Simple Tides / Guides / Hawaii Tides

Hawaii Tides: Why the Range Is So Small

Hawaii sits in the middle of the Pacific, surrounded by open ocean in every direction — and that's exactly why its tides are some of the smallest in the country, the opposite situation from a funnel-shaped bay like Cook Inlet or the Bay of Fundy.

Why island tides stay small

The large tidal ranges seen in places like Alaska or the Bay of Fundy come from a coastline that funnels and amplifies the tide as it moves into a narrowing bay — see our guide to the highest tides in the world. Hawaii has essentially the opposite geography: open ocean on all sides with no bay to concentrate the tide, so the range stays modest, typically only 1–2 feet across the main islands.

Why tide still matters here

Even a small range matters a lot in Hawaii because so much of the coastline is fringed by shallow coral reef. A foot or two of tide can be the difference between comfortably clearing a reef and scraping across exposed coral, both for surfers at reef breaks and for anyone wading or snorkeling — see our tide and surf quality guide. Reef walking and tide pooling at low tide is popular, but exposed reef is sharp and often home to protected species, so many spots ask visitors to stay off exposed reef entirely.

A mostly semidiurnal pattern

Hawaii sees a mixed semidiurnal pattern similar to much of the West Coast — two highs and two lows a day of somewhat different sizes — just compressed into a much smaller overall range.

Find stations across the islands on the Simple Tides map.