# When is off season in Hawaii?



## javabean (Mar 27, 2010)

We have a request in for exchanging to Hawaii for next summer 2011. Well, I just took the plunge yesterday and put in my retirement papers. Now I can call II and open up our travel availablity window. I would really, really like to see the migration of the whales. I've read that is between November and February. Please correct me if I'm wrong. What is Hawaii like in the spring? Is there a down season where places are closed? I appreciate any input. We have only been to Hawaii once and that was at the peak of summer. I'm still shaking from making the retirement decision and haven't begun to research but I want to ammend that II request as soon as possible.


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## bryanphunter (Mar 27, 2010)

javabean said:


> I would really, really like to see the migration of the whales. I've read that is between November and February. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Cathyb (Mar 27, 2010)

*javabean*



javabean said:


> We have a request in for exchanging to Hawaii for next summer 2011. Well, I just took the plunge yesterday and put in my retirement papers. Now I can call II and open up our travel availablity window. I would really, really like to see the migration of the whales. I've read that is between November and February. Please correct me if I'm wrong. What is Hawaii like in the spring? Is there a down season where places are closed? I appreciate any input. We have only been to Hawaii once and that was at the peak of summer. I'm still shaking from making the retirement decision and haven't begun to research but I want to ammend that II request as soon as possible.



You will love retirement!   I believe you are correct in whale spotting -- Jan Feb being the most likely.  Maui has a lot of whale sightings just offshore.  Hawaii has warm weather year-round.  It may rain a little more in Jan-Mar -- suggest you Google the weather charts.  Never are there places closed in Hawaii due to lack of visitors.  May and September might be the easiest trade into Hawaii due to kids in school; but no whales.


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## sun starved Gayle (Mar 27, 2010)

The first couple of weeks AFTER Thanksgiving but BEFORE Christmas week always seem to have a lot of availability in Hawaii.

Gayle


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## Sandy VDH (Mar 27, 2010)

Judging by HGVCs point guide the only lower seasons are May and September, only about 10 weeks the entire year.


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## DeniseM (Mar 27, 2010)

Sept. & Oct. is off-season, but no whales.


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## jlr10 (Mar 27, 2010)

On our first trip to Hawaii we were told the slower times were October to the week before Thanksgiving.  We were at the Marriott Waikoloa (which was an Outrigger then) and they advised they closed down an entire wing of the hotel after 10/1 until Thanksgiving.  But you might not see whales at that time.

We were on Maui the week before Thanksgiving, and on the Big Island the week of Thanksgiving.  No whales had show up, but there were expected any day.

The best viewing should be January and February, which is high season.  But take into consideration that most schools are in session, with the exception of President's week, so it would be high season without kids.  

At Hanalie Bay they stated the week after New Years was slow for them.  But that could be due to the fact they close the resort for maintenance that week. (or they did at the time.)

Since you will have the time if you put in for an 8 week window request Jan-Feb I would think you chances would not be all that bad.  Never hurts to try!


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## DaveNV (Mar 27, 2010)

If seeing whales is not a requirement, then Hawaii in May is especially nice.  The weather is warm and generally dry, everything is freshly blooming after the winter rains, and the crowds are down because school is still in session.  I travel to Hawaii every couple of years, and really like late May.

Having said that, there is no "bad" time to visit Hawaii.  Enjoy your retirement!

Dave


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## tompalm (Mar 28, 2010)

The flights are full during Spring Break, Summer, Christmas and Thanksgiving.  Maybe I should say that the cost goes up and so does the cost for hotels, rental cars and everything else. Or anytime that school is in session, it should be a little slower than when school is out.  Sometimes January is very busy because retirees will wait until Christmas is done to take a vacation and do it in January.  October and May seem to be the slowest.  I like February for whale watching, but the months mentioned in the OP were good.


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## falmouth3 (Mar 28, 2010)

We were on the Big Island in early June 2 years ago.  It was pretty empty then.  We were told that it was usually slow then because once school let out in a couple of weeks, the summer vacations would start.

Sue


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## LisaRex (Mar 28, 2010)

Late Mar/Apr/May and Sep/Oct/Nov/early Dec are off-season.  Early December and late March/early April are still off-season and you'll be able to see some whales, though not in the quantity you'll see in Feb/March.


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## taffy19 (Mar 28, 2010)

LisaRex said:


> Late Mar/Apr/May and Sep/Oct/Nov/early Dec are off-season.  Early December and late March/early April are still off-season and you'll be able to see some whales, though not in the quantity you'll see in Feb/March.


It depends on when Easter falls and spring break.  Most hotels and rental agencies lower their rates after April 15 or May 1 and fares too.

We still see lots of whales because there are so many more and there will be more next year.


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## cotraveller (Mar 28, 2010)

We were in Maui the third week of January this year.  The weather was beautiful, with a high temperature around 80 degrees almost every day.  There was a brief rain shower near Lahaina one day.

Lots of whales.  You could spot them from the shore and even better from the two whale watching cruises we went on.


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## Kona Lovers (Mar 29, 2010)

The whole year is considered red season.


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## tompalm (Mar 29, 2010)

Kona Lovers said:


> The whole year is considered red season.



