Maui in August? From the Weather (hot) to the Cost (below average)
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Maui in August is a hot, cheap date. The August sun will be beating down on your lobster-toned skin but you will have extra change in your pocket for poolside service.
August is a good time to visit Maui. For a high-season month, the crowds are thinning in August leading to below-average hotel room rates and average car rental rates. The weather is hot with temperatures in the high-80s in the resort areas but the least rain of any month of the year.
Crank the air conditioning to chill. August is roasting hot on Maui. For Erica and me, the August heat will drive us to a cooler island like Kauai. But don’t let that turn you off to Maui in August.
Here we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about visiting Maui in August: the weather, the crowds, the cost, and where to stay.
Is August a Good Time to Visit Maui?
The end of summer is approaching. The kids are going back to school soon. It’s your turn to take some summer holiday from work. These are all perfectly acceptable reasons for a trip to Hawaii in August.
Maui in August is as good as any month because the tropics are the place to be. But if you are deciding between July and August, then go to Maui in August (fewer crowds). Maui in August vs September, go in September (even fewer people and cheaper).
I get it, you need a break and August may be your lifeline. With kids and/or work to balance, August is a great month to see Maui. The weather is hot, there are a ton of activities to do, the ocean is cooking, and the crowds are thinning (4th busiest month).
August is a good deal per Maui standards. You can save on accommodations and airfares (at the time of writing) are the lowest for 2020 and historically pretty cheap.
Reasons to Go to Maui in August
✅ Hot, expect the high 80s to mid-90s with humidity
✅ Ocean temperature averages 80 degrees
✅ Driest month of the year (even in Hana)
✅ August is better than July for price and crowds!
✅ Hotel, vacation rental, and airplane rates are below average
Reasons Not to Go to Maui in August
❌ Hot, it may be too hot for some
❌ High-season: 4th busiest month so book activities like luaus and sunset cruises before you depart
I’m not gung-ho about Maui in August because of the heat on the leeward side of the island, around the resort areas. But, Maui is still awesome.
If you can wait to take your summer vacation in August then August is better than June or July because prices start to come down as fewer visitors come to Maui in August.
Let’s jump into the details and data on visiting Maui in August.
Maui Weather in August
Get ready to run to the shade in August. It is hot. Perhaps Erica and I lived in England for too long before moving to Maui. We don’t do well in the heat anymore. Let me be more positive.
Maui is perfect in August for relaxing poolside, long ocean swims, and taking day trips to Haleakala and Maui’s Upcountry.
The average high is 86°F and the average low will be around 71°F in the resort areas around the Maui coast.
Get The Maui Itinerary
The step-by-step itinerary takes you to all the best beaches, snorkeling spots, restaurants, and sights. You’ll get six carefully planned excursion days to help you see the can’t miss stops no matter how limited your time is.
Get all the details on our itinerary and download it for a memorable and easily planned trip to Maui.
The leeward or dry-side (West or South Maui) of the island may feel like a desert. It practically is with less than an inch of rain for all of August. If you want rain, head to ‘Iao Valley 40-minutes away where they get over an inch of rain a day. A day!
What’s Maui weather like in August? Here are all the stats you need to know
August is dry. Stay in West Maui for the driest, sunniest days in August. The drive from the airport to your hotel in Ka’anapali will have you asking where the tropical jungle is hidden. You will find hot lava rocks and sparse, dry-kindling hillsides along the road. You will also be driving along white-sand beaches so win some, lose some.
Take the Road to Hana to get to the waterfalls, bamboo forests, and jungles of Maui in August.
The ocean temperature is hitting its peak in August. Expect ocean temperatures of 80 degrees or higher. The ocean may feel like a bath but it is a delightful bath.
Source: NOAA Mean Ocean Temperature
August is Hurricane Season in Maui
Hurricane season for all of the Hawaiian islands is from June through November. July through September is the peak of the season. Based on past years, the worst-case scenario for your Maui August vacation will be high winds and rain. More high winds than rain.
The chance of a direct hurricane hit is low.
A hurricane hasn’t directly hit Maui for over 100 years. A tropical storm, Olivia, connected with Maui in September 2018. The result was a rainy vacation for many with some flooding and downed trees.
I wouldn’t let hurricane season persuade you against an August trip to Maui. The odds are in your favor for good weather.
All this means is August is looking spectacular on the weather front. I’m sure the weather was the least of your concerns for an August vacation in Maui. Let’s jump to cost.
Get The Maui Itinerary
The step-by-step itinerary takes you to all the best beaches, snorkeling spots, restaurants, and sights. You’ll get six carefully planned excursion days to help you see the can’t miss stops no matter how limited your time is.
Get all the details on our itinerary and download it for a memorable and easily planned trip to Maui.
Is Maui Expensive in August?
Well, this was a pleasant surprise. August isn’t the most expensive month to visit Maui. In fact, August is below average. Probably because it is so sweltering hot.
