Haleakala Sunrise

About this spectacle

Standing at the summit of Haleakalā, visitors huddle in the predawn cold at over 10,000 feet as darkness slowly gives way to a bruised palette of purples and deep blues. The volcanic crater stretches below in silence, its cinder cones and lava fields emerging from shadow as the horizon begins to glow amber and rose. When the sun finally crests the cloud layer far below, it casts dramatic light across the caldera, and on clear mornings the shadow of the mountain itself stretches westward across Maui. Temperatures near freezing demand warm layers even in summer, and the thin air adds a physical edge to the experience. The cloud deck below the summit — a near-constant feature — makes visitors feel suspended above the world, watching the sun rise out of a sea of white. It is one of the most widely celebrated sunrise viewpoints in the Hawaiian Islands.

When to go

Jan — Dec

Getting there

Nearest airport: OGG. Nearest city: Kahului.

Booking options

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