Kauai in May: Affordable, Quiet(er), and Great Weather!

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We’ll happily take a trip to Kauai any month of the year, but I love taking the family to Kauai in May. Shoulder season is my favorite time to travel!

Here’s why: visiting Kauai in May has a lot of upsides and very few downsides. The winter crowd has left, spring break is over, and the busy summer season has not yet descended. Plus the weather is nice and it’s on the cheaper side as far as your wallet is concerned. It’s one of those excellent pockets in the shoulder season that is calling your name.

But here at the Hawaii Vacation Guide, we don’t just give you our opinions based on experience, we’re suckers for some data, so let’s dig into it!

You’ve picked a great time to visit Kauai, so here are some planning resources for you to jump right into:
– Get a lay of the land using our Kauai Travel Guide
– May is a great time to visit Kauai’s North Shore – we love staying at the Hanalei Bay Resort or 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay for hotels and Puamana for condos.
– Book a Napali Coast tour in May, you won’t regret it!
– Kauai has excellent food trucks, this isn’t really a May thing, but you’ll thank us later.

Erica’s Take on Kauai in May:

When I visit Kauai, I like to be able to go to the North Shore to enjoy Hanalei Bay’s beaches and I love a luxury resort (like 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay). In May I can take my kids to a North Shore beach and save some money on resort prices, so it’s a win-win in my book.

Down south I can also still find a spot for my towel on Poipu Beach, which gets more challenging in the height of the summer, and I don’t have to play musical parking spots as often. Essentially, you won’t find me complaining if our schedule calls for a trip to Kauai in May.

Is May a Good Time to Go to Kauai?

May is actually one of the best times to visit Kauai! Costs are lower than average, the sun is shining (but it’s not too hot), finding a place to lay out your towel won’t be too hard, and you have a good shot at swimming on the North Shore!

Reasons to Go to Kauai in May

Lower Costs: There’s a dip in accommodation costs in May before they spike up for the busy summer season. Unless you’re really having to count your pocket change (in which case we suggest Oahu), it’s on par with the more affordable months to visit the island.

Less Rain: Kauai is lush and beautiful thanks to all the rainfall, but the heaviest rainfall comes from October to March, so you’ll be in for a dry(er) time.

Smaller Crowds: May teeters around the center when it comes to crowd sizes. You certainly won’t be fighting tooth and nail for a beach spot, but the beach won’t be empty either.

Calmer Ocean Conditions: You’ll have more luck swimming on either the North or South Shores. Of course, this can change day to day, but as the start of Hawaii’s summer, ocean conditions tend to be milder.

Reasons Not to Go to Kauai in May

Not the Cheapest/Least Crowded Month: This certainly isn’t a big deterrent for us, but it’s worth mentioning that there is a cheaper and less crowded month to visit: September through November (before Thanksgiving). But you’ll still have smaller crowds and cheaper hotel rates than the peak summer and winter months.

If you’re not sold on Kauai, see if one of the other islands would be a better fit:
The Big Island in May
Maui in May

Is Kauai in May Nice: Weather Data

May is the beginning of Hawaii’s summer season and is about as close to spring as you’ll get on the islands. It’s warm but coming out of the rainy season, so everything is green and blooming. Kauai in May is beautiful, but that’s not saying much for a Hawaiian island, so let’s dig into what that actually means.

Is Kauai in May Rainy?

Kauai gets the most rain over the winter. As you can see from the chart below, it gets the heaviest downpours in December and March, with the whole winter season from October through March getting more rain than the summer season. Rain means rainbows, and in May, Kauai’s waterfalls are a sight to see!

In May, you can expect close to 5 inches of rain on either side of the island. Kauai gets the most rain among the four major islands, so you may still get a drizzle any time of the year, but you can expect it to be short and warm. You won’t have to worry about heavy storms, but if you want more peace of mind, we’ve put together a list of Things to Do in Hawaii When it Rains so you can go prepared. If you want a higher chance of sunny weather, consider visiting Kauai in June.

There is a reason we talk about the north and south shores as being so different: tradewinds. Tradewinds come from the northeast, bringing rain to that area of the island first – the windward side – much of it dissipates as it passes over land and gets blocked by mountains and volcanoes, leaving the southwest side of the island drier – the leeward side. The most popular resort areas on the island are on the leeward sides, for Kauai this is Poipu and Koloa.

Fun Fact: Mount Waialeale on Kauai is one of the wettest places on earth, receiving over 400 inches of rain per year on average. The record rainfall was set in 1982 at 683 inches of rain for the year.

How Warm Is It in Kauai in May?

May is far from the hottest month on Kauai, but you will get temperatures in the high 70s during the day for a really comfortable tropical vacation. If temperature is a big consideration for you, the chart below can help you find a suitable time to visit Kauai.

Can You Swim in Kauai in May?

You most certainly can swim around Kauai in May, and quite comfortably at that! We’ll dig into ocean conditions in the next section, but we have some great resources for our Kauai beach bums out there:

The 7 Best Beaches on Kauai in the Winter
9 Best Beaches on Kauai for Swimming
The 7 Best Kid-Friendly Beaches on Kauai

Kauai has the best snorkeling in May compared to the other islands, so if you’re looking forward to snorkeling on your vacation, you’re in for a treat. Check out Kauai’s best snorkeling spots as well as the best snorkeling tours around the island.

What Are the Ocean Conditions Like in May?

Kauai is known for very rough waters on the North Shore during the winter, and waters can get rough around the South Shore in the summer. May is a transitionary period that brings generally calmer waters all around the island. Beach day, anyone? May is a good time to check out any of the best beaches on Kauai, not just the ones with caveats listed above.

