Best time to visit Kauai
Re-score for me — drag the dial — every chart recolours live for your heat & sea limits 27°C · sea 29°C
Default 27 °C is the upper edge of the Holiday Climate Index "ideal comfort" band (Scott, Rutty, Amelung & Tang, 2016). Above this, most warm-tourism travellers report measurable discomfort.
Default 29 °C is the Beach Climate Index "bathtub" line (Morgan et al.) — where the sea stops being refreshing and starts feeling like a warm bath.
How is this scored? HCI / Steadman / CCI gate — full methodology and citations below.
Compare with another destination
Add as many as you like — stacked below the main strips above. Each row is just the recent-window score strip and (for beach destinations) sea-temperature strip.
Tours in Kauai
30 top-rated tours via Viator. Booking links earn this site a commission at no cost to you. Map locations are approximate (centred on Kauai).
- 1
Kauai Deluxe Sightseeing Flight - 2
Kauai Chocolate Farm Tasting Tour - 3
Kauai: Secret Falls Kayak and Hike - 4
Kauai Airplane Tour: Na Pali Coast, Waterfalls & Window Seats - 5
Kauai East Side and North Shore Private Guided Tour - 6
Kauai' Exclusive Helicopter Tour: JURASSIC CANYON LANDING - 7
Private Waimea Canyon Tour - 8
KAUAI LUXURY 60-Minute Doors-Off Helicopter ADVENTURE - 9
Kauai Private Doors Off Helicopter Tour: Ultimate Waterfalls - 10
Food Tour of Kaua'i - 11
Private Hanalei Sandy Bottom Surf Lesson on Kauai - 12
Private Kauaʻi Helicopter Experience: Doors-Off ALL WINDOW SEATS - 13
Small Group Waterfall Rappel in Lihue, Kauai - 14
Kauai Lei Greeting at Lihue Airport - 15
FUV Self Guided Island Adventure Tour - 16
Flying Dress Photoshoot in Kauai - 17
Koloa Zipline in Kauai - 18
Private Kauai Highlights- Featuring Waimea Canyon - 19
Family Photography session Kauai - 20
Kauai: NaPali Boat Tour on the Amelia K - 21
Kauai: Na Pali Coast Power Catamaran - 22
Kauai: Nā Pali Coast Zodiac Raft Expedition and Snorkeling - 23
Kauai: Na Pali Coast Super Raft Snorkel Adventure - 24
Kauai’s Ultimate Guided Shore Snorkel (NO BOAT) in South Poipu - 25
Kauai Eco Adventure Helicopter Tour - 26
Kauai Adventure: Kayak & Hike to Secret Falls with Expert Guide - 27
Hanalei Bay Morning Kayak and Snorkel Tour - 28
Princeville Botanical Gardens Tour and Chocolate Tasting Ticket - 29
Wailua River Kayak & Hike Adventure to Secret Falls - 30
Waimea Canyon Downhill Bike Ride
Last refreshed 2026-08-16.
Similar climatesBocas del Toro69% · Bali61% · Puerto Viejo61%
Other destinations with the most-alike year-round climate to Kauai (apparent temperature, rain hours, sunshine — matched within the same trip-profile). The ±N chip compares each match's typical score for the current month against Kauai's. Based on the 2020-2024 climatology, not this year's actual weather.
Month-by-month
| Month | Temp °C | Feels °C | Rain days | Rain h | Rain h/day | Humidity | Wind km/h | Sun h | UV | Interest | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14–21 | 22 | 21 | 339 | 16.1 | 78% | 11 | 214 | 5 | Quiet | 3 |
| Feb | 13–20 | 20 | 24 | 435 | 18.1 | 79% | 13 | 208 | 6 | Quiet | 2 |
| Mar | 14–20 | 21 | 28 | 483 | 17.3 | 79% | 12 | 236 | 7 | Moderate | 2 |
| Apr | 15–21 | 22 | 28 | 493 | 17.6 | 78% | 12 | 244 | 8 | Moderate | 2 |
| May | 15–22 | 23 | 31 | 509 | 16.4 | 79% | 12 | 266 | 8 | Moderate | 2 |
| Jun | 16–23 | 24 | 26 | 487 | 18.7 | 76% | 12 | 283 | 9 | Busy | 2 |
| Jul | 17–23 | 25 | 31 | 601 | 19.4 | 79% | 13 | 286 | 9 | Peak | 2 |
| Aug | 17–23 | 25 | 30 | 506 | 16.9 | 77% | 12 | 281 | 10 | Peak | 2 |
| Sep | 17–24 | 25 | 28 | 460 | 16.4 | 77% | 12 | 254 | 9 | Quiet | 2 |
| Oct | 17–23 | 25 | 27 | 403 | 14.9 | 79% | 10 | 239 | 7 | Quiet | 2 |
| Nov | 16–22 | 23 | 26 | 439 | 16.9 | 81% | 12 | 224 | 5 | Quiet | 2 |
| Dec | 15–21 | 22 | 26 | 405 | 15.6 | 82% | 11 | 212 | 5 | Quiet | 2 |
UV Index in Kauai by Month
UV index in Kauai peaks at 10 (very high) in August, dropping to 5 (moderate) in December. June, July, August, September reach very high or extreme levels — apply SPF 50+, wear a hat and protective clothing, and limit direct sun between 11:00 and 17:00.
