Beach Guide

Makena Big Beach Sunset

Makena State Park (Pu'u Olai viewpoint) · painted for this minute from Makena Big Beach’s own horizon and tonight’s cloud forecast

Fri Oct 30 · — HSTLIVE

The sun is touching the horizon · overcast at 91% · low clouds 43% on the horizon

The sun goes down at

5:53 PM

T-00:05:00

It sets straight into the water, so the official sunset time is when you will see it go. Look west-south-west, to the right of Pu'U Olai. Golden hour starts at 5:22 PM.

Sunset Score · Overcast (91% cover): you may not see the sun go down. Try another night. Thin high clouds (84%) that turn pink after the sun goes down; low clouds (43%) along the horizon could hide the sun a few minutes early.

4 PM · 5:48 PM · 9:30 PM

Prefer the real thing? Watch the live Makena Beach Cam cam →

Tonight’s Lineup

artisans & buskers
🌊

Bodysurfers

all afternoon

🐢

Honu (Turtles)

at dusk

🦭

Hawaiian Monk Seal

occasional

🌺

Hula Practitioners

sunset

🎸

Drum Circles

Sunday evenings

Know Before You Go

Sunset view

the north lot

look southwest from the Pu'u Olai base for the full Channel view

Climb Pu'u Olai

20 min

scramble up the cinder cone for 360-degree views at sunset

State park

free entry

no fee, no reservation — just show up early

Wildlife

turtles & seals

honu haul out; monk seals rest on the sand occasionally

see you at sunset

Tonight’s times, the week ahead and the year by month are below. Makena Sunset runs nightly, weather permitting, from about two hours before sunset.

What time is sunset at Makena Big Beach tonight?

Tonight, Friday, October 30, the sun sets at 5:53 PM at Makena Big Beach. It sets over open water here, so that is when you will see it go. Golden hour starts at 5:22 PM, and the sky stays light until about 6:15 PM. Tonight's Sunset Score is 3 out of 10. Overcast (91% cover): you may not see the sun go down. Try another night.

Sunrise today was at 6:28 AM, which gives Makena Big Beach 11 hr 25 min of daylight. It is fully dark by about 6:41 PM.

Makena Big Beach sunset times this week

The next seven evenings at Makena Big Beach: when the sun goes down, when golden hour starts and when the last light fades, plus the Sunset Score from each night's cloud forecast.

DaySunsetGolden hourLast lightCloudScore
Tonight5:53 PMfrom 5:22 PM6:15 PM91%3/10
Sat Oct 315:52 PMfrom 5:21 PM6:14 PM100%3/10
Sun Nov 15:52 PMfrom 5:20 PM6:14 PM100%3/10
Mon Nov 25:51 PMfrom 5:20 PM6:13 PM17%7/10
Tue Nov 35:51 PMfrom 5:19 PM6:13 PM65%9/10
Wed Nov 45:50 PMfrom 5:19 PM6:12 PM100%3/10
Thu Nov 55:50 PMfrom 5:18 PM6:12 PM69%6/10

Where to watch the sunset at Makena Big Beach

Tonight the sun goes down in the west-south-west (256° on a compass), to the right of Pu'U Olai as you face the water. The favorite place to watch is Makena State Park (Pu'u Olai viewpoint).

Tonight’s timeline for Makena Sunset is at the top of this page.

Can’t make it to the beach? Watch the live Makena Beach Cam cam at sunset.

Where the sun sets through the year

The spot where the sun sets moves along the horizon through the year. Around June 21 it goes down furthest north, in the west-north-west (295°); around December 21 it goes down furthest south, in the west-south-west (245°). In June it drops behind land 30 miles away. In December it drops behind land 8.9 miles away.

Golden hour and blue hour at Makena Big Beach

Golden hour tonight runs from 5:22 PM to sunset at 5:53 PM. The sun is low, the light is warm and soft, and shadows are long. It is the best time for photos of people on the beach.

Blue hour follows, from about 6:06 PM to 6:23 PM, when the sun is below the horizon and the sky turns deep blue. The first lights come on along the shore and the water holds the last of the color.

Makena Big Beach sunset times by month

Sunrise, sunset and daylight on the 15th of each month. Over the next year the earliest sunset is 5:45 PM (Wed Nov 25) and the latest is 7:12 PM (Sun Jul 4). Times are local and include daylight saving time where it applies.

