Month guide · Big Island (Hawaiʻi) · United States
Big Island (Hawaiʻi) in January
What January is really like in Big Island (Hawaiʻi): weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Papakōlea Green Sand Beach, Big Island (Hawaiʻi) · Photo: jonny - m t, CC BY 3.0
Quick answer
January is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 27°C (81°F), lows of 19°C (66°F), about 7 rainy days and roughly 11.1 hours of daylight. Peak winter season on the Kona side with sunny days, humpback whales offshore and occasional snow on Maunakea.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 27°C (81°F) / 19°C (66°F)
- Rainy days
- About 7
- Daylight
- About 11.1 hours
- Sea temperature
- 24°C (75°F)
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- Highest
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Weather in January
January is the 11th-warmest month in Big Island (Hawaiʻi): days average 27°C (81°F) against a yearly average high of 29°C (84°F), and nights fall to about 19°C (66°F). Rain falls on roughly 7 of its 31 days. Compared with December (28°C (82°F)), January is about as warm; by February highs stay near 27°C (81°F).
- Sunrise (15 January)
- About 06:59
- Sunset (15 January)
- About 18:03
- Daylight
- About 11.1 hours
- Sea
- 24°C (75°F)
Autumn (September–November). Warm seas, fewer visitors, coffee harvest and the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival; winter rains start in Hilo late in the season.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, January rates 4 for crowds (the peak is December at 5) and 5 for hotel prices (highest in January). Book accommodation early: January is one of the pricier months.
Events in January
- Humpback whale season (roughly December to April)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in January
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Nature · Volcano
Kīlauea Iki Trail
Start early before tour groups arrive, and walk anticlockwise for the most gradual descent onto the crater floor.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Active
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Viewpoint · Volcano
Chain of Craters Road
This road descends about 1,100 metres over roughly 30 km from the summit to the coast, past pit craters, recent lava flows and the Puʻu Loa petroglyphs, ending near the Hōlei Sea Arch.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- Nature
- History
- Photo spot
Nature · Maunakea
Maunakea
Stop at the visitor station for at least 30 minutes to acclimatise before going higher, and do not go to the summit with children under 13, if pregnant, or with heart or lung conditions.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Views
- After dark
- Nature
- Free
Nature · South Kona
Kealakekua Bay
A marine life conservation district below high cliffs, with some of Hawaiʻi's clearest water and coral at Kaʻawaloa near the white Captain Cook Monument, which marks where James Cook was killed in 1779.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Nature
- Active
- History
- Outdoors
The sea averages 24°C (75°F) — warm enough to swim. Best beaches near Big Island (Hawaiʻi).
What to pack
For highs near 27°C (81°F), lows near 19°C (66°F) and 7 wet days: light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is January a good time to visit Big Island (Hawaiʻi)?
A shoulder-season month, with a notable event on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, April–May and September–October are better overall. Compare every month.
Big Island (Hawaiʻi) in other months
Questions travellers ask
+What time does the sun set in Big Island (Hawaiʻi) in January?
At about 18:03 local time in mid-January, with sunrise at about 06:59: roughly 11.1 hours of daylight.
+How warm is Big Island (Hawaiʻi) in January?
Average highs are around 27°C (81°F) and lows around 19°C (66°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Big Island (Hawaiʻi) in January?
Expect rain on about 7 days of the month.