Located in Honolulu County, Hawaii, Manoa Falls is a waterfall at about 365 m (1,198 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Upper Manoa, about 2.2 km (1.4 mi) away (Manoa Falls lies NNE of town).
Mānoa Falls is a 150-foot (46 m) waterfall along the Manoa Falls Trail in Honolulu, Hawaii. Swimming in the pool below the waterfall is highly discouraged because there is a threat of becoming infected with Leptospirosis, a disease causing mild to moderate flulike symptoms that can last for 1 to 2 weeks. Many tourists are attracted to the waterfall and the scenery throughout the trail leading to it. Another attraction near Mānoa Falls is the Lyon Arboretum, which preserves many endangered Hawaiian plant species. The hike to the waterfall and back takes about one hour. The waterfall and surrounding area experience rainfall almost every day, and flash floods can occur.From the Wikipedia article “Mānoa Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Manoa Falls 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) | 6:36 AM | 90° E | 6:43 PM | 270° W | 69° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 64° ENE | 7:17 PM | 296° WNW | 88° | 13h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:21 AM | 89° E | 6:29 PM | 271° W | 69° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:05 AM | 115° ESE | 5:55 PM | 245° WSW | 45° | 10h 50m |
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
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:48 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:34 PM | 10h 58m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:53 PM | 11h 27m |
| March | 6:18 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:04 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:14 PM | 12h 38m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:27 PM | 13h 09m |
| June | 5:25 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:40 PM | 13h 25m |
| July | 5:34 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:30 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:41 PM | 13h 19m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:41 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:26 PM | 12h 52m |
| September | 5:57 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:35 PM | 6:58 PM | 12h 16m |
| October | 6:05 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:57 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:30 PM | 11h 40m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:15 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:14 PM | 11h 07m |
| December | 6:38 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 50m |
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 Manoa Falls, 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 8 (city 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 | — | 5° | — |
| February | 4:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.5 | 26° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:25 AM – 5:25 AM | 3.0 | 37° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:27 AM – 4:47 AM | 4.3 | 40° | SE → S |
| May | 10:24 PM – 4:24 AM | 6.0 | 40° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:40 PM – 4:20 AM | 7.7 | 40° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:40 PM – 2:50 AM | 6.2 | 40° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:20 PM – 12:50 AM | 4.5 | 40° | S → SW |
| September | 7:49 PM – 10:49 PM | 3.0 | 37° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:22 PM – 8:52 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.02 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 47% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 83 | 83 | 85 | 85 | 84 | 83 | 80 |
| Low °F | 68 | 66 | 66 | 67 | 70 | 74 | 74 | 75 | 75 | 73 | 72 | 69 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 2.9 |
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 waterfall
- Use 1/4 to 1 second for a silky look; 1/500 s or faster freezes individual drops.
- A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
- Spring snowmelt and the days after heavy rain give the strongest flow; late summer flow can drop to a trickle.
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Manoa Falls, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Mountain Peak
WaterfallWaterfall
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Manoa Falls?
What time is golden hour at Manoa Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Manoa Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Manoa Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Manoa Falls?
How far is Manoa Falls from Upper Manoa?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.