Kahanu Garden — a botanical garden in Maui County, Hawaii — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Haleakalā National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Hana, about 7.2 km (4.5 mi) away (Kahanu Garden lies NW of town).
Kahanu Garden and Preserve is a botanical garden located on the Hana Highway (close to the 31-mile or 50-kilometre marker) near Hana, Maui, Hawaii. It is one of five gardens of the non-profit National Tropical Botanical Garden, the others being McBryde, Allerton, and Limahuli Garden and Preserve on Kauaʻi, and The Kampong in Florida. The garden was established in 1972 on Maui's northern coast, with rugged black lava seascapes, and is surrounded by one of Hawaiʻi's last undisturbed hala (Pandanus tectorius) forests. The garden's ethnobotanical collections focus on plants traditionally used by Pacific Island people. It includes the world's largest breadfruit collection, first established in the 1970s. Today the garden contains accessions of approximately 150 varieties of breadfruit collected from field expeditions to over 17 Pacific island groups in Polynesia, Micronesia, and...From the Wikipedia article “Kahanu Garden”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Kahanu Garden the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 65° (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 87° in summer but only 46° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:29 AM | 90° E | 6:36 PM | 270° W | 69° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:45 AM | 65° ENE | 7:09 PM | 296° WNW | 87° | 13h 24m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:14 AM | 89° E | 6:22 PM | 271° W | 69° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:57 AM | 115° ESE | 5:49 PM | 245° WSW | 46° | 10h 52m |
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
Gardens are best on bright overcast days or early mornings when dew is fresh and the wind is calm.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:40 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:28 PM | 11h 00m |
| February | 6:32 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 28m |
| March | 6:11 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:03 AM | 6:05 PM | 6:34 PM | 6:56 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:43 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:36 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:44 PM | 7:06 PM | 12h 38m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:19 PM | 13h 08m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:32 PM | 13h 23m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:33 PM | 13h 17m |
| August | 5:41 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:34 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:18 PM | 12h 51m |
| September | 5:50 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:41 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:50 PM | 12h 16m |
| October | 5:58 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:50 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:23 PM | 11h 41m |
| November | 6:12 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:07 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:08 PM | 11h 09m |
| December | 6:30 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 53m |
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 Kahanu Garden, 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 40° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| February | 4:08 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.5 | 26° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:18 AM – 5:18 AM | 3.0 | 37° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:19 AM – 4:39 AM | 4.3 | 40° | SE → S |
| May | 10:16 PM – 4:26 AM | 6.2 | 40° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:32 PM – 4:12 AM | 7.7 | 40° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:32 PM – 2:52 AM | 6.3 | 40° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:12 PM – 12:42 AM | 4.5 | 40° | S → SW |
| September | 7:42 PM – 10:42 PM | 3.0 | 37° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:15 PM – 8:45 PM | 1.5 | 27° | 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.76 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 36% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (53%). August 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 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 83 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 84 | 83 | 80 |
| Low °F | 64 | 62 | 63 | 65 | 68 | 69 | 71 | 72 | 71 | 71 | 69 | 66 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
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 botanical garden
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- A macro lens or close-up filter opens a world of detail — try a shallow aperture against a soft background.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
Suggested gear: Macro lens, Diffuser, Small reflector. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Kahanu Garden, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Waterfall
BeachWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Waterfall
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Haleakalā National Park (Cabin Permits)16.9 km (10.5 mi) · reservable
- Haleakalā National Park (Wilderness Tent Permit)20 km (12 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Kahanu Garden?
What time is golden hour at Kahanu Garden?
Where does the sun rise and set at Kahanu Garden?
Can you see the Milky Way from Kahanu Garden?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Kahanu Garden?
How far is Kahanu Garden from Hana?
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.