Hawaii · United States
October
Ironman month on the Big Island — excellent weather, great value, and the most dramatic sporting event in Hawaii.
Best match
#2 of 12 months
October is one of the best times to visit Hawaii.
Climate
High
30°C
Low
24°C
Rain
42mm
Sun
8hrs/day
30-year climate normals · Open Meteo ERA5
How October scores in Hawaii
Weather
Excellent
Value
Very good
Crowds
Very good
Events
Very good
Atmosphere
Excellent
What you gain in October
- ↑Ironman World Championship (mid-October, Kailua-Kona, Big Island) is one of sport's most compelling spectacle events — 2,000 triathletes covering 226km under Kona's heat in a race that has defined the sport since 1978; the lava-field bike course and the finish line on Ali'i Drive are extraordinary to spectate, and the week of events is free to watch
- ↑October delivers very good weather: 8.0 sunshine hours daily, just 42mm of rain, and temperatures of 30°C — statistically better than the winter months and with none of summer's prices; it is arguably the most sensible month for a pure-value Hawaii trip
- ↑The Big Island's Kohala Coast and Kona resorts specifically are at their best in October — Ironman week aside, the remainder of October is the quietest month at these properties, and rates drop to their lowest levels since spring
What you sacrifice
- ↓The Ironman race itself (typically the second Saturday of October) causes Kailua-Kona to be completely full for the surrounding week — if you plan to be on the Big Island during Ironman, book accommodation 8–12 months in advance; if not, avoid those specific dates
- ↓The winter rainy season is beginning to re-establish — October sees more rain than September (42mm vs 22mm), predominantly on north and east-facing coasts; while the south and west coasts of all islands remain largely dry, the windward sides become wetter
- ↓North Shore Oahu surf begins returning in October — while the giant winter waves don't arrive until November/December, October sees the first swells of the season and some north-facing Oahu beaches start posting advisory flags
How October compares to May (best month)
| Factor | October | May ★ |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | 8 | 9 |
| Value | 7 | 7 |
| Crowds | 7 | 7 |
October in other destinations
Lisbon (21.1°C)Barcelona (21.2°C)Tokyo (22.4°C)Bali (31.1°C)Santorini (20.9°C)Paris (16°C)New York (18.5°C)Marrakech (27.1°C)Amsterdam (14.4°C)Maldives (30.3°C)Rome (20.7°C)Bangkok (30.6°C)Istanbul (19.2°C)Vienna (16.1°C)Seoul (18.4°C)Dubrovnik (20.2°C)Rio de Janeiro (27.6°C)Kyoto (22.8°C)Phuket (31.2°C)Cape Town (21.4°C)Prague (14°C)Amalfi Coast (22°C)Mexico City (22°C)Medellín (27°C)Fiji (28°C)London (15°C)Sydney (22°C)Iceland (6°C)Tulum (31°C)Dubai (34°C)Singapore (32°C)Hoi An (29°C)Chiang Mai (30.5°C)Miami (30°C)Florence (19.8°C)Queenstown (15.5°C)Madrid (19.8°C)Porto (21°C)Edinburgh (13°C)Copenhagen (13°C)Budapest (17°C)Kraków (13°C)Tbilisi (19°C)Palawan (30°C)Hanoi (29°C)Osaka (22°C)Goa (32°C)Cusco (21°C)Buenos Aires (22°C)Mykonos (22°C)Zanzibar (29°C)Sri Lanka (30°C)Costa Rica (25°C)Cancun (30°C)Krabi (32°C)Athens (23°C)Seville (24°C)Cartagena (31°C)Siem Reap (30°C)Havana (29°C)Split (20°C)Taipei (27°C)Kuala Lumpur (32°C)Valletta (25°C)Ho Chi Minh City (32°C)Cappadocia (19°C)Dominican Republic (30°C)Jamaica (31°C)Tanzania (27°C)Seychelles (28°C)Nepal (24°C)Jordan (26°C)Azores (22°C)Bora Bora (28°C)Los Angeles (25.3°C)Cairo (30.6°C)Kenya (26.2°C)Jaipur (33.5°C)Las Vegas (28.8°C)San Francisco (20.3°C)Madeira (24°C)Vancouver (13.5°C)Muscat (35.2°C)Lima (19.5°C)Cinque Terre (20°C)Kotor (21°C)Tel Aviv (26°C)Santiago (22°C)Bogotá (18°C)Bruges (14.8°C)Penang (31.2°C)Lombok (31.5°C)Cape Verde (28.5°C)Fez (26.4°C)Kerala (31°C)Kigali (26°C)Hong Kong (26°C)Oslo (12°C)Auckland (18°C)
Climate data: 30-year normals (1991–2020) from Open Meteo ERA5 reanalysis. Scores compare months within Hawaii, not across destinations. Methodology →