Located in Maui County, Hawaii, Kalawao is a ghost town. It lies in or next to Kalaupapa National Historical Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 9.5 km (5.9 mi) ENE of Kualapu‘u.
Kalawao (Hawaiian pronunciation: [kələˈvɐo̯]) is a location on the eastern side of the Kalaupapa Peninsula of the island of Molokai, in Hawaii, which was the site of Hawaii's leper colony between 1866 and the early 20th century. Thousands of people in total came to the island to live in quarantine. It was one of two such settlements on Molokai, the other being Kalaupapa. Administratively Kalawao is part of Kalawao County. The placename means "mountain-side wild woods" in Hawaiian.From the Wikipedia article “Kalawao, Hawaii”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Kalawao 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) | 6:33 AM | 90° E | 6:40 PM | 270° W | 69° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 64° ENE | 7:13 PM | 296° WNW | 88° | 13h 25m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:17 AM | 89° E | 6:25 PM | 271° W | 69° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:01 AM | 115° ESE | 5:52 PM | 245° WSW | 45° | 10h 51m |
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
Weathered wood and rusted metal show texture best in low-angle light; overcast skies suit interiors and moody black-and-white work.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:45 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:31 PM | 10h 59m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 28m |
| March | 6:15 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:38 PM | 7:00 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:47 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:39 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:10 PM | 12h 38m |
| May | 5:27 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:28 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:23 PM | 13h 09m |
| June | 5:22 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:36 PM | 13h 25m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:27 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:38 PM | 13h 18m |
| August | 5:44 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:38 AM | 6:29 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:22 PM | 12h 52m |
| September | 5:54 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:45 AM | 6:03 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:54 PM | 12h 16m |
| October | 6:02 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:54 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:27 PM | 11h 40m |
| November | 6:16 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:11 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:11 PM | 11h 08m |
| December | 6:34 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 51m |
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 Kalawao, 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 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 | 4:12 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.5 | 26° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:22 AM – 5:22 AM | 3.0 | 37° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:24 AM – 4:44 AM | 4.3 | 40° | SE → S |
| May | 10:21 PM – 4:21 AM | 6.0 | 40° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:37 PM – 4:17 AM | 7.7 | 40° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:37 PM – 2:47 AM | 6.2 | 40° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:17 PM – 12:47 AM | 4.5 | 40° | S → SW |
| September | 7:46 PM – 10:46 PM | 3.0 | 37° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:19 PM – 8:49 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.63 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 51% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (67%). 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 | 78 | 78 | 79 | 78 | 79 | 81 | 81 | 83 | 84 | 83 | 82 | 80 |
| Low °F | 66 | 65 | 67 | 69 | 71 | 74 | 74 | 74 | 75 | 73 | 73 | 71 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.6 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 2.0 |
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 ghost town
- For interiors with windows, blend two exposures (one for inside, one for the view) instead of relying on HDR alone.
- Old buildings under the Milky Way make strong night images in dark rural skies.
- Look for details: door hinges, faded signs, square nails and window frames tell the story.
- Leave everything as you found it; removing artifacts from public land is illegal.
- Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Wide-angle lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Sturdy boots. 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 Kalawao, closest first.
Volcano
Waterfall
Scenic Viewpoint
Lighthouse
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WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Kalawao?
What time is golden hour at Kalawao?
Where does the sun rise and set at Kalawao?
Can you see the Milky Way from Kalawao?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Kalawao?
How far is Kalawao from Kualapu‘u?
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.