Tips For Planning The Perfect Hawaii Sunset Dinner

I’ve written over 900 posts on Go Visit Hawaii over the past two years and the site has grown by leaps and bounds. Today, I’m starting to revive and update some posts from the past that you probably haven’t read.

I originally published my post on Six Secret Hawaii Sunset Dining Tips over two years ago on April 4, 2007. I think that at least once on your Hawaii vacation, you need to plan that perfect sunset dinner. Here are my tips for snagging the best table and view.

Make your dinner reservation for when the restaurant opens and plan to arrive just a tad early. Restaurants in Hawaii seat their customers on a first come first serve basis. (I have not found any exception to this rule.) So even if you have made a reservation for 6:30pm and requested a table by a window, you are going to get what is available and most likely, it is not going to be that nice table by a window that you wanted. When making a reservation, most restaurants will tell you that you can make a request, though it cannot be guaranteed. So, how do you get that nice table by the window? You do need to make a reservation for as close to opening time as possible. Most restaurants open for dinner around 5:00 or 5:30. When you arrange your reservation, be sure ask when the restaurant opens for dinner. Though 5:00 or 5:30 may seem a bit early for dinner, but the unobstructed sunset view will be worth the early start. Most likely, you’ll be jet lagged too, so an early start to dinner won’t be a problem.
Don’t just limit yourself to a restaurant. Plan a sunset picnic at a beach. By picking up a few picnic supplies, you can save some money as compared to restaurant dinners and have a million dollar view at the same time.
Know when sunset is. Sunsets in Hawaii generally vary from around 5:45pm to 7:15 pm. So, plan your cocktails, appetizers, etc accordingly. As you can see, getting to the restaurant around 5:00 it is really not too early for viewing sunset. Use this US Naval Observatory link to find out when sunrise and sunset may be on your trip.
Bring a camera and be sure to snap photos before during and after sunset to see the beautiful color variations on the sky and water. The “show” isn’t over immediately after the sun sets. Enjoy the changing colors of the sky. So, pace your dinner so that you enjoy the entire experience.
Bring sunglasses because you might need them depending on the angle of the sun.
If you are traveling with another couple, consider reserving two tables for two instead of one table for four so that everyone will have the sunset view.

I hope you will enjoy a gorgeous sunset dinner in Hawaii soon!