Located in Kauai County, Hawaii, Limahuli Garden and Preserve is a botanical garden. The nearest town is Princeville, about 10.0 km (6.2 mi) away (Limahuli Garden and Preserve lies W of town).
The Limahuli Garden and Preserve is a 17-acre botanical garden (6.9 ha) and 985-acre nature preserve (399 ha) on the north shore of Kauaʻi island, Hawaiʻi. It is one of the five gardens of the nonprofit National Tropical Botanical Garden.From the Wikipedia article “Limahuli Garden and Preserve”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Limahuli Garden and Preserve 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 44° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:43 AM | 90° E | 6:50 PM | 270° W | 68° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:56 AM | 64° ENE | 7:26 PM | 296° WNW | 89° | 13h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:28 AM | 89° E | 6:36 PM | 271° W | 68° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:14 AM | 115° ESE | 6:00 PM | 245° WSW | 44° | 10h 46m |
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 | 6:57 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:40 PM | 10h 55m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:36 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 26m |
| March | 6:25 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:11 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:29 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:22 PM | 12h 40m |
| May | 5:35 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:31 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:36 PM | 13h 12m |
| June | 5:30 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:49 PM | 13h 29m |
| July | 5:39 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:36 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:50 PM | 13h 22m |
| August | 5:53 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:47 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 54m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:26 AM | 6:56 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:05 PM | 12h 17m |
| October | 6:13 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:05 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:37 PM | 11h 39m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:23 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:20 PM | 11h 05m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:25 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 47m |
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 Limahuli Garden and Preserve, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.5 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| February | 4:31 AM – 5:51 AM | 1.3 | 25° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:42 AM – 5:22 AM | 2.7 | 35° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:35 AM – 4:55 AM | 4.3 | 39° | SE → S |
| May | 10:43 PM – 4:33 AM | 5.8 | 39° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:50 PM – 4:20 AM | 7.5 | 39° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:50 PM – 3:00 AM | 6.2 | 39° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:29 PM – 12:59 AM | 4.5 | 39° | S → SW |
| September | 7:57 PM – 10:57 PM | 3.0 | 36° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:28 PM – 8:58 PM | 1.5 | 26° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.79 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 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.
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Limahuli Garden and Preserve, closest first.
State Park
Waterfall
Beach
WaterfallWaterfall
BeachWaterfall
State ParkBeachFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Limahuli Garden and Preserve?
What time is golden hour at Limahuli Garden and Preserve?
Where does the sun rise and set at Limahuli Garden and Preserve?
Can you see the Milky Way from Limahuli Garden and Preserve?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Limahuli Garden and Preserve?
How far is Limahuli Garden and Preserve from Princeville?
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.