Maui Nui Botanical Gardens — a botanical garden in Maui County, Hawaii — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Kahului, about 1.4 km (0.9 mi) away (Maui Nui Botanical Gardens lies WNW of town).
Maui Nui Botanical Gardens formerly known as the Maui Zoological and Botanical Gardens, are botanical gardens covering 5 acres (2.0 ha) and located at 150 Kanaloa Avenue, Kahului, Maui, Hawaii. The gardens were established in 1976 by Rene Sylva within a coastal dune system, and are primarily focused on conserving native Hawaiian plants of the dry forest and coastal areas of Maui Nui (Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and Kahoolawe). The gardens also contain a good collection of Polynesian-introduced plants. At present, plantings include 40 sugarcane varieties, 15 sweet potato varieties, and over 60 known taro varieties. The gardens also include a greenhouse and a shade house for plant propagation, picnic tables, and restrooms.From the Wikipedia article “Maui Nui Botanical Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Maui Nui Botanical Gardens 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) | 6:31 AM | 90° E | 6:38 PM | 270° W | 69° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 65° ENE | 7:11 PM | 296° WNW | 87° | 13h 24m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:16 AM | 89° E | 6:23 PM | 271° W | 69° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:59 AM | 115° ESE | 5:51 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 | 6:42 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:30 PM | 11h 00m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:48 PM | 11h 28m |
| March | 6:13 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:05 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:36 PM | 6:58 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:45 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:37 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:08 PM | 12h 38m |
| May | 5:25 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:21 PM | 13h 08m |
| June | 5:21 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:34 PM | 13h 24m |
| July | 5:30 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:26 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:35 PM | 13h 17m |
| August | 5:43 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:36 AM | 6:27 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:20 PM | 12h 51m |
| September | 5:52 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:43 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:52 PM | 12h 16m |
| October | 6:00 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:52 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:25 PM | 11h 41m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:08 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:09 PM | 11h 09m |
| December | 6:32 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 52m |
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 Maui Nui Botanical Gardens, 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | — | 5° | — |
| February | 4:10 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.5 | 26° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:20 AM – 5:20 AM | 3.0 | 37° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:22 AM – 4:42 AM | 4.3 | 40° | SE → S |
| May | 10:18 PM – 4:18 AM | 6.0 | 40° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:34 PM – 4:14 AM | 7.7 | 40° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:34 PM – 2:54 AM | 6.3 | 40° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:15 PM – 12:45 AM | 4.5 | 40° | S → SW |
| September | 7:44 PM – 10:44 PM | 3.0 | 37° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:17 PM – 8:47 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.76 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
- 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.
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Maui Nui Botanical Gardens, closest first.
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LakeFAQ
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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.