Photographers chase color; families chase a quiet moment. Both groups end up at many of the same overlooks. In Honolulu those overlooks include Diamond Head Summit, Lanikai Beach, Magic Island, and Tantalus Lookout.
Use this page to choose a spot, then open the city sun page for exact clocks. Right now Honolulu sees sunrise at 06:08 AM and sunset at 07:05 PM. Civil dawn begins around 05:45 AM if you are timing a true early start at Diamond Head Summit.
Hikers reach the crater rim for iconic Waikiki and Pacific sunrises over Oʻahu.
If the forecast shows haze, sunrise can still deliver pastel color even when midday looks washed out.
Morning works best if you arrive before 06:08 AM. Once the sun clears the horizon, the softest color is already fading.
Need the exact clock for your date? Open sunrise & sunset times in Honolulu and set the calendar before you leave.
Powder-white sand and Mokulua Islands make this one of Hawaii's most celebrated sunrises.
East-facing sightlines matter most here — give yourself a clear view toward the morning horizon and keep tall buildings or trees out of the first light if you can.
Use Honolulu's sunrise (06:08 AM) as your hard deadline, then reverse-plan 25–35 minutes for walking in and finding a clear sightline.
Need the exact clock for your date? Open sunrise & sunset times in Honolulu and set the calendar before you leave.
Ala Moana lagoon sunsets frame Waikiki towers and sailboats on calm evening waters.
West and open water or skyline edges are the story at dusk — step a few meters left or right if a lamp post or railing cuts your frame.
Crowds thicken near 07:05 PM. If you want rail space or a quiet corner at Magic Island, arrive closer to late afternoon than to the final minute.
Need the exact clock for your date? Open sunrise & sunset times in Honolulu and set the calendar before you leave.
Round Top Drive overlooks deliver rainforest ridges and city panoramas at dawn and dusk.
This stop earns its keep at both ends of the day, so check wind and cloud direction before you choose sunrise or sunset.
Whether you shoot dawn or dusk, lock the plan to Honolulu's live solar times (06:08 AM / 07:05 PM) rather than a guess from memory.
Need the exact clock for your date? Open sunrise & sunset times in Honolulu and set the calendar before you leave.
Color does not switch on at the exact minute of sunrise or sunset. Plan for the shoulder: blue hour into sunrise, and golden hour through afterglow at dusk.
Every place here is a known public viewpoint with a workable horizon — waterfronts, parks, bridges, hills, or open plazas. The notes stay specific to what you see from each overlook. Use them as a shortlist, then confirm access hours and weather on the day.
Honolulu sits in the tropics with warm Pacific light, early trade-wind mornings, and iconic Waikiki and Diamond Head sunset silhouettes year-round.
When you have picked a viewpoint, open the city page for sunrise, sunset, day length, twilight, and a month-long sun calendar.