Humpback whale breaching beside a sightseeing boat

Things to do in Oahu and Hawaii in January

Iolani Palace, the Honolulu Museum of Art and epic whale-watching and volcano-hiking excursions all feature in our guide to spending January in Oahu and Hawaii.

January is a fine time to visit the Hawaiian islands, with pleasant temperatures, lower prices, and fewer crowds on the beaches and at major attractions including Pearl Harbor and the wondrous Waimea waterfalls. Read on for our guide to the best of Oahu and Hawaii in January…

Visiting Oahu and Hawaii in January

Iolani Palace in Honolulu

Visiting Oahu and Hawaii in January

Temperature: 66-81°F • Average Rainfall: 14 days/month • Average Sunshine: 8 hours/day • Sea Temperature: 77°F

January is slap-bang in the middle of Hawaii’s ho'oilo season, the cooler, wetter half of the year, which runs roughly from November through April. But don’t let that put you off! The milder temperatures make for some fine hiking and whale-watching opportunities, beaches are far less busy than during peak summer season and, hey, in the event of a downpour, there are plenty of world-class indoor attractions to choose from. We’re talking majestic Iolani Palace (pictured), the fine collection of Asian and Pacific eye candy at the Honolulu Museum of Art, and the extraordinary variety of marine life at the Maui Ocean Center.

Happy woman under an umbrella during a downpour

Sure, it's the dead of winter here in January. But Hawaii winter ain’t quite the same thing as, say, Alaska winter. So pack accordingly. We recommend plenty of sunscreen if you plan to be out hiking the hills or taking advantage of the epic January surf swells, as well as layers to combat the cooler evenings. Sea temperatures are a comfortable 77°F in January, but you might want to consider a wetsuit if you plan to spend serious time swimming, surfing or snorkeling.

January is shoulder season in Oahu and Hawaii, meaning hotel and flight prices are relatively low, and there are usually bargains to be had. Booking well in advance is always recommended for bagging the best prices. Though if you can hold your nerve it can also be worth taking your chances with the post-Christmas sales.

Planning to tick off a few Oahu sightseeing essentials while you’re here? The Oahu pass from Go City is your friend, and could save you up to 50% on entry to attractions including the Polynesian Cultural Center, Pearl Harbor museums, and Iolani Palace. Hit the buttons below to find out more and snag your pass!

Things to do in Oahu and Hawaii in January

Hit the Surf

Kids surfing

Pacific weather conditions make for monster waves in Hawaii in January – manna for daredevil surfers who flock to the north shores of Oahu and Maui from around the globe every winter. This one’s for experienced surfers only, but you can still take part as a spectator: several pro surfing events take place in Hawaii in January, including the highly popular Pipeline WSL Championship on Oahu’s north shore.

Surfing not your vibe? January is a great time for just chilling at the beach, when even mega-popular favorites including Waikiki, Maui’s Ka'anapali Beach and the superb Nāpali Coast in northern Kauai are relatively crowd-free. And heck, if you do find yourself inspired by watching novices wiping out in the shallows, there are surf schools offering lessons for beginners at most major Hawaii beaches.

Go Whale-Watching

Woman photographing whales from a boat

Go Whale-Watching

November to April is peak whale-watching season in Hawaii, when thousands of humpbacks migrate to the region’s warm waters. It’s hard to go wrong here really, with dozens of excellent viewpoints from which to ogle these majestic beasts as they arrive to breed and birth en masse. Hit up Makapu’u Lighthouse for one of the best whale-spotting hotspots on Oahu, or make for Kapaʻa Overlook on Kauai’s Coconut Coast. Over on Maui, the beaches at Puu Olai and Ka'anapali and the elevated Lahaina Pali Trail promise some of the clearest views of whalels in the famous Auau Channel.

Want to get a little closer? Whale-watching excursions run regularly from all of Hawaii’s main islands between November and April, with some including snorkeling stops to swim with sea turtles and other native marine critters.

Take a Hike

Happy hikers on Hawaii's Big Island

Take a Hike

Hawaii’s volcanic landscape is a lush and fertile land of lofty peaks, dense forests and crashing waterfalls. Perfect, in other words, for anyone who digs a scenic hike. The Waimea Valley and its show-stopping falls are at their lushest, most emerald-green at this time of year, though admittedly it can get a little muddy underfoot. The tropical oasis that is the valley’s botanical garden should be considered a must-see whatever the weather.

Elsewhere on Oahu, the Diamond Head crater remains one of the region’s most popular hikes, thanks to a relatively undemanding ascent and stunning views across its crater at the summit, as well as panoramas of Honolulu, Waikiki Beach, and beyond.

The otherworldly landscape of Big Island is where you’ll find two of Hawaii’s three active volcanoes, as well as its highest peak. The 12-mile walk from the visitor center to the top of Mauna Kea and back is not for the faint of heart, taking thrill-seeking hikers to a dizzying 9,200 feet, with snowy terrain, steep sections and altitude sickness all part of the fun.

The Martin Luther King Jr Celebration Parade

Kapiolani Park in Waikiki

The Martin Luther King Jr Celebration Parade

Hawaii’s aloha spirit is writ large across the annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr’s life and legacy, which takes place in Honolulu every January on the third Monday of the month. Join in the fun from 9AM, when a colorful parade of floats, high school bands, marching troupes and other performers wend their way from Magic Island along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue to Kapiolani Park. Here, a festival of music, dancing, speeches and more pays tribute to King’s enduring message of equality, love and non-violent resistance. The event is free to attend and a flotilla of food trucks will ensure you’re kept suitably stuffed with delicious Hawaiian home-cooking.

Stay Indoors!

Traditional Polynesian music performance

Stay Indoors!

And if conditions outdoors really do get a little too moist for comfort, fear not! There are plenty of world-class Hawaii and Oahu attractions you can explore without getting your feet wet, many of which are included with the Go City Oahu pass.

Discover one of the largest and most eye-popping collections of Pacific and Asian art in the US at the Honolulu Museum of Art, where you can ogle works by artists as diverse as Hokusai and Warhol. In the market for a flavor of traditional Polynesian culture? The natural history collection at the Bishop Museum and the Polynesia Cultural Center have your back.

The USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor

You can take a deep dive into Hawaii’s history on a tour of Pearl Harbor monuments, museums and memorials, and take a peek behind the royal curtain at ostentatious Iolani Palace, a grand 19th-century confection built for Kamehameha III. You can even visit the summer palace built for the queen of III’s successor – that’s Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma, in case you were wondering. Built partly in Boston, Massachusetts, this 19th-century New England home was a favorite summer retreat of the family, set just outside Honolulu.

Looking for more things to do in Oahu and Hawaii in January? The Oahu pass from Go City can save you up to 50% on entry to around 40 Oahu and Hawaii attractions. Click to find out more and choose your pass!

Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Freelance travel writer

Stu caught the travel bug at an early age, thanks to childhood road trips to the south of France squeezed into the back of a Ford Cortina with two brothers and a Sony Walkman. Now a freelance writer living on the Norfolk coast, Stu has produced content for travel giants including Frommer’s, British Airways, Expedia, Mr & Mrs Smith, and now Go City. His most memorable travel experiences include drinking kava with the locals in Fiji and pranging a taxi driver’s car in the Honduran capital.

Continue reading

Have a 5% discount, on us!

Sign up to our newsletter and receive exclusive discounts, trip inspiration and attraction updates straight to your inbox.

Thick check Icon