No matter the time of year, always check ocean conditions and lifeguard flags (if present) before entering the water. At the risk of sounding like a broken record: if in doubt, don’t go out.

If the waters are safe to enter, the next question is about temperatures. Lucky you, you’ll never need a wetsuit in Hawaii because the ocean temperatures hang out between 76 and 81 degrees (F) all year. In May you’ll be splashing in waves that are about 78 degrees (F).

When is Hawaii Hurricane Season?

Hurricane season is from June through November, so you’ll just miss it by visiting in May.

Just in case you decide against a May vacation, let me put your mind at ease about hurricanes in Hawaii. If you’re from Florida, I know you’re not concerned; this is for everyone else. Hurricanes rarely make landfall in Hawaii, and even when they do, they seldom cause much damage.

There have only been two hurricanes on record that have made landfall in Hawaii, Hurricane Dot (1959) and Hurricane Inikki (1992), which both did make landfall on Kauai. The last three hurricanes that have caused damage in Hawaii are: Hurricane Lane (2018), Hurricane Iniki (1992), and Hurricane Iwa (1982). The majority of the damage from Hurricane Inkiki was on Kauai. 

Fun fact: we have Hurricane Iwa to thank for Kauai’s wild chickens being all over the island. The winds from the hurricane destroyed many of the chicken coops on the island – as the Koloa Landing Resort puts it, “taking ‘free range’ to the next level.”

In case you’re wondering: yes, we love the Koloa Landing Resort and have a full review for you! Now back to Kauai in May…

Is May a Good Time to Visit the Napali Coast?

May is a great time to visit the Napali Coast! In fact, you can even take a catamaran or hop in a raft from Hanalei to see this famous coastline from the North Shore. Boat tours from Hanalei only run from March to October due to harsh winter ocean conditions on the north side.

Even if you don’t plan to head up north, there are a bunch of great boat tours of the Napali Coast leaving from the south shore.

Other ways to experience the Napali coast are via a helicopter tour, an airplane tour, or hiking the Kalalau Trail, which is an 11-mile hike one way (22 miles total) that will require camping and a few permits.

How Busy is Kauai in May?

Kauai in May is right in the middle of the road on the crowd scale: there are plenty of more crowded times, but there are also plenty of less crowded times. Check out the chart below for a visual.

Kauai doesn’t tend to be a crowded island in the first place. It is the smallest of the 4 main islands, but Oahu is only slightly bigger and usually sees 4x as many visitors. In 2024, Kauai saw 115,135 visitors in May, while Oahu welcomed 473,837 visitors.

Focusing on Kauai’s norms, the busiest month is July with 135,846 visitors in 2024 and the slowest month is September with 100,262 visitors in 2024. All that to say, you’ll enjoy very moderate crowds on Kauai in May.

Is Kauai Cheaper in May? 

Kauai is cheaper in May! It isn’t the cheapest month, that award goes to November as long as you go before Thanksgiving. May is the 4th cheapest month to visit Kauai, representing a nice little dip in pricing right before the summer price hikes.

You’ll find that hotel and vacation rental rates are pretty close in May, so if you want to save money on accommodations, but you have your heart set on a hotel stay, May isn’t too shabby. September through November will give you the most bang for your buck, but we’re really only talking about roughly a $10 difference per night.

We only bring up accommodation rates as that will eat up the biggest chunk of your vacation fund. Pricing for flights tend to follow a similar pattern to hotel rates, but can be a bit more volatile than hotel rates, especially when considering different departure locations.

According to Skyscanner (in March 2025), May is the cheapest month to fly to Kauai from San Francisco, but April is the cheapest month to fly from Los Angeles and August is the cheapest month to fly from Chicago. We’ll never leave you hanging, though, so make sure you read up on How to Get a Cheap Ticket to Hawaii.

For more budgeting resources, we check costs annually and report to our readers in these three articles:
What is the Cheapest Hawaiian Island to Visit? (plus 4 ways to save)
How Much Does a Trip to Hawaii Cost for Two People?
How Much Does a Trip to Hawaii Cost for a Family of Four?

Things to Do in Kauai in May

No matter when you visit Kauai, you can expect beach days, swimming pools, shopping, and a variety of outdoor fun like snorkeling. But what else can you do? 

Here are some specific activities to consider on your May vacation:

• Check out the display of leis at the Annual Lei Day Celebration on May 1st
• Participate in a May Day celebration on May 1st
• Taste fresh local fruits at a farmer’s market
• Check out Memorial Day activities
• Enjoy a local concert with the Kauai Songwriters Music Festival

And that’s not a comprehensive list. May is a great time to explore the islands and participate in traditional activities that make Hawaii unique. 

The Best Activities in Kauai in May

Here’s even more to do on Kauai:
35 Best Things to Do on Kauai (Must Do + See)
24 Things To Do on Kauai with Kids: from toddlers to teenagers
The 20 Best Things to Do in Poipu: Kauai’s South Shore
The 12 Best Things to Do in Hanalei: Kauai’s Rugged North Shore

As you explore the site and our YouTube channel, you’ll probably notice that comparing times to visit Hawaii is like splitting hairs, and we think you should visit whenever you can. However, if flexibility is on your side, you’ll want to pick a month like May to go to Kauai.

No matter where you are in your planning process, we’ve done enough Kauai trip planning for the both of us and our Kauai Itinerary is a culmination of years of travel to the Garden Isle wrapped up in a 43-page guide. Yes, you read that right, you can trade your 43 open tabs for 1 document to help with every trip-planning decision as well as fully planned itinerary days.