Every season at Napili Point
Maui has no bad month — only different ones. When the whales come, how warm the ocean is, which bays are calm, and what is happening on the island, month by month, from the people who keep the lanai ready for you.
Close enough to forget the car.
Napili Point sits on a lava headland between golden Napili Bay and Honokeana Cove, on Maui’s sunny northwest shore. Whatever the season, most of a Maui day happens within a few minutes of the lanai.
Walk to breakfast, drive to dinner
The Gazebo and Sea House are on Napili Bay, a short walk away; the rest are a few minutes by car.
- The Gazebo
- Sea House
- Joey’s Kitchen
- Merriman’s Kapalua
- Honolua Store
Fifteen tables, with addresses and what to order, in our restaurant guide.
Always summer, never the same.
Daytime highs on Maui move only about eight degrees from January to September, and the ocean never drops below the mid-70s. What changes is the whales, the waves, the trade winds and the crowds. Pick a season to see what it is like here.
Hawaiians traditionally counted just two seasons: kau, the warm, dry season from about May to October, and hoʻoilo, the cooler, wetter season from about November to April, when the whales arrive.
Napili sits on the leeward side of the West Maui Mountains, sheltered from the trade-wind rain that keeps the windward coast so green. Most rain here falls as short passing showers in winter, often followed by a rainbow.
Maui, month by month
Average air and ocean temperature for every month of the year. Tap a month to see its numbers. Swipe the chart sideways to see every month.
Tap or hover a month.
Air temperatures and rainfall: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals for Kahului Airport (OGG), Maui’s main weather station; Napili, on the northwest shore, sees very similar temperatures and catches a few more passing winter showers. Ocean temperatures are approximate monthly averages from long-term sea-surface records off Maui (about 75°F in February, about 81°F in September). Whale season: NOAA Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Hurricane season: NOAA Central Pacific Hurricane Center.
From the cove to the crater.
Turtles below the lanai, reefs five minutes away, whales in the channel and a volcano to watch the sunrise from. Something for every kind of day, in every month of the year.
Snorkel the reefs
- Kapalua Bay 5 minA sheltered bay with a gentle reef along the right-hand point — the easiest snorkel near the condos.
- Honolua Bay 10 minA protected Marine Life Conservation District, at its best on calm summer days. Look, never touch.
- Molokini CraterMorning snorkel cruises from Māʻalaea Harbor to the sunken crater off South Maui.
Whales & dolphins
- From the lanai · Nov – MayMore than ten thousand humpbacks winter in Hawaiʻi; the peak is January to March, and the channel off Napili is one of their roads.
- Whale-watch cruisesBoats leave from Kāʻanapali Beach and Māʻalaea Harbor through the season.
- Give them roomBy law, stay at least 100 yards from humpback whales, on the water or in it.
Turtles all year
- Honokeana Cove below the lanaiGreen sea turtles come in to feed along the rocks every day of the year.
- Napili & Kapalua bays 5 minTurtles graze the reefs at both ends of each bay.
- The ruleStay at least ten feet away in the water and on the sand; never touch or feed them.
Coast & valley walks
- Kapalua Coastal Trail 5 minAbout 1.75 miles from Kapalua Bay past Oneloa Beach and Dragon’s Teeth to D.T. Fleming Beach.
- Kāʻanapali Beachwalk 15 minA paved path along the whole length of Kāʻanapali Beach.
- ʻĪao Valley ~1 hrA short paved walk to the 1,200-foot ʻĪao Needle; visitors need a reservation. State park page
Haleakalā sunrise
- The summit ~3 hr10,023 feet up, the sun rising over a sea of clouds. It is near freezing before dawn: bring real warm layers.
- Reserve aheadEntry between 3 and 7 a.m. needs a sunrise reservation. National Park hours
- Or go for sunsetNo reservation needed later in the day, and the stars afterwards are extraordinary.
The rest of Maui
- Road to HānaWaterfalls, rainforest and black-sand beaches — a full day; start at dawn.
- UpcountryMakawao’s cowboy town and the farms of Kula, on the cool slopes of Haleakalā.
- More ideasThirty places to go, with drive times, in our Maui guide.
Twelve months, something every month.
The whales, holidays and festivals worth timing a trip around. Dates move a little each year — check the event’s own page before you book.
Planning questions.
There is no bad month. For whales, come between December and April (the peak is January to March). For the calmest snorkelling on the west side and the driest weather, come from May to October. For the quietest beaches and good prices, aim for late April to early June or September to early December, outside the school holidays.
Warm all year: about 75–76°F from January to April, 77–79°F from May to July, and about 80–81°F from August to October, before easing back to around 77–79°F in November and December.
Humpback whales are in Hawaiian waters from about November to May, with the most whales from January to March. The channel between Maui, Molokai and Lanai is one of their favourite places, and guests often watch them breach from the lanai.
Not much. Napili is on the sunny leeward side of the West Maui Mountains. Most rain falls in the cooler months from November to March, usually as short passing showers rather than whole rainy days, and summer is very dry.
Yes. The Central Pacific hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, but direct hits on the islands are rare. As for any trip, travel insurance is a good idea for stays in late summer and early fall.
In winter, from about November to March, north swells can bring big surf to the north-facing bays such as Honolua and Slaughterhouse, and to Napili Bay on big days. In summer the northwest shore is usually calm. Swim only where it is calm, and when in doubt, don’t go out.
Pick your season. We’ll keep the lanai ready.
Two oceanfront condos above Honokeana Cove — turtles below, whales in winter, and every adventure on this page a short walk or drive away. Book direct with Bob & Tracy: no Vrbo service fee.
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