Your biggest cost, accommodations, is below the yearly average by $10 to $20 a night. That doesn’t sound like much but compared to December at $540 a night, your hotel room for $389 sounds like a steal (2019 Maui County Hotel Averages).
Flights and rental cars are also reasonably priced for visiting Maui during the summer high season. Let’s look at the numbers.
Maui Accommodation Costs in August
As always, a vacation rental is your cheapest option when it comes to accommodations on Maui (excluding the few hostels and campsites).
In 2019, the average for Maui County was $233 a night for a vacation rental (source: Hawaii Tourism Authority). Rates are higher in West Maui at $233 a night due to more rentals and lots of demand. Wailea and Kihei in South Maui averaged $221 a night.
Log into Airbnb or Vrbo to start shopping for some deals.
Source: Hawaii Tourism Authority Infrastructure Report
Maui is the third most expensive sun and sea destination in the world for hotels. French Polynesia and the Maldives are the only places that are more expensive. So being below the yearly average for a hotel room in August makes August an enticing proposition for a Maui vacation.
Wailea is by far the most expensive place to stay, any time of the year. $608 a night was the average hotel room rate in August 2019. To save money, stay in Ka’anapali and expect to pay around $324 a night. I’m sure rates will come down in 2020.
Source: Hawaii Tourism Authority Infrastructure Report
Flights to Maui in August
Sharing price data during the COVID-19 pandemic is not a smart idea. But here goes anyway. When one searches Skyscanner for the cheapest month to fly to Kahului Airport (OGG) in 2020, August is the answer. That could change tomorrow so check for deals.
Skyscanner is showing flights for a $338 roundtrip from LAX to Kahului in August 2020. Southwest’s low fare calendar also shows prices dropping after June and July. Southwest is selling tickets from Oakland to Kahului for a $260 roundtrip.
If you are looking to save money on your August in Maui vacation, this is what you can do:
🍍 Book early and make sure you can cancel your trip per the latest current events
🍍 Sign up for deal notifications via Hawaii’s budget carriers: Southwest, Alaskan Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines
🍍 Follow our 5 Insider’s Tips to Getting a Cheap Ticket to Hawaii
Maui Rental Car Rates in August
Car rental rates are slightly higher than the yearly average in August. Kayak’s data shows Maui averages $51 per day for a standard-sized car in Maui (weekly rate).
August rates on Kayak are $53 to $65 per day (weekly rate). That is not bad for high-season. Check out Kayak and then compare rates to our go-to car rental site Hawaii Discount Hawaii Car Rentals.
Discount Hawaii is a comparison site for all the main car rental brands but they offer the best deals. Even better than booking directly with the likes of Hertz or Avis or National or all the others. Check Discount Hawaii Car Rental to get a better deal before you book your rental car. It is the only site we use because it is usually the cheapest.
Related articles:
- Hotel vs Airbnb: How to Decide What’s Best for Your Hawaiian Vacation
- 14 Things to Do on Maui on a Budget
Where to Stay in Maui in August?
If you can’t tell by now, I find Maui hot in August. The hottest area is West Maui. The second hottest area is South Maui. If you like the heat, then you know where to stay – Ka’anapali in West Maui or the surrounding area.
Ka’anapali also has the best-priced hotel rooms on the island in August so you get double points.
If you are looking for a cooler place to stay in August, then consider a boutique hotel or vacation rental on the North Shore like Paia or head to Upcountry (Kula or Makawao). Hana is also an option.
You can avoid the crowds by staying away from the resort areas in West and South Maui. But, the crowds are thinning come August.
How Busy is Maui in August?
273,786 people visited Maui in August per the Hawaii Tourism Authority. That sounds like a lot but July had 309,134 visitors. That’s 1,140 fewer people on an island, per day.
That may mean you don’t have to wait as long for a table or the sunset boat cruise won’t be sold out for a last-minute booking. There are also fewer cars on the road.
For a high-season month, August is looking like a pretty sweet time to visit Maui.
For things to do on Maui in August, visit Go Hawaii for their events calendar. This is where we find fun, local events around the island.
Maui in August: Closing Arguments
Erica, Henry, Hattie, and I will be heading to Kauai or the Big Island for part of August. The heat is too much for us and we will be needing a break. But if you don’t mind being in the pool all day, then pack your bags for Maui.
A trip to Maui in August could save you money compared to other months of the year. Shop for airline deals and hotwire hotel deals. Or stay in a vacation rental as that is always the best bang for your buck on Maui.
Soak up the sun, swim in the 80-degree ocean, and drink that mai tai before the ice melts. August in Maui won’t disappoint you.
Check out our tested and favorite activities on our Hawaii recommendations page. It will give you some ideas on things to do in Maui in August. Plus we have been able to get some discounts passed on to you.
Get The Maui Itinerary
The step-by-step itinerary takes you to all the best beaches, snorkeling spots, restaurants, and sights. You’ll get six carefully planned excursion days to help you see the can’t miss stops no matter how limited your time is.
Get all the details on our itinerary and download it for a memorable and easily planned trip to Maui.