Located in Kauai County, Hawaii, McBryde Garden is a botanical garden. The nearest town is Koloa-Poipu, about 1.8 km (1.1 mi) away (McBryde Garden lies SW of town).
McBryde Garden (approx. 200 acres (81 ha)) is a botanical garden located on the south shore of Kauai, Hawaii. It is one of five gardens of the non-profit National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG). The garden is situated above Lāwaʻi Bay, in a valley transected by the Lāwaʻi Stream. Queen Emma of Hawaii resided above this valley for a short interval, and a modest house that was perhaps her residence has subsequently been moved to the valley floor and renovated. The valley was purchased by the McBryde family in the late 19th century for a sugarcane plantation. This first garden of the National Tropical Botanical Garden (then Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden) was started in 1970 with the purchase of 171 acres (69 ha) by the institution and has since expanded. Initially called Lāwaʻi Garden, the site was renamed in 2000 as a result of a generous donation from the McBryde descendants.From the Wikipedia article “McBryde Garden”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At McBryde Garden 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 88° in summer but only 45° 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 | 7:25 PM | 296° WNW | 88° | 13h 28m |
| 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 | 6:01 PM | 245° WSW | 45° | 10h 48m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:40 PM | 10h 57m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:36 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 26m |
| March | 6:25 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:10 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:28 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:21 PM | 12h 39m |
| May | 5:36 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:31 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:35 PM | 13h 11m |
| June | 5:30 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:48 PM | 13h 28m |
| July | 5:40 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:36 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:49 PM | 13h 21m |
| August | 5:53 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:47 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:33 PM | 12h 53m |
| September | 6:03 AM | 6:26 AM | 6:55 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:42 PM | 7:05 PM | 12h 17m |
| October | 6:12 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:05 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:36 PM | 11h 39m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:25 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:20 PM | 11h 06m |
| December | 6:46 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:25 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:23 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 McBryde 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 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 | 4:31 AM – 5:51 AM | 1.3 | 25° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:42 AM – 5:32 AM | 2.8 | 36° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:35 AM – 4:55 AM | 4.3 | 39° | SE → S |
| May | 10:33 PM – 4:33 AM | 6.0 | 39° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:49 PM – 4:29 AM | 7.7 | 39° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:49 PM – 2:59 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 | — | 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 ≈ 20.1 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (54%). 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 | 79 | 78 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 85 | 85 | 83 | 82 | 81 |
| Low °F | 69 | 67 | 67 | 69 | 71 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 76 | 75 | 72 | 69 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 3.6 |
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.
- 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 McBryde Garden, closest first.
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Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfallFAQ
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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.