Best months in detail
January
3/1014–21°C (feels 22°C) · 21 rain days (339h) · 214 sun hours · 78% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 5 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 7 (high)
February
2/1013–20°C · 24 rain days (435h) · 208 sun hours · 79% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 6 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (high)
June
2/1016–23°C (feels 24°C) · 26 rain days (487h) · 283 sun hours · 76% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 9 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 10 (very high)
Every month
Show the other 9 months in detail
March
2/1014–20°C · 28 rain days (483h) · 236 sun hours · 79% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 7 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 9 (very high)
April
2/1015–21°C · 28 rain days (493h) · 244 sun hours · 78% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 8 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 9 (very high)
May
2/1015–22°C (feels 23°C) · 31 rain days (509h) · 266 sun hours · 79% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 8 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 9 (very high)
July
2/1017–23°C (feels 25°C) · 31 rain days (601h) · 286 sun hours · 79% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 9 (very high)
August
2/1017–23°C (feels 25°C) · 30 rain days (506h) · 281 sun hours · 77% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 10 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 11 (extreme)
September
2/1017–24°C (feels 25°C) · 28 rain days (460h) · 254 sun hours · 77% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 9 (very high)
October
2/1017–23°C (feels 25°C) · 27 rain days (403h) · 239 sun hours · 79% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 7 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (very high)
November
2/1016–22°C (feels 23°C) · 26 rain days (439h) · 224 sun hours · 81% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 5 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 6 (high)
December
2/1015–21°C (feels 22°C) · 26 rain days (405h) · 212 sun hours · 82% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 5 (moderate)
Frequently asked questions about visiting Kauai
When is the best time to visit Kauai?
January is the highest-scoring month (3/10 on the Holiday Climate Index). Typical conditions: 14–21°C (21 rainy days). The top three months by score are January, February, June.
What is the worst time to visit Kauai?
December is the lowest-scoring month (2/10). Typical conditions: 15–21°C (26 rainy days).
When are crowds lowest in Kauai?
Search-interest seasonality (Google Trends 2021-2025) is lowest in October and peaks in July. Interest tracks both in-trip visitors and lead-time planners, so treat it as a "destination is on people's minds" signal rather than literal arrivals.
What is the UV index in Kauai by month?
UV peaks at 10 (very high) in August and is lowest in December at 5 (moderate). Monthly peak values: Jan 5, Feb 6, Mar 7, Apr 8, May 8, Jun 9, Jul 9, Aug 10, Sep 9, Oct 7, Nov 5, Dec 5. June, July, August, September reach very high or extreme levels — apply SPF 50+, wear a hat and protective clothing, and limit direct sun between 11:00 and 17:00.
What is the UV index in Kauai in August?
August is the peak UV month in Kauai, with a daily-peak UV index of 10 (very high). At this level, sunburn can occur in under 20 minutes on unprotected fair skin. Apply SPF 50+, wear protective clothing and a hat, and avoid direct midday sun (11:00–17:00).
How high can UV get in Kauai on the sunniest days?
Most days look like the monthly average, but on the sunniest ~1 in 10 days UV climbs higher than the mean suggests. August is the worst case: typical days average UV 10 (very high), but the top 10% of days reach UV 11 (extreme) — and even higher. Months where the sunniest days routinely exceed the typical reading: January, February, March, April, May, June, August, October, November. Plan sun protection for the worst case, not the average.