Kailua, Hawaii is located on the
windward (southeastern)
shore of
Oahu, located about 25 miles east-northeast of
Honolulu, easily accessible by car or bus. In constrast to
the bustling
capital city and the tourist destination
Waikiki, Kailua is a laid-back town of local residents.
The town is located on a
bay at the foot of the
Koolau Mountains,
and is to
Waikiki what
bed-and-breakfasts are to resort hotels.
Catch a
cuppa-joe with the locals at
The Morning Brew,
in one of the shopping centers.
South of the small town center is Kailua Beach, a long stretch
of sandy beach next to a large, grassy park. The wind here is strong,
and as evidenced by its popularity, a great place to windsurf and
participate in a sport I'd never before seen nor knew. About 5
brave lads attached to small boards held onto small sail-shaped
parachutes and were dragged (sailed?) to-and-fro at blistering speeds,
occasionally being yanked 10 feet or so from the water. Ignoring
the risk of crashing into one of the many reefs below, this looked
like great fun, even if hard work.
One can recommend no better place than nearby Lanikai Beach
for watching the sunrise. This beach is in a residential neighborhood,
and what a nice neighborhood! At 6 am there were locals gathering
for seakayak outings and walks. The sun rose behind the distant
island of Molokai, usually invisible except when backlit by the sun.
We stashed our towels and clothes for a quick dip. Given more time and
energy, we might have chanced a swim to two small islands nearby, called the
Mokulua islands; however, kayakers are best equiped to explore these
bird sanctuaries.
Thanks to Frommer's guide for the tips.