June is one of the best times of the year to visit Hawaii. This is due to the beautiful weather, lower traveling costs, and an impressive lineup of international-caliber festivals and events. With temperatures in the 80s, it’s a dry and sunny month, even though it’s the start of hurricane season.
Read on to learn about some of the most extraordinary events in Hawaii that take place in June, including the sensational Mango Jam Honolulu – and how to avoid the crowds!
Weather Overview
During June, the average high temperature in Hawaii is 82-86°F (28-30°C). It’s the driest and sunniest month of the year, although not yet the hottest month. In Hilo, the average rainfall is 2.4 inches (6.10 cm), wetter than in Honolulu and Kahului, which see 0.3 inches (0.76 cm) on average.
Is It Better To Go to Hawaii in June or July?
It’s better to go to Hawaii in June than July because of the lower airfare and hotel prices, milder weather patterns, and the abundance of captivating events. It’s also known to have fewer holidaymakers than July, as many US families wait until the first or second week in July to travel.
Weather Details
Big Island
Rain: June marks the beginning of the hurricane season in Hawaii, which lasts through the end of November each year. Hilo is the wettest city on the Big Island, which experiences on average 1 inch (2.54 cm) of rainfall in June.
Daylight Hours: June offers the longest daylight hours of the entire year, with approximately 13.3 hours. Sunrise can occur as early as 5:43 am and sunset as late as 7:01 pm, according to forecasts for 2022.
Oahu
Rain: In Oahu, as with the other islands, it usually starts to rain as the temperature cools down. For example, the relatively long nighttime rains usually begin by 10 pm in the Kahala neighborhood.
Except for places like Kahala and Manoa, though, you can expect any rain to look more like fleetingly passing showers.
Daylight Hours: June offers the longest daylight hours of the entire year, with approximately 13.4 hours. Sunrise can occur as early as 5:48 am and sunset as late as 7:13 pm, according to forecasts for 2022.
Kauai
Rain: Kauai is by far the rainiest (and greenest) island in Hawaii. In June, rainfall on Kauai is on par with the Big Island, with 1 inch (2.54 cm) on average. While Kauai is prone to tropical storms during some unlucky years, the worst of the hurricane season doesn’t hit until closer to August and September.
Daylight Hours: June offers the longest daylight hours of the entire year, with approximately 13.5 hours. Sunrise can occur as early as 5:53 am and sunset as late as 7:25 pm, according to forecasts for the year 2022.
Maui
Rain: Maui is the driest amongst the four major islands in Hawaii, and as with the rest of Hawaii, June is the best time to visit if you’re trying to avoid the rain as much as possible. The trade winds are also in effect, creating a pleasantly warm and mild climate.
Daylight Hours: June offers the longest daylight hours of the entire year, with approximately 13.4 hours. Sunrise can occur as early as 5:43 am and sunset as late as 7:08 pm, according to forecasts for the year 2022.
Water Conditions
On the Big Island, water temperatures start climbing from 78°F up to 78.7°F (25.5°C to 25.9°C). Similarly, on Oahu, water temperatures rise from 77.6°F up to 78.3°F (25.3°C to 25.7°C).
Kauai feels an identical temperature gradient as the Big Island and Oahu of +0.7°F, from 77.5°F up to 78.2°F (25.3° to 25.7°C).
Maui also experiences the same gradient as the other islands, with the water temperature increasing on average from 77.1°F up to 77.8°F (25.1 to 25.4°C).
What To Wear/Packing List
In June in Hawaii, it’s best to wear short-sleeved shirts or tank tops along with casual shorts during the day. At night, it’s quite common to wear the same clothing as during the day. It hardly rains during this time of the year, but having access to a lightweight jacket can be a good idea.
