Favorite Photography Locations in Hawaii

Photography in the Hawaiian Islands

I've been fortunate to have taken several trips to the islands. Here are some of my favorite spots.

Kauai

I've hiked the Nā Pali Coast on Kauai twice. When it's raining, this trail is muddy, slippery, and treacherous, with steep cliff drops into the ocean. When dry, it's steamy. Crashing waves, booms from the waves when they hit the rocks just right, and gorgeous scenery is what you get when you walk there. On my first try, we watched shower after shower approach over the ocean, drench us, then clear out, and the next shower was already in-bound. On my second try, the clear views down the coast were stunning. On both hikes, we went no farther (along the coast) than Hanakapi'ai beach. On the second hike, we went to Hanakapi'ai Falls. That waterfall is hard to photograph because terrain obscures it until you are just below it, and, when so close, it's huge. It's also in shade because of terrain and it's location on the north side of the island. But you can't beat those coastal shots...

Nā Pali Coast

Another place I like on Kauai is the Waimea Canyon.

Waimea Canyon

My favorite bird watching location on Kauai is on the grounds of the Kilauea Lighthouse. It's hard to walk anywhere without scattering a few nenes. Lots of seabirds love to nest and soar in the driving wind. I saw quite a few albatrosses and boobies.

Kilauea Lighthouse

My favorite beach on Kauai is not especially photogenic. It's hard to get to (long drive on a dirt road with LOTS of holes). And that's why I like it: it's nearly deserted. The really nice sandy beach ends where the cliffs begin.

Polihale State Park

Maui

Haleakala on Maui is famous for sunrises. It seems bitter cold because of the wind and relative coolness as compared with coastal temperatures, but it was only about 50 degrees when we went. To get there for the sunrise requires an advance reservation and an early wakeup in the dark to drive from the hotel at sea level to the 10,000 foot summit.

Sunrise at Haleakala

Atop Haleakala, the twin peaks on neighboring Hawaii island are visible above the clouds.

Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa as seen from Haleakala

Haleakala's summit crater is huge with a variety of landscape. My son and I hiked through it, encountering barren cinder cones, lava rock, and jungle. The prevailing trade winds carry moisture through the crater in a consistent path, making it possible for plants to thrive in parts of the crater, while the rest of it is a desert.

Haleakala Crater

The Honoapiilani Highway on Maui on the northwest shore has great sunsets.

Sun Setting on Molokai as seen from Maui

Lanai as seen from Maui

Another Maui favorite is this little beach near Hana.

Koki Beach

Molokai

Palaau State Park on Molokai has great views of the sea cliffs and peninsula. It's also wonderfully breezy when the rest of the island is hot and oppressive.

Kalaupapa on Molokai

Hawaii

Papakolea (Green Sand) Beach on Hawaii is near South Point and is a bit of a walk to reach (or you can get a jeep/truck, or you can pay someone to take you there), covering dry, dusty ground with no shade. But the green sand is worth the walk.

Green Sand Beach

The Waipio Valley Lookout has great views of the windward cliffs of Hawaii, with Maui visible in the distance on a clear day.

Waipio Valley Lookout

The beach at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historic Park is a popular spot for sea turtles to haul out. It's a sandy beach with lots of rocky tide pools. Look carefully: you might see several turtles in the pools, with just their shells exposed above the water. You can even walk out on the rocks to see them up close as they feed. But watch your step on the green slime, and don't touch the turtles. The nearby Aimakapa fish pond has lots of rare birds. I was also able to see a monk seal at this beach. This is also a great sunset spot.

Green Sea Turtles on the Beach at Honokohau Bay

Hawaiian Coot

Volcano National Park is a volcano nut's dream. I spotted this lava welling up in a crater. And there are steam vents near the summit. Boy does that place stink. Since my first visit to this park, much has changed because of the 2018 east rift zone eruption. Earthquakes destroyed some roads. The magma chamber below Halema'uma'u emptied, the crater collapsed, and during my 2020 visit, the collapsed crater was filling up with a lava lake.

Volcano National Park

Punalu'u Beach is a nice black sand beach which is popular with people and sea turtles.

Green Sea Turtle on Punaluu Beach

The golf course near Punalu'u beach is also popular with the Hawaiian Goose, or Nene. Actually, it's hard to find a golf course in the islands that has no nenes.

Nene