Hōlei sea arch is a natural arch in Hawaii County, Hawaii. It lies in or next to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Fern Forest, about 19.4 km (12.1 mi) away (Hōlei sea arch lies SSE of town).
Hōlei Sea Arch was a 90-foot (27 m) high natural arch located in Hawaiʻi, on the southern coast of the Big Island, south of Kīlauea. This rock formation was born from marine erosion, in which the waves of the Pacific Ocean create this natural bridge of lava cliffs. The arch was made of basalt. It took its name from the Hōlei Pali, the escarpment located up on the slopes of the volcano. Located in the Ka'ū District of Hawaii County and in the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, the tourist attraction was at the end of the Chain of Craters Road which was cut short by the lava flows emitted by Puʻu ʻŌʻō Crater in 1990. A total of four people in the past decade have fallen off to their death. Between September 23 and 27, 2026, the arch had collapsed amidst the passage of Hurricane Nolo. The National Park Service confirmed its collapse on October 1; the exact date and time is unknown.From the Wikipedia article “Hōlei Sea Arch”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hōlei sea arch 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) | 6:25 AM | 90° E | 6:32 PM | 270° W | 71° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:44 AM | 65° ENE | 7:02 PM | 295° WNW | 86° | 13h 18m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:10 AM | 89° E | 6:18 PM | 271° W | 71° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:50 AM | 115° ESE | 5:48 PM | 245° WSW | 47° | 10h 58m |
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
Arches glow when reflected light bounces off nearby rock — the underside of an arch often turns bright orange just after sunrise or before sunset.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:34 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:27 PM | 11h 06m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:44 PM | 11h 31m |
| March | 6:08 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:53 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:41 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:33 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:01 PM | 12h 35m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:13 PM | 13h 03m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:25 PM | 13h 17m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:26 PM | 13h 11m |
| August | 5:39 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:32 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:12 PM | 12h 47m |
| September | 5:47 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:38 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:46 PM | 12h 15m |
| October | 5:53 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:45 AM | 5:29 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:20 PM | 11h 43m |
| November | 6:06 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:00 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:06 PM | 11h 14m |
| December | 6:23 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:19 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 58m |
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 Hōlei sea arch, 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| February | 4:05 AM – 5:35 AM | 1.5 | 27° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:13 AM – 5:13 AM | 3.0 | 38° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:13 AM – 4:43 AM | 4.5 | 42° | SE → S |
| May | 10:08 PM – 4:18 AM | 6.2 | 42° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:23 PM – 4:13 AM | 7.8 | 42° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:24 PM – 2:54 AM | 6.5 | 42° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:06 PM – 12:46 AM | 4.7 | 42° | S → SW |
| September | 7:37 PM – 10:47 PM | 3.2 | 39° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:11 PM – 8:51 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: 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 ≈ 21.85 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 natural arch
- Use a wide lens and get close to emphasize the span against the sky.
- Never climb on arches; many are fragile and climbing is prohibited on park lands.
- Midday sun creates hard shadows, but can light the underside through reflection in narrow canyons.
- Frame distant features through the opening of the arch for a natural window.
- At night, arches make classic Milky Way foregrounds; low-level lighting or blue hour exposures keep the rock detailed.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures in desert arch country; summer heat is extreme at midday.
Suggested gear: Ultra-wide lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Plenty of water. 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 Hōlei sea arch, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
VolcanoScenic Viewpoint
VolcanoScenic Viewpoint
VolcanoFAQ
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How far is Hōlei sea arch from Fern Forest?
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.