On a December morning the cliffs above Hanalei Bay are streaked with fresh waterfalls, and the surf thunders onto the reef loud enough to hear from the golf course. Rain clouds drift across the Namolokolo mountains and clear again, leaving rainbows over the taro fields. Princeville in December is the north shore of Kauai at its wildest and greenest, a month for waves to watch, trails to hike between showers and long, lazy dinners.
What is the weather like in Princeville in December?
December in Princeville is warm but wet, with mild days, cool nights and frequent showers off the ocean.
| Month | Average high (°F) | Average low (°F) | Rain days | Sea (°F) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November | 80.1 | 66.9 | 13.9 | 79.7 |
| December | 77.6 | 65.1 | 13.4 | 78.4 |
| January | 78.4 | 62.3 | 9.8 | 76.8 |
For a walk in the afternoon, you will be comfortable in a T-shirt with the sun shining and a light layer once a cloud comes down over the ridge. Mornings start soft and cool, and evenings are pleasant enough for dinner on a lanai with a sweater nearby.
This is the windward side of Kauai, so the rain is not a rumor. It often arrives as a passing squall, pours for a quarter hour and moves on, though now and then a gray, drizzly day settles in for hours. Rain falls on most days of the month, and heavy downpours do happen, so the waterfalls and the deep green are the reward.
The light is short, with about eleven hours of daylight in mid-December, and the sun sits low and golden in late afternoon. A light rain jacket, quick-dry clothes and shoes with grip will serve you better than anything heavy.
Can you swim in Princeville in December?
The water itself is warm, easily enough for a long swim without a wetsuit, but the waves are the real question in winter.
From about November to March the north shore takes big swells, and many beaches around Princeville and Hanalei Bay see heavy shore break and strong currents. Some days the bay is a churning wall of whitewater, other days it softens, and the lifeguards and the flags and signs on the sand decide where you go in. Never turn your back on the surf from a rocky ledge.
Snorkelers and families with small children will often do better at a hotel pool or with a tide-pool wade on a flat day, and anyone set on gentle water can look to other shores of the island. Surfers and bodyboarders with real experience come for the winter waves, and everyone else enjoys them from the sand with a towel, a hat and a cold drink.
What to do in Princeville in December
December is the season of big surf, and watching it is an outing in itself. Lookouts along the bluffs and the sand at the bay give you front-row seats to swells rolling in from the north Pacific, and on a clear morning the sight is better than any show. Humpback whales also pass through the islands in winter, so a scan of the horizon from a headland can pay off with a spout or a tail slap.
The month also carries Christmas in the islands, with lights on the resort grounds, shave ice stands in Santa hats and a few holiday craft fairs and tree lightings in the small towns nearby. Local menus lean to fish tacos, poke, plate lunches and warm banana bread, and a hot cup of Kauai coffee suits a rainy morning.
Hanalei town and the bay
Hanalei sits just down the hill from Princeville, past the old one-lane bridges and the taro patches, and it is where most north shore days end up. The main street has surf shops, galleries, a few cafés and shave ice, with the pier and the broad curve of the bay at the end of the road.
In winter the bay is more for looking than swimming, with surfers paddling out beyond the whitewater and mountains hung with waterfalls behind. A wet morning is no obstacle, because the shops and cafés are a good place to wait out a squall. Come early for parking, and carry a towel for the shower you will probably meet on the way back.
Waterfalls, lookouts and short walks
With the rain, the ridges around Princeville run with waterfalls, and the roadside lookouts and short paths are at their loveliest. The Princeville gardens and bluffs offer quiet walks with views over the bay, and the mud is part of the experience, so wear shoes you do not mind staining.
Where a state park reservation is needed for a day the park is closed, it is refunded.
Slow days: spa, golf and the table
When the weather turns, Princeville is a good place to do very little. The resorts have pools and spas, and the golf courses sit on green bluffs above the sea, with a round possible between showers. A long lunch with a view of the surf, a glass of something cold and a book is a very good rainy day.
Dinners tend to be fish of the day, local greens, coconut desserts and lively tables during the holiday weeks. Food trucks and small cafés in Hanalei and Kilauea fill a lighter lunch, and the sunsets can be spectacular when the clouds break.
A two-day itinerary for Princeville in December
Day 1 starts slowly with coffee and a walk along the bluffs at Princeville while the light is soft. Late morning, drive down to Hanalei for the shops, the pier and the surf, and eat at a food truck or café. Keep the afternoon loose, since the showers usually pass, and finish at a bluff or a beach lookout before the sun drops early.
Evening is for a relaxed dinner in town or at one of the resort restaurants, with fish and a dessert to share. If the rain sets in, the spa or a table by a window will do very well.
Day 2 can go east toward Kilauea, with its small shops, bakery and the lighthouse area, for a morning among seabirds if the skies cooperate. Try a gentle trail or garden walk around midday, and check the state parks notices page first. In the afternoon, drive to a few lookouts, stop at a farm stand and head back to the hotel pool.
