Royal Coconut Coast — a beach in Kauai County, Hawaii — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Wailua, about 900 m away (Royal Coconut Coast lies E of town).
The Royal Coconut Coast is the designation given to Kauai’s east side, defined as the area between the Wailua Golf Course, heading north along the coast to Kealia Beach, and extending inland toward the center of the island, to Mount Waialeale. The Royal Coconut Coast includes the sacred Wailua River area and the large towns of Wailua and Kapaa. The area's name derives from the acres of coconut trees along the coast and highway. It also has many places of historical and cultural significance. Some of the land is held as sacred and was once reserved for the royalty of Hawaii. The Royal Coconut Coast is a diverse and popular area due to its central location on Kauai. It appeals to both residents and visitors, with a solid concentration of hotels and attractions. Many of Kauai's lodging properties are in this area, and it has many popular beaches, parks, restaurants, shopping centers,...From the Wikipedia article “Royal Coconut Coast”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Royal Coconut Coast the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 64° (ENE) at the June solstice and 115° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 296° (WNW) in June to 245° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 89° in summer but only 45° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:42 AM | 90° E | 6:49 PM | 270° W | 68° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:55 AM | 64° ENE | 7:24 PM | 296° WNW | 89° | 13h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:27 AM | 89° E | 6:35 PM | 271° W | 68° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:13 AM | 115° ESE | 6:00 PM | 245° WSW | 45° | 10h 47m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Beaches facing east suit sunrise and west-facing beaches suit sunset; wet sand mirrors the sky color during golden hour.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:55 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:39 PM | 10h 56m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:05 PM | 6:35 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 26m |
| March | 6:24 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:10 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:28 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:21 PM | 12h 40m |
| May | 5:35 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:30 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:34 PM | 13h 12m |
| June | 5:29 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:27 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:48 PM | 13h 28m |
| July | 5:39 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:35 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:49 PM | 13h 21m |
| August | 5:53 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:33 PM | 12h 54m |
| September | 6:03 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:55 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:42 PM | 7:04 PM | 12h 17m |
| October | 6:12 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:04 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:36 PM | 11h 39m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:19 PM | 11h 05m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 48m |
Local time (Pacific/Honolulu), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Royal Coconut Coast, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 39° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| February | 4:30 AM – 5:50 AM | 1.3 | 25° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:41 AM – 5:31 AM | 2.8 | 36° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:34 AM – 4:54 AM | 4.3 | 39° | SE → S |
| May | 10:32 PM – 4:32 AM | 6.0 | 39° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:48 PM – 4:28 AM | 7.7 | 39° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:48 PM – 2:58 AM | 6.2 | 39° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:28 PM – 12:58 AM | 4.5 | 39° | S → SW |
| September | 7:56 PM – 10:56 PM | 3.0 | 36° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:27 PM – 8:57 PM | 1.5 | 26° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -17° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.71 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (69%). September is the warmest month and February the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 79 | 78 | 78 | 78 | 81 | 81 | 83 | 83 | 84 | 83 | 81 | 80 |
| Low °F | 66 | 66 | 65 | 68 | 70 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 74 | 71 | 66 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 3.0 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this beach
- Salt spray coats lenses quickly; wipe often and rinse gear afterward.
- Fog and marine layers can make minimalist images; don't give up on grey days.
- Time visits around low tide to reveal tide pools, sea stacks and reflective sand — check the tide widget below.
- Slow shutter speeds (0.5–2 s) turn receding waves into streaks that lead toward the horizon.
- Watch for sneaker waves; never turn your back on the ocean on exposed coasts.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Winter storms bring dramatic surf on Pacific coasts; summer and autumn sunsets are popular on Atlantic and Gulf beaches.
Suggested gear: Tripod, ND filters, Rain cover, Lens cloths. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Hanamaulu Bay, 6.4 km (4.0 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Royal Coconut Coast, closest first.
State Park
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Rock FormationWaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Royal Coconut Coast?
What time is golden hour at Royal Coconut Coast?
Where does the sun rise and set at Royal Coconut Coast?
Can you see the Milky Way from Royal Coconut Coast?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Royal Coconut Coast?
How far is Royal Coconut Coast from Wailua?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.