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HAWAII: A BEAUTIFUL RAINBOW MECCA

“Rainbow Seen from Kendra's Lanai,” by Jennifer Boyer. Hawaii.
Image: by Jennifer Boyer. “Rainbow Seen from Kendra's Lanai.” Hawaii.

HAWAII

The perfect storms for yielding rainbows brew in Hawaii. It rains there often, it’s surrounded by ocean, it has some formidable mountains, and it’s close to the equator.

by Ed Suominen. “Sunset Rainbow in Haleakala Crater.” Maui, Hawaii.
Image: by Ed Suominen. “Sunset Rainbow in Haleakala Crater.” Maui, Hawaii.

Known as the Rainbow State, Hawaii is one of the best places in the world to see rainbows.

by James Huckaby. “There. Right there is where I put my pot of gold.” Kauai, Hawaii.
Image: by James Huckaby. “There. Right there is where I put my pot of gold.” Kauai, Hawaii.

Air currents, moving across the Pacific, gather moisture, which swirls up against the tall volcanic mountains of Mauna Loa, Haleakala, and Waialeale, which blocks the flow, forcing moist air up into cooler elevations, where it forms clouds.

by Scott Slater. “Rainbow over Hanalei Bay.” Kauai, Hawaii.
Image: by Scott Slater. “Rainbow over Hanalei Bay.” Kauai, Hawaii.

Each raindrop acts as a prism, separating white sunlight into its components of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, & violet. 

by Kevin Schraer. “Kauai, Hawaii.”
Image: by Kevin Schraer. “Kauai, Hawaii.”

The topography and microclimates in Hawaii produce curtains for rain, offering the delectable opportunity to see light slice through them.

by Minh-Kiet Callies. “Hawaii Bidding Us Farewell.” Hawaii.
Image: by Minh-Kiet Callies. “Hawaii Bidding Us Farewell.” Hawaii.

Because Hawaii is a relatively isolated collection of land  masses, the air is relatively free of pollutants. Condensation is formed around salt particles lifted from the surface of the ocean, yielding a clear, pure range of color.

by James Walsh. “Double and Supernumerary Rainbow.” Hilo, Hawaii.
Image: by James Walsh. “Double and Supernumerary Rainbow.” Hilo, Hawaii.

Sometimes light bends and bounces off the inside of the raindrop twice, resulting in a double rainbow.

by Robert Linsdell. “Poipu Beach, Koloa.” Hawaii.
Image: by Robert Linsdell. “Poipu Beach, Koloa.” Hawaii.

Rainbows, whether seen in Hawaii or anywhere else, have a powerful attribute: Each rainbow is seen uniquely. No 2 people see the same rainbow, since perspective is a key factor.

by Ryan McD. “Lanipo Trail.” Honolulu, Hawaii.
Image: by Ryan McD. “Lanipo Trail.” Honolulu, Hawaii.

The best way to photograph rainbow is to underexpose, shoot in aperture priority, and shoot in RAW, so you can master the magnificent, yet fickle color contrasts.

by Nico Aguilera. “Rainbow at Pearl Harbor.” Oahu, Hawaii.
Image: by Nico Aguilera. “Rainbow at Pearl Harbor.” Oahu, Hawaii.

Some of our favorite places on the Big Island to see rainbows include Kaneohe Bay, Koko Crater, top of Diamond Head, & China Walls in the morning, Kaka’ako Beach Park & Wailua Beach in the late afternoon, and Manoa Valley (AKA: Valley of the Rainbows) anytime of the day.

by Dark Sevier. “Honolulu Rainbow.” Honolulu, Hawaii.
Image: by Dark Sevier. “Honolulu Rainbow.” Honolulu, Hawaii.

Read more about Rainbows all this week on BeautifulNow. And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Wellness, Impact, Nature/Science, Food, Arts/Design, and Travel, Daily Fix posts.

by Roy Luck Na Pali Coast basalt cliffs Kapaa Hawaii
Image: by Roy Luck. “Na Pali Coast basalt cliffs.” Kapaa, Hawaii.

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by John Kroll. “Kauai West.” Between Waimea and Koloa, Hawaii.
Image: by John Kroll. “Kauai West.” Between Waimea and Koloa, Hawaii.
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