Packing List for June
- Sunscreen, ideally without oxybenzone and octinoxate
- A good camera, and a laptop computer to transfer and store all of the photos
- Very comfortable walking shoes with sports socks for any long treks
- A smartphone with GPS navigation and internet access
- Credit cards and cash, in case some places don’t accept credit cards
- Flip-flops to enjoy the beach and warm air
- Short-sleeved shirts or tank tops to enjoy the pleasant breezes
- Casual shorts or swimming trunks for the same reasons as above
- A light jacket for the evening
- Sunglasses
- Long-lasting deodorant
- Hats or hair ties to keep the heat at bay
- A thermal flask to make ice-cold water possible throughout the day
- A nice big bag to keep your valuables and souvenirs safe
Crowds/Rates
Tourism Statistics
June is the second-busiest month for tourists in Hawaii. It also seems that Hawaii is a very popular destination for travelers to return to over and over again.
For domestic visitors, only 30% were visiting Hawaii for the first time. Other travelers were taking, on average, between their fifth to the sixth trip to Hawaii.
For international visitors, a little over 49% were visiting Hawaii for the first time, whereas the rest were taking, on average, between their third to the fourth trip to Hawaii.
In gross numbers, 2019 saw over 950,000 visitors arrive in Hawaii, with a 6.1% increase compared with June in 2018. Of these nearly 1 million visitors, roughly 715,000 traveled domestically within the United States, and nearly 236,000 were international travelers.
How To Avoid the Crowds
Mango Jam Honolulu is usually held toward the end of June each year. It takes place in downtown Honolulu at the Honolulu City Hall, i.e., the Frank Fasi Civic Center at the Honolulu Hale. It’s a free event that’s open to the public, with free parking if needed.
Over 25,000 people worldwide attend to try mango-themed foods from dozens of local vendors, socialize with drinks, and enjoy live Hawaiian music.
To avoid crowds associated with the Mango Jam, visiting and seeing other areas is advised. These include Hawaii Kai and its fantastic amenities, Hanauma Bay, Sandy Beach, and Koko Marina Shopping Center.
If you’re daring, the hiking trail at Koko Head Crater is a must-see.
Also, avoiding “rush hour” on weekdays between 4 pm-6 pm will undoubtedly improve your odds of having enjoyably smooth, hassle-free trips.
Airfare & Hotel Rates in June
Domestic flights to Hawaii from major international airport cities, such as Los Angeles or New York City, see higher prices in June than most other months. However, airfare is still noticeably less expensive in June than in the mid-summer season of July.
International flights to Hawaii from the most significant airport cities globally, such as Tokyo or Paris, see somewhat lower air ticket prices in June than other months. For example, flying to Honolulu from Paris in June will likely give you one of the lowest air ticket prices possible out of the entire year.
Hotel prices in June start close to the lowest of the year and increase steadily as the month goes on to approach the median price.
The Christmas and New Year’s holidays clock the highest nightly hotel rates by an enormous margin compared with any other time of the year. Nonetheless, many hotels are likely to feature much more stable rates throughout the year than some of the busiest and highest-demand hotels.
Read your Hawaii in December guide if you consider visiting Hawaii again in the winter months.
Things To Do
The King Kamehameha Floral Parade takes place each year on June 11th, a state holiday honoring King Kamehameha I, who’s credited for establishing the unified Kingdom of Hawai’i. The parade aims to recreate a historical version of Hawaii, featuring riders and horses wearing majestic garlands of fragrant Hawaiian flowers.
The Kapalua Wine & Food Festival is, perhaps surprisingly, the longest-running food and wine event in the entire country. The finest culinary chefs on Maui convene at the world-renowned Kapalua Resort to celebrate the latest twists in local gourmet dining during this week-long festival.
Biggest June Events in Hawaii
- Kona Marathon & Half-Marathon (Big Island)
- The King Kamehameha Floral Parade (Big Island & Oahu)
- Hawaii Adaptive Surfing Championships (Oahu)
- Hawaii Pacific Rim Pickleball Cup (Oahu)
- Mango Jam Honolulu (Oahu)
- Pan-Pacific Festival (Oahu)
- Ha’ena to Hanalei Run (Kauai)
- Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Festival (Maui)
- Kapalua Wine & Food Festival (Maui)
- Maui Film Festival (Maui)
- Cycle to the Sun (Maui)
- Kahakuloa Half Marathon & Relays (Maui)