If rain keeps you inside, a gallery wander, a leisurely lunch, a spa session or a tasting of local coffee and chocolate can fill a wet afternoon. Sunset is early, so plan to be settled by dinnertime.
Is Princeville busy in December?
Yes, especially in the weeks around Christmas and New Year, when families and winter escapees fill the resorts and vacation rentals.
The holiday period draws bigger crowds and steeper prices along with packed dining rooms, yet during the first days of December, lodging and rental vehicles are simpler to secure. For the first part of the month, you can wait a bit to book rooms and cars, but for the holiday weeks, do it early. Dinner tables in Hanalei and at the resorts fill quickly at peak times, so reserve ahead for a favorite.
The roads near Hanalei can slow down on busy days, and parking at the bay fills early. State park reservations matter for the sites that require them, such as Haena State Park, and the Important Park Notices page tells you what is open. Surf spectators also crowd the lookouts when the swells are big.
What to pack for Princeville in December
Pack for warm days, wet spells and cool evenings, with a few things that dry quickly.
- A light rain jacket, for squalls that pass in minutes.
- Shoes with grip, since trails and lookouts get muddy.
- Quick-dry shirts and shorts, because nothing dries slowly in the damp.
- For chillier nights on the lanai, bring a sweater or a light layer.
- Mineral sunscreen and a hat for the sun between showers.
- A dry bag for the camera and phone on waterfall days.
Good to know before you go
December falls after the official Central Pacific hurricane season, which ends on November 30. Winter weather here means rain and heavy surf rather than tropical storms. The island is still recovering from Hurricane Lowell, so allow extra time on the roads, and bring a rental car, since the north shore is spread out. Book dinners and activities first, because the holiday weeks fill up.
| Tax | Rate | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| State Transient Accommodations Tax | 11.00% | Guests, on lodging |
| Kauai County Transient Accommodations Tax | 3% | Guests, on lodging |
| General Excise Tax pass-on (Kauai) | up to 4.7120% | Customers, on purchases |
Princeville in December vs November and January
November is a little warmer, with a slightly warmer sea and rain that is just as frequent, and it comes before the holiday crowds, so rooms are easier to find. The big winter surf is just starting to build, and the hurricane season ends on the last day of the month.
January keeps the surf and the whales, but the rain eases noticeably and nights get cooler. The holiday rush has passed, so the north shore feels less crowded, though the sea is a touch cooler again.
Choose December if you want the Christmas atmosphere and the full drama of the waves. Shift to January if you would like fewer showers and a quieter shore, and to November if you want milder days and easier bookings.
Is December a good time to visit Princeville?
Yes, for travelers who love dramatic scenery, whales and cozy evenings, and who are happy to take the showers as they come.
Families who want guaranteed gentle swimming and sunbathers who need steady dry weather may prefer another month or another shore of the island. Hikers and photographers will be pleased, as will anyone who likes a long dinner after a day of waterfalls.
On arrival, look at the state parks notices page, then book your first dinner and any reservation-only sites. What is special about December here is the north shore at full strength, with huge waves breaking on the reefs, waterfalls on every green cliff and a rainbow after most squalls.
Sources
- NOAA NCEI, monthly normals 1991-2020, station USC00518165, checked September 8, 2026
- Open-Meteo Marine API, average 2015-2024, checked September 8, 2026
- sunrise-sunset.org, sunrise and sunset calculated for the 15th of the month, checked September 8, 2026
- Hawaii Department of Taxation, Tax Announcement No. 2025-03 (Transient Accommodations Tax Law Changes from 2025 Legislative Session), files.hawaii.gov/tax/news/announce/ann25-03.pdf, checked September 24, 2026
- County of Kauai, Department of Finance, Transient Accommodations Tax page, kauai.gov/Government/Departments-Agencies/Finance/Transient-Accommodations-Tax, checked September 25, 2026
- Hawaii Department of Taxation, County Surcharge on General Excise and Use Tax page, tax.hawaii.gov/geninfo/countysurcharge/, checked September 25, 2026
- NOAA NCEI, monthly normals 1991-2020, station USW00022536
- County of Kauai, press release « Hurricane Lowell Update », September 8, 2026, kauai.gov ; DLNR news release of September 16, 2026
- Hawaii DLNR Division of State Parks, dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp (home page, avis of October 5, 2026)
- NWS Honolulu / Central Pacific Hurricane Center, « 2026 Central Pacific Hurricane Season Outlook », weather.gov/hfo/hurricaneOutlook2026, checked September 24, 2026
To plan your stay
- Best Time to Visit Princeville: Weather by Month, Surf, Crowds and Yearly Events
- Princeville in January: North Shore Surf, Humpback Whales, Weather and What to Do
- Princeville in November: Weather, Winter Surf and What to Do on Kauai's North Shore
- Princeville in February: Weather, Winter Surf, Whales and Things to Do