Best Landscape Photography Locations in Hawaii

Hawaii's volcanic islands range from black-sand beaches at sea level to the summits of Mauna Kea and Haleakalā, high-altitude sites dark and clear enough to host major astronomical observatories. That same elevation and distance from large population centers is what makes several of Hawaii's locations genuinely exceptional for night photography.

By Robert Bridgewater · Last updated July 29, 2026

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Haleakalā

Landscape

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Varied terrain nearby, significant relief · 2,591 m elevation

Chinamans Hat

Beach

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
On the coast

Lava Flow

Landscape

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 108 m elevation
3 km from the coast

Entrée de lave dans l'océan pacifique

Seascape

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
On the coast

Mauna Kea Observatories – Keck I

Landscape

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Elevated terrain · 4,144 m elevation

Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area

Beach

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
On the coast

Hawaii Tropical Bio-Preserve

Forest

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 127 m elevation
On the coast

Pipiwai Trail

Waterfall

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Valley or low-lying terrain · 142 m elevation
1 km from the coast

Mahai'ula Beach

Beach

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
On the coast

Umauma Falls

Waterfall

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 135 m elevation
1 km from the coast

Honomanu Stream Waterfall

Waterfall

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Valley or low-lying terrain · 185 m elevation
2 km from the coast

Koki Beach Park at Sunrise Hana Maui Hawaii

Beach

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
On the coast

Volcanic Rock Beach Hana

Beach

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 6 m elevation
On the coast

Wailua Valley State Wayside

Valley

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 147 m elevation
1 km from the coast

Huialoha Church, Maui

Seascape

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 27 m elevation
On the coast

Pua'a Ka'a Falls

Waterfall

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Varied terrain nearby, significant relief · 388 m elevation
2 km from the coast

Waianapanapa State Park Sunset Maui Hawaii

Landscape

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
On the coast

The road to Hana Maui Hawaii

Hill

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 312 m elevation
2 km from the coast

Kahakuloa Head

Landscape

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 118 m elevation
On the coast

MacKenzie Recreation area

Landscape

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
On the coast

Secret Cove

Beach

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 7 m elevation
On the coast

Nā Pali Coast State Wilderness Park

Coastal

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
5 km from the coast

Mauna Kea Sunset

Landscape

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Elevated terrain · 4,181 m elevation

Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge

Landscape

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 8 m elevation
On the coast

Beach near Pūpūkea

Beach

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
On the coast

Planning a night out at one of these locations? Use the free Milky Way Calendar to check moon phase and dark-sky windows, or read the Blue Hour & Star Trail Photography Guide for how to plan the shoot itself.

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