Season guide · Maui · United States
Maui in the winter (whale season)
December–March: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Richard N Horne, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Humpback whales, big surf on north shores and the highest prices; rain is more frequent in East Maui. Expect highs up to 27°C (81°F) and lows around 18°C (64°F), with about 35 rainy days across December–March.
Key facts
- Months
- December–March
- Temperatures
- 18°C (64°F) to 27°C (81°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 35
- Sea
- 24°C (75°F) to 25°C (77°F)
- Crowds
- Very busy
- Hotel prices
- Highest
Weather in the winter (whale season)
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27°C (81°F) | 18°C (64°F) | 9 | 11 h | 5/5 |
| February | 27°C (81°F) | 18°C (64°F) | 8 | 11.4 h | 5/5 |
| March | 27°C (81°F) | 19°C (66°F) | 9 | 12 h | 4/5 |
| December | 27°C (81°F) | 19°C (66°F) | 9 | 10.9 h | 5/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 27°C (81°F) against a yearly 29°C (84°F), and 35 of the year's roughly 77 rainy days fall in these 4 months. Crowds rate 5/5 and hotel prices 5/5 on average.
What's on in the winter (whale season)
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Humpback whale season peak (January to March)
- February: Maui Whale Festival (usually February)
- December: Humpback whale season begins (from about December)
Good choices for the winter (whale season)
Aquarium · Māʻalaea
Maui Ocean Center
An aquarium at Māʻalaea Harbor dedicated to Hawaiian marine life, with live coral reef exhibits, a turtle lagoon and an open-ocean tank crossed by a walk-through acrylic tunnel where sharks and rays pass overhead.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Day trips in the winter (whale season)
- Hāna town and Hāmoa Beach (About 2.5–3 hours each way by car) — The quiet village at the end of the Road to Hāna has Hāmoa Beach, a crescent of grey sand under cliffs, a small cultural centre and the Hasegawa General Store.
- Kahekili Highway and Kahakuloa (About 1.5–2 hours to drive the loop) — The narrow road around West Maui's northern tip passes the Nakalele Blowhole, sea cliffs and the tiny village of Kahakuloa below its headland.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is the winter (whale season) a good time to visit Maui?
It is a trade-off: Humpback whales, big surf on north shores and the highest prices; rain is more frequent in East Maui. The best months overall are April–May and September–October.
+What is the weather like in Maui in the winter (whale season)?
Highs of up to 27°C (81°F) and lows around 18°C (64°F), with about 35 rainy days over the season.