The best Hawaiian island to visit in January

Score = 55% this month's weather + 45% the island's other five factors. How we score

1

Maui

8.6/10

79°F high 78°F sea 2.0 in rain

Maui wins January on beaches and things to do, both 9 of 10, plus a 9.3 weather score: 79°F (26°C) highs, a 78°F sea and 2.0 inches (52 mm) of rain. Its swimming coasts, Wailea, Kihei, Kaanapali and Napili, face south and west, away from the winter swell. Whales gather in the channel off Kihei and Wailea. The catch is price: $296 a night in Kihei on January 13, 2027, the costliest of our two dates. Lahaina's Front Street reopened August 1, 2026, but the town is still a construction zone.

The full Maui guide

2

Oahu

8.3/10

78°F high 78°F sea 1.8 in rain

Oahu is second because it is the most crowded of the six, 3.9 of 10 for room to breathe, and its beaches score 8 against Maui's 9. Everything else favors it: 28 US nonstop airports, Waikiki at $139 on January 13, 2027 and no need for a car. January is the month to watch big-wave surfing on the North Shore, not to swim there. Swim at Waikiki or Ala Moana, where highs are 78°F and only 1.8 inches of rain falls in the month.

The full Oahu guide

3

Big Island (Hawaii Island)

8.1/10

78°F high 78°F sea 3.6 in rain

The Big Island's January weather score, 8.5, is among its best of the year, even with 3.6 inches (91 mm) of rain at the Kona gateway. Highs are 78°F. It ties Maui on things to do: Kilauea's episodic eruption at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park ($30 a car), manta ray night snorkels and winter whales. It ranks third because its beaches score 7, few and far apart, and Kailua-Kona rooms cost $261. Kua Bay's shorebreak turns rough in winter swells; Kahaluu is the calm snorkel spot.

The full Big Island (Hawaii Island) guide

4

Kauai

7.3/10

77°F high 77°F sea 3.7 in rain

Kauai is fourth for two reasons. Its January weather score is the lowest here, 8.0, with 77°F highs and 3.7 inches (93 mm) of rain. And our Kauai page rates it conditional after Hurricane Lowell, which costs 0.4 points. In January the north shore takes big surf, so base yourself at Poipu, where the sandbar beach park is the family choice. Confirm your Poipu hotel has recovered from the storm surge. Kapaa rooms were $233 on January 13, 2027.

The full Kauai guide

5

Molokai

7.1/10

79°F high 77°F sea 1.4 in rain

Molokai has the driest January in our data, 1.4 inches (36 mm), and a 9.3 weather score that ties Maui. It ranks fifth because beaches and things to do both score 4: Papohaku is for walking, the south shore is shallow reef. It is a quiet whale-watching shore on the channel, with one hotel, Hotel Molokai, at $328 on January 13, 2027. Fly in from Honolulu on Lanai Air, $169 one way. Kalaupapa tours admit no one under 16.

The full Molokai guide

6

Lanai

7.0/10

75°F high 78°F sea 1.7 in rain

Lanai is last because of price. The only 3-star-or-better hotel Kayak priced was the Four Seasons at $2,642 for January 13, 2027, which gives it a value score of 1.0. Its highs are the coolest here, 75°F, with a 78°F sea. Hulopoe Bay is excellent and public. In January, the better plan is a day trip on the Expeditions ferry from Maalaea, from $30, watching for whales on the way. Book both legs, because winter crossings can be rough.

The full Lanai guide

Each island's score is 55% its January weather score and 45% everything else we measure: beaches and things to do (our editors' scores), how easy it is to fly there from the US, hotel value and how crowded it is. The weather score blends daytime high, sea temperature, rainfall and sunshine for the month at the island's gateway airport. Islands our own pages rate as worth it only for some travelers lose 0.4 points. The full method is in how we score islands.

In January the weather scores are close, from 8.0 on Kauai to 9.3 on Maui and Molokai. That means beaches, sights and price do most of the sorting.

Whales. The sanctuary says whales can be seen from shore and at sea from November through April, and it estimates the Hawaii population at more than 12,000. The main viewing water is the shallow channel between Maui, Lanai and Molokai, so all three look onto it. Federal rules keep boats, swimmers and paddlers 100 yards (90 m) from humpbacks and aircraft 1,000 feet away, year-round. You can join the shore count on Oahu, the Big Island or Kauai, or the Pacific Whale Foundation's Great Whale Count on Maui, the same mornings.

Surf. The Oahu surf climatology puts the North Shore's active season at September to May, with January the peak month and the widest swings in wave height. The National Weather Service issues a high surf advisory for north-facing shores at 15-foot faces and a warning at 25. On those days Waimea Bay, Pipeline and Sunset on Oahu, and Hanalei Bay and Ke'e on Kauai, are for watching, not swimming. The south and west shores are the January swimming coasts: Wailea and Kihei on Maui, Waikiki on Oahu, Poipu on Kauai, the Kohala coast on the Big Island.

• Pick Oahu over Maui if price or a car is the problem. On Wednesday, January 13, 2027 the cheapest 3-star-or-better hotel in Waikiki was $139, against $296 in Kihei, and you can skip the rental car. You also get the best big-wave watching on the North Shore.
• Pick the Big Island if the volcano matters more than the beach. January is one of its three best months in our weather data, and it is the least crowded of the big four islands.
• Pick Maui if whales are the point of the trip. The Lanai channel is right off Kihei and Wailea, and the ferry to Lanai crosses it.

Kauai is still recovering. Hurricane Lowell hit it directly on September 7 and 8, 2026. On October 19, 2026 the state still listed Koke'e Road, the road to Waimea Canyon, as closed until further notice, along with most Kauai state parks; Haena State Park reopened on October 15. Check the state parks notices again before you book. See our Kauai page.

January is the expensive month. Kihei rooms were $80 dearer on January 13 than on July 14, 2027, and the Four Seasons on Lanai $683 dearer. The Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend ends Monday, January 18, 2027, a state holiday in Hawaii. Hotel totals include the state's 11% Transient Accommodations Tax, raised from 10.25% on January 1, 2026.

For warm islands elsewhere this month, compare the best islands in January and the Caribbean in January, which is in its dry season. All of Hawaii is a domestic flight: a REAL ID or a passport is enough.

Small-Group Road to Hana Adventure Tour with Pickup & Lunch

Breakfast, a deli lunch and water are included; tips are not. It is a long day in a van on a narrow road, and the sign-up page lists pickup at hotels or a Kahului meeting point, so check which applies to you.

7 to 11 hours

4.8★★★★★★★★★★(3,602 reviews)

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Rating as shown on Viator

Oahu: Full or Half Day Grand Circle Island Tour

A snack and water are included but lunch is not, and Dole train or maze tickets are extra. It is a large-coach tour; a rental car covers the same loop at your own pace.

6.5 to 9 hours

5.0★★★★★★★★★★(19,785 reviews)

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Big Island in a Day: Volcanoes Waterfalls Sightseeing and History

Lunch and park entry are included; tips are not, and vacation rentals are not picked up. With a rental car the park pass is $15 to $30, but the round trip from Kona is long, which is what this tour saves you.

11 hours

4.9★★★★★★★★★★(7,107 reviews)

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Rating as shown on Viator

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