Manuka State Wayside Park — a botanical garden in Hawaii County, Hawaii — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 7.8 km (4.8 mi) NW of Hawaiian Ocean View.
The Manuka State Wayside Park is a state park of 13.4 acres (5.4 ha) with an arboretum located approximately 19 miles (31 km) west of Naʻalehu, on the Mamalahoa Highway (Route 11) section of the Hawaii Belt Road, on the island of Hawaii, Hawaii, coordinates 19°6′33″N 155°49′33″W The name means "blundering" in the Hawaiian Language, and was the name of the ancient land division (ahupaʻa) that ran from a bay on the southwest side of the island up the slopes of the Mauna Loa volcano. The arboretum of 8 acres (3.2 ha) was originally planted in the mid-19th century with native and introduced plants. It now contains 48 species of native Hawaiian plants and more than 130 species of other exotic plants and flowers, and is surrounded by the 25,550-acre (10,340 ha) Manuka Forest Reserve. There is also a pit crater on the trail. Services at the park include restrooms, trash cans, and camping in...From the Wikipedia article “Manuka State Wayside Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Manuka State Wayside Park 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 295° (WNW) in June to 245° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 86° in summer but only 47° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:28 AM | 90° E | 6:35 PM | 270° W | 71° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 65° ENE | 7:04 PM | 295° WNW | 86° | 13h 17m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:13 AM | 89° E | 6:21 PM | 271° W | 71° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:53 AM | 115° ESE | 5:52 PM | 245° WSW | 47° | 10h 59m |
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 | 6:37 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:30 PM | 11h 06m |
| February | 6:30 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 32m |
| March | 6:10 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:01 AM | 6:05 PM | 6:34 PM | 6:56 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:44 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:36 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:04 PM | 12h 35m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:15 PM | 13h 02m |
| June | 5:22 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:27 PM | 13h 16m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:26 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:29 PM | 13h 10m |
| August | 5:43 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:35 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:15 PM | 12h 47m |
| September | 5:50 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:41 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:49 PM | 12h 15m |
| October | 5:56 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:48 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:23 PM | 11h 43m |
| November | 6:09 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:03 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:09 PM | 11h 14m |
| December | 6:26 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 59m |
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 Manuka State Wayside Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 42° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| February | 4:08 AM – 5:28 AM | 1.3 | 26° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:16 AM – 5:16 AM | 3.0 | 39° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:16 AM – 4:46 AM | 4.5 | 42° | SE → S |
| May | 10:11 PM – 4:21 AM | 6.2 | 42° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:26 PM – 4:16 AM | 7.8 | 42° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:26 PM – 2:56 AM | 6.5 | 42° | SE → SW |
| August | 8:08 PM – 12:48 AM | 4.7 | 42° | S → SW |
| September | 7:40 PM – 10:50 PM | 3.2 | 39° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:14 PM – 8:54 PM | 1.7 | 28° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.68 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show January as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 77 | 78 | 76 | 79 | 81 | 80 | 83 | 82 | 79 | 78 | 76 |
| Low °F | 50 | 46 | 48 | 52 | 53 | 55 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 53 | 50 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.6 | 6.6 | 8.6 | 7.7 | 5.4 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 5.4 | 4.8 | 5.3 | 6.7 | 6.6 |
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.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Manuka State Wayside Park?
What time is golden hour at Manuka State Wayside Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Manuka State Wayside Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Manuka State Wayside Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Manuka State Wayside Park?
How far is Manuka State Wayside Park from Hawaiian Ocean View?
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.