Kailua Beach Adventures — Attraction in Oʻahu

I had the pleasure of staying in Kailua Bay for several weeks while working remotely. Throughout my time, I booked several tours & rented out some gear from KBA. Not only was it amazing to be out on the water in the bay, surrounded by the beautiful scenery and wildlife, I also could