United States, North America

Hawaii in March

Spring break waves roll through all month. Whales linger, surf mellows late month, prices stay firm.

TradeoffsWarm, highs near 80F (27C)

Na Pali Coast cliffs, Kauai, Hawaii — HawaiiPhoto: dronepicr, CC BY 2.0

The straight answer

March is a month of real tradeoffs in Hawaii. Spring break waves roll through all month. Whales linger, surf mellows late month, prices stay firm.

Weather: Warm, highs near 80F (27C)
Crowds: 4 of 5
Prices: 4 of 5

What March is like in Hawaii

March is warm, with highs near 80F (27C). Whales are still around, the winter surf starts to mellow late in the month, and the weather gets drier. Spring break crowds arrive in waves all month, so prices stay firm. If Easter is early, the Merrie Monarch hula festival in Hilo may fall this month.

This month suits families on spring break and anyone who wants a last shot at whale season. It is fine, but busy and pricey. If you can wait a few weeks, the stretch after Easter into May brings calmer seas, better weather, and lower prices.

Make the most of March

What is especially good about Hawaii this month.

The tail end of whale season

Humpbacks are still active in the Maui channels, often with young calves.

Merrie Monarch Festival

If Easter is early, the world's top hula festival runs in Hilo the week after. Free events run all week.

Calmer surf by late March

As winter swells fade, more beaches open up for swimming and snorkeling.

What to pack for March

Snorkel gear or a rash guard
Reef-safe sunscreen
A light rain jacket
A warm layer for Haleakala sunrise

Our timing tip

Book snorkel boats and luaus several weeks ahead, since spring break groups fill them quickly.

Book Hawaii for March.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Hawaii
Opens a hotel search for Hawaii in March, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for March
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in Hawaii
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Hawaii
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Hawaii for March. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in March

Humpback Whale Season in Maui

Roughly December to April, with the peak from January to March

Thousands of humpbacks come to Hawaii to breed and calve, and the channels off West Maui are the best place to see them.

Humpback whale season

December through April, peaking January through March

Thousands of humpbacks winter in Hawaiian waters, with the Maui channels the epicenter. Morning whale-watch sails run daily in season.

Merrie Monarch Festival

The week after Easter, in Hilo

The world's premier hula festival. Competition tickets are scarce and Hilo lodging books out far ahead, but free events run all week.

Things to do in Hawaii

Full guide

Snorkel a leeward reef

Morning is the calm, clear window nearly everywhere. Book protected spots like Hanauma Bay or a Molokini boat trip ahead; both cap daily visitors.

Tickets and tours →

Haleakala sunrise or sunset

Sunrise entry requires an advance reservation with the park. Sunset needs no reservation and is nearly as good, with a fraction of the alarm-clock pain.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Road to Hana

Leave by 7am, pick five stops instead of twenty, and consider staying a night in Hana to have the coast after the day-trippers leave.

Tickets and tours →

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Whether lava is visibly flowing varies month to month and year to year. The crater rim, steam vents, and lava tube deliver regardless; check park alerts for current activity.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Pearl Harbor

Reserve USS Arizona Memorial tickets ahead; walk-up availability is limited. Give it a half day and go early.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Watch winter surf on the North Shore

From roughly November through February, giant swells hit Oahu's north side and the world's best surfers follow. Free, unforgettable, and strictly a spectator sport for visitors.

Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

Travel in May or September through October. These months move the needle more than any tactic inside a peak-season trip can.
Do famous spots at dawn: Hanauma Bay, Lanikai, the Pipeline overlooks, and Haleakala all belong to early risers, and Hawaii's early sunsets make dawn starts easier than they sound.
Reserve the capped attractions the moment your dates are set: Hanauma Bay, Haena State Park and the Kalalau day hike, Haleakala sunrise, and Pearl Harbor all limit daily entries.
Stay leeward, day-trip windward. The dry-side resorts deliver reliable pool-and-beach days, and the lush sides are best visited early, before tour buses and afternoon showers.

Know before you go

Hawaii has no closed season: hotels, restaurants, beaches, and parks run all year. Seasonality here shows up in prices and ocean conditions, not shutters.
Winter surf effectively closes north- and west-facing beaches to swimming from roughly November through March. Lifeguarded south-shore beaches stay swimmable; obey posted warnings, because the ocean here is genuinely dangerous when it is up.
Several marquee natural sites require advance reservations with limited daily slots: Haleakala sunrise, Haena State Park on Kauai, Hanauma Bay on Oahu, and Diamond Head for non-residents. Book these before you book dinner.
Volcano viewing is never guaranteed. Eruptions at Kilauea start and stop; the national park remains open and spectacular either way, but plan the trip around the park, not around seeing lava.