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Big Island Seasonal Expectations

Events Updated for Fall 2021 & 2022

Hawaiʻi Guide updates on seasonal events on the Big Island. Our luxury tours are fun and informative at any season.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, some Big Island of Hawaiʻi events may be delayed, canceled, or rescheduled. We’ve included the dates and months that most Big Island events are typically held below, but please be aware that currently, things are subject to change.

Visiting Big Island in January, February, or March

This is a good time of year to visit if you have your heart set on seeing the majestic Humpback Whales. The weather is also noticeably cooler at this time of year, though there may also be a chance for increased precipitation during these winter months.

Hotel rates are often reasonable this time of year as well. Additionally, even though surfing isn’t as popular on the Big Island as some of the smaller islands, this is still prime season to catch some waves.

Big Island Winter Events:
  • Mitsubishi Electric Championship (January) – Held at Hualalai, this tournament offers fans the chance to see the best players on PGA TOUR Champions with a strong field of qualifiers.
  • Waimea Ocean Film Festival (January) – Festival was paused for 2021, and may be postponed for 2022. A showcase of several films highlighting the ocean and island lifestyle in Hawaiʻi.

Visiting Big Island in April, May, or June

This is one of the best times to visit the Big Island of Hawaiʻi, in our opinion. Rates and demand are usually down at this time of year, though both increase heading into June as more crowds arrive from the mainland for the summer break.

Big Island Spring Events:
  • Merrie Monarch Festival (Easter) – Was moved to the Summer of 2021. A week-long festival featuring an internationally acclaimed hula competition, a Hawaiʻian arts fair, hula shows, and a grand parade through Hilo town.
  • Lei Day (May) – Celebrated on the first of May, a festival takes place in Hilo offering lei making, a lei contest, hula performances, and more.
  • Ka’u Coffee Festival (May) – May potentially be postponed for 2022. This event features a pageant, recipe contests, food, crafts, farm tours, and yes, plenty of coffee.
  • Big Island Chocolate Festival (May) – Cancelled for 2021. 2022 schedule is pending. The Festival includes seminars, demonstrations, a student chef competition, a professionally judged cacao bean taste-off, and much more.
  • King Kamehameha Day (June) – A celebration honoring Hawaiʻi’s first king with events on both sides of the island.

Visiting Big Island in July, August, or September

In our opinion, the later months in this period are another great time to visit the Big Island of Hawaiʻi. While July and August can both be a bit busier as family vacations wind down from the summer break, by late August and early September, the crowds have decreased.

This time of the year can be warmer on the island, though the temperature increase isn’t drastic.

Big Island Summer Events:
  • Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Cultural Festival (June) – This free event is held in HVNP with performers, food, drink, and music.

Visiting Big Island in October, November, or December

October can also be an excellent month to visit Hawaiʻi. The weather has cooled and demand and rates have dropped too, with fewer visitors on the island. By mid-to-late November, the wetter weather will be more noticeable, as November and December are some of the wettest months on the island. 

Additionally, as always, crowds and rates skyrocket closer to the end of December for the holidays.

Big Island Fall Events:
  • Ironman Triathlon (October) – Postponed/Relocated for 2021, and early 2022. The next planned Kona event is early October 2022. Over 2,000 athletes will embark on a 140.6-mile journey that presents the ultimate test of body, mind, and spirit to earn the title of IRONMAN.
  • Kona Coffee Cultural Festival (November) – During this 10-Day Festival, there are tastings, hands-on cultural events, and stories to help tell the rich history of Kona’s coffee.
  • Kailua-Kona Christmas Parade (December) – Held on the Kona side of the island the second week of December.

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KAILANI TOURS HAWAII | 808.938.4057 | [email protected] | 74-555 Honokohau St, Ste. B8, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740

Great Tour Guarantee

At Kailani Tours, our top priority is delivering unforgettable Big Island experiences. We’re confident that you’ll find our tours enriching and well worth your time. If for any reason you feel otherwise, please tell us. We’ll make it right, whether that means inviting you on another tour, issuing a refund, or providing a voucher for a future visit. Your time is precious, and we’re honored that you choose to spend it exploring the Big Island with us.

Here’s what we cannot guarantee:

You will see active lava flows

Mother Nature has her own schedule, and while we wish we could promise a spectacular lava show, it’s truly up to the forces of the earth.

You’ll have full access to every part of the parks.

Volcano National Park areas are subject to closures based on safety assessments by park officials. As always, safety is our top priority and we can easily adapt our itinerary to make sure you get the best experience possible.

You’ll experience perfect weather

The Big Island’s weather can be as unpredictable as it is beautiful. We can’t guarantee sunshine and clear skies every day, but the dynamic weather is part of the island’s charm.

We value your decision to discover the Big Island with us, and we’re committed to making your tour a highlight of your Hawaii visit.

FREE CANCELLATIONS

With Trip Protection (Highly Recommended)

For a small fee (15%), Trip Protection allows you to cancel or reschedule your tour at any time – for any reason – up to 1 hour prior to trip departure. You will be reimbursed for the FULL amount of each ticket, less the cost of trip protection and processing fees. 

You may opt in or opt out of Trip Protection at the time of booking, either online or over the phone.

Without Trip Protection

You may cancel or reschedule your tour up to 48 hours before your tour’s scheduled departure to avoid fees or penalties. 

Refunds are not possible within 48 hours of your tour’s departure time, however, we will make every effort to accommodate rescheduling your booking to another date, if you so desire.

Please Note: Our tours operate rain or shine, though itineraries may be adjusted in response to severe weather conditions. Access to certain parts of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, including during events like active lava flows or eruptions, may be restricted or closed by park officials without notice. In such cases, Kailani Tours does not offer partial refunds for any part of the tour affected by these restrictions.

With our vast experience navigating these occasional closures, you can trust that we will make the absolute most of your day with us, no matter the conditions.

Lowest Price Guarantee

We guarantee the absolute lowest price on all experiences we sell. If you find the same product cheaper within three days of booking or while you’re in your destination, we’ll refund the difference.

It’s Easy To Do: 

Gather your information

Assemble your Kailani Tours receipt and the proof of the lower price you found.

Send it to us

Email [email protected] with the documents, your name, and your home address. 

We’ll review 

We’ll examine your materials and get in touch as soon as we can. 

Receive your refund 

If everything checks out, we’ll refund you the difference between the two prices.