MonthSunriseSunsetDaylight
October 20266:22 AM6:03 PM11 hr 41 min
November 20266:37 AM5:47 PM11 hr 9 min
December 20266:56 AM5:49 PM10 hr 53 min
January 20277:06 AM6:07 PM11 hr 1 min
February 20276:57 AM6:26 PM11 hr 28 min
March 20276:36 AM6:36 PM12 hr 1 min
April 20276:08 AM6:45 PM12 hr 37 min
May 20275:50 AM6:57 PM13 hr 7 min
June 20275:46 AM7:09 PM13 hr 23 min
July 20275:55 AM7:11 PM13 hr 16 min
August 20276:06 AM6:57 PM12 hr 51 min
September 20276:14 AM6:31 PM12 hr 16 min

Tips for a great sunset at Makena Big Beach

  • Arrive 30 to 45 minutes early. The best spots fill up, and the light is often at its best in the last half hour before the sun goes down.
  • Stay 20 minutes after. The clouds often light up brightest after the sun is gone, and most people have already left.
  • Check the Sunset Score. Scattered clouds make the most color. A clear sky gives a clean sunset that fades fast, and a heavy overcast can hide it.
  • Plan your parking. Sunset is a busy time at popular beaches. See Makena Big Beach parking for lots and rates.
  • Look at the water too. Today’s wind, waves and water temperature are on the Makena Big Beach conditions page.
  • Make a night of it. Find places to eat and sunset cruises and things to do at Makena Big Beach.

How we work out the sunset time

The official sunset time is when the top of the sun sinks below a flat sea horizon. We also check Makena Big Beach’s real horizon: the hills, headlands and islands you can see from the sand. When land is in the way, the sun disappears before the official time, and we show you that earlier time. The Sunset Score rates how colorful the sky should be from the cloud forecast at sunset. Buildings are not included, so a tall hotel beside you can still hide the last minute.

Makena Big Beach sunset FAQ

What time is sunset at Makena Big Beach today?

The sun sets at 5:53 PM at Makena Big Beach today (Friday, October 30).

What time is sunrise at Makena Big Beach today?

The sun rose at 6:28 AM at Makena Big Beach today.

How many hours of daylight does Makena Big Beach get today?

11 hr 25 min of daylight, from 6:28 AM to 5:53 PM.

When is golden hour at Makena Big Beach tonight?

Golden hour at Makena Big Beach runs from 5:22 PM to sunset at 5:53 PM, when the sun is low and the light turns warm and soft. Blue hour follows, from 6:06 PM to 6:23 PM.

When does it get dark at Makena Big Beach tonight?

The sky stays light enough to see without a flashlight until about 6:15 PM, the end of civil twilight. It is fully dark by about 6:41 PM.

Will the sunset be good at Makena Big Beach tonight?

Tonight's Sunset Score is 3 out of 10, from the cloud forecast at sunset. Overcast (91% cover): you may not see the sun go down. Try another night.

Which direction does the sun set at Makena Big Beach?

Tonight the sun sets in the west-south-west, at 256° on a compass. Through the year it moves between the west-north-west in June and the west-south-west in December.

Can you see the sun set over the water at Makena Big Beach?

Yes. Tonight the sun sets over open water, to the west-south-west.

What are the earliest and latest sunset times at Makena Big Beach?

Over the next year the earliest sunset at Makena Big Beach is 5:45 PM on Wednesday, November 25, and the latest is 7:12 PM on Sunday, July 4.

Where is the best place to watch the sunset at Makena Big Beach?

Makena State Park (Pu'u Olai viewpoint) is the favorite spot at Makena Big Beach. Get there 30 to 45 minutes before sunset for a good place, and stay 20 minutes after for the afterglow.

Is there a live sunset cam at Makena Big Beach?

Yes. The Makena Beach Cam live cam shows Makena Big Beach in real time, linked from this page.

Sunset tonight at beaches near Makena Big Beach

Wailea Beach sunset3 mi5:53 PM
Ka'anapali Beach sunset25 mi5:54 PM
Kapalua Bay sunset29 mi5:54 PM
Hapuna Beach sunset60 mi5:51 PM
Hanauma Bay sunset91 mi5:57 PM
Lanikai Beach sunset97 mi5:57 PM

See every beach on one map: sunset times tonight across the US →