best friend and I are coming to Hawaii in August, what would you recommend for first time visitors,we are staying at the Hilton Waikiki beach. We will be there for 10 days.
Thanks in advance x
Here’s our 7-day Oahu itinerary: https://govisithawaii.com/2015/07/28/suggestions-for-a-seven-day-oahu-itinerary/ It can easily be adapted for more or less time. Make sure you also see this link (which is referenced in that same article) – https://govisithawaii.com/2013/07/31/fun-things-to-do-oahu-hawaii/
Greetings from Colorado. I have been researching information on the different islands, talked with friends that have been there, watched U tube videos , read your blog on the best time to visit, and I am still overwhelmed about which island to visit. I don’t want to be rained and cold, I want lots of sunshine, and warm to hot temps, it’s mine and my husbands first time visiting and need a well deserved vacation. I would really like to avoids as much crowds as possible and want to bask in the sun on the beach, and to a little site seeing, my husband would like to see the memorial. All in all it looks like Oahu is better island for all of that but do you recommend an area that is not overly crowded as our itinerary is set for August 10th and is not flexible.
See our North Shore recommendation on our Oahu where to stay guide: https://govisithawaii.com/oahu-where-to-stay/
Hi Sheila
Your site is so useful but I’m still unsure where is the best choice for us..can you help? We’re a family of 2 adults and 2 teenage daughters on our first visit to Hawaii, from the UK but will be staying in San Francisco before and after Hawaii. We want the dream vacation and Hawaii experience – looking for a nice 4 or 5 star hotel with great beaches, nice water for swimming and snorkelling, somewhere not too crowded but still lively enough with places to visit such as parks/gardens etc. Tourist amenities and excursions close by and direct flights from San Francisco. I’m grateful for your assistance, we will probably stay for approx. 5-7 nights.
Hi Sheila,
I’m helping to make arrangements for my boss and his wife for a first time visit to Hawaii at the end of August. flying in on Wednesday and out on Sunday so about 4-1/2 days and 4 nights. They are in their late 50’s and would like to do some hiking and snorkeling and relaxing during that time. Can you make a recommendation for which Island they should visit and any tours/attractions that might be good for them? They probably do not want the crowded beaches of Waikiki 🙂
This article helps you choose the right island(s): https://govisithawaii.com/2010/06/28/how-to-pick-the-best-hawaiian-islands-for-your-vacation/ We always say, when in doubt, just go to Maui as it has a lot to offer. This is our Maui itinerary: https://govisithawaii.com/2016/08/02/seven-day-maui-vacation-itinerary/
Hi Sheila,
I am thinking to visit Hawaii in late August. Is it humid there?
In general, Hawaii is humid year-round. It will feel more humid around the rainforest areas and less humid in the drier regions. When the tradewinds blow, which they usually do, that breeze helps make you feel comfortable.
Sheila,
As first time visitors to Hawaii, it seems so overwhelming as to where to stay, what to see, etc, in such a short time.
We would love to have help with planning.
Lucinda – Good news — we have a first time visitors guide that walks through the planning process step-by-step. Hope that helps!