Best Landscape Photography Locations in Hawaii

Hawaii's volcanic islands range from black-sand beaches at sea level to the summits of Mauna Kea and Haleakalā, high-altitude sites dark and clear enough to host major astronomical observatories. That same elevation and distance from large population centers is what makes several of Hawaii's locations genuinely exceptional for night photography.

By Robert Bridgewater · Last updated July 29, 2026

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Nā Pali Coast State Wilderness Park

Coastal

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
5 km from the coast

Akaka Falls Waterfall

Waterfall

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 347 m elevation
5 km from the coast

Lava Flow

Landscape

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 108 m elevation
3 km from the coast

Entrée de lave dans l'océan pacifique

Seascape

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
On the coast

Pipiwai Trail

Waterfall

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Valley or low-lying terrain · 142 m elevation
1 km from the coast

Volcanic Rock Beach Hana

Beach

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 6 m elevation
On the coast

Pua'a Ka'a Falls

Waterfall

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Varied terrain nearby, significant relief · 388 m elevation
2 km from the coast

Waianapanapa State Park Sunset Maui Hawaii

Landscape

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
On the coast

The road to Hana Maui Hawaii

Hill

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 312 m elevation
2 km from the coast

Kaumana Caves State Park

Landscape

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky · ≈ Bortle 3 with nearby skyglow
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 289 m elevation
7 km from the coast

Bamboo Waimoku Falls near Hana Maui Hawaii

Waterfall

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Valley or low-lying terrain · 204 m elevation
2 km from the coast

Maui

Tropical

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 76 m elevation
On the coast

Akaka Falls State Park

Waterfall

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 347 m elevation
5 km from the coast

Upper Waikani Fall

Waterfall

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 206 m elevation
1 km from the coast

Anahola Beach Kauai

Beach

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
On the coast

Pu’uhonua O Hōnauanau National Park

Landscape

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 7 m elevation
On the coast

Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge

Landscape

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 8 m elevation
On the coast

Kilauea volcano meets the sea Big Island

Landscape

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
On the coast

Secret Cove

Beach

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 7 m elevation
On the coast

Captain Cook Monument Big Island

Coastal

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Valley or low-lying terrain · 10 m elevation
On the coast

Beach near Pūpūkea

Beach

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
On the coast

Waipo'o Falls

Waterfall

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Elevated, dramatic terrain — ridge or summit position · 1,046 m elevation
7 km from the coast

Huialoha Church, Maui

Seascape

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 27 m elevation
On the coast

Chinamans Hat

Beach

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
On the coast

Akaka Falls

Waterfall

Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
Flat or gently rolling terrain · 356 m elevation
5 km from the coast

Planning a night out at one of these locations? Use the free Milky Way Calendar to check moon phase and dark-sky windows, or read the Blue Hour & Star Trail Photography Guide for how to plan the shoot itself.

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