Maybe red all year long, but a few weeks ago when some friends were visiting, I went to Hilton and reserved three one bedroom units at the Grand Waikikian on a Friday and Saturday night and was able to get them by reserving them only three days in advance.  The big surprise was that they gave me all three units on the same floor.  

You would be lucky to get one of these units on a weekend during the summer or spring break.


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## tompalm (Mar 29, 2010)

javabean:  set up an email alert with Kayak, trip advisor, and anything else you are interested in like cruises.  I have seen good deals from time to time.  In Feb, Jacksonville, FL to Hawaii was $650 round trip, in Oct 2009, a seven day cruise around the island was $399, etc....  During the summer or spring break, the price is about twice that.


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## akdeweyj (Apr 3, 2010)

There is a drop in the shear # of tourists visiting Hawaii in late January to mid February, but it is not an off season - more like off peak season. Forget spring break & the major holidays. Most resorts are red week year round, but you can find some units in this time frame.


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## Cathyb (Apr 4, 2010)

*Surprised!*



akdeweyj said:


> There is a drop in the shear # of tourists visiting Hawaii in late January to mid February, but it is not an off season - more like off peak season. Forget spring break & the major holidays. Most resorts are red week year round, but you can find some units in this time frame.



That surprises me as January and February in Maui is top whale spotting times and I thought quite popular.


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## dougp26364 (Apr 4, 2010)

Going by the Interval demand index, which is a guide for timeshare demand for that area only and not an overall guide for tourist seasons, weeks 34 to 50, weeks 2 to 4 and 14 to 21 are about the lowest demanded weeks for exchanges. 

We've been to Oahu in January and Kauai in March. Both times the weather was very similar and we had a great weeks vacation. I'm seriously thinking about requesting and exhange for January of 2012 for Maui. Both were internal exchanges using HGVC for the January stay and the other using the Marriott preference through Interval to exchange one Marriott week for another in March.


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## Timeshare Von (Apr 4, 2010)

I am surprised at the number of tours and attractions that have cut back their days of operation/offerings.  We're going later this month and have seen both the luau and the snorkel tour dates have been reduced.  Works out OK for us in terms of scheduling but for those who may want to schedule "something" every day, I can see how that might create a challenge.

As for the slower times of the year in Hawaii, I agree that April and May, and September and October are generally the slower times based on my/our experience over the past several years.  Even spring break in 2006 was not a big deal in terms of flights or attractions.


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## Lee B (Apr 4, 2010)

The Maui whale season is November through April, best between _late_ November and _early_ April.  I'm on Maui right now and have seen whales every day.  Those who were here longer than my 4 days say that they have started to leave and were more abundant a week or two ago.

I like to tell newbies that there is a special technique to spotting whales during the season (shhhh):  you have to look at the ocean.   

Congratulations on retirement.


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## JDHPE (Apr 11, 2010)

Congrats on retirement - you earned it!

If you decide to go in December, look for Santa arriving on an outrigger!  :hysterical:   It happened in Maui during a trip a few years ago.

Makes a great picture for the Christmas card newsletter.


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## krmlaw (May 6, 2010)

whats weather/capacity like in early november?


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## DaveNV (May 6, 2010)

krmlaw said:


> whats weather/capacity like in early november?



Early November is the start of the rainy season, which runs till March or April.  In Hawaii, that can mean everything from sunny days with a few rain squalls passing by, to days of heavy deluges.  There is no way to know, exactly.

Temperatures will be cooler than in Summer, but still quite pleasant and warm.  And depending on which island you're on, if it's raining on one side of the island, you can head to the other side, where it's generally going to be dry.

Dave


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## RedDogSD (May 7, 2010)

bryanphunter said:


> javabean said:
> 
> 
> > I would really, really like to see the migration of the whales. I've read that is between November and February. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
> ...


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## Kona Lovers (May 7, 2010)

tompalm said:


> Maybe red all year long, but a few weeks ago when some friends were visiting, I went to Hilton and reserved three one bedroom units at the Grand Waikikian on a Friday and Saturday night and was able to get them by reserving them only three days in advance.  The big surprise was that they gave me all three units on the same floor.
> 
> You would be lucky to get one of these units on a weekend during the summer or spring break.



Excellent point.  I just checked on the Shell Vacations Club site and they have Hawaii broken down into Gold and Platinum seasons:

Platinum  	 1/1 - 1/7
1/29 - 4/29
7/2 - 10/14
11/12 - 12/2
12/17 - 12/31


Gold 	1/8 - 1/28
4/30 - 7/1
10/15 - 11/11
12/3 - 12/16

In their system Platinum season requires more of their points than Gold.


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## cgeidl (May 8, 2010)

*off season all year*

If you look at hotel occupancy Hawaii is and has been hurting for several years. Time shares seem to be influenced by when school is out and it can be difficult to obtain weeks when the kids are on vacation. September and October are slower. We like to go in the cooler weather of December-March(It is the rainy season also)We go next January for Oahu two weeks and another Island for a week-probably Maui as we haven't gone there or a while. We go every year for three or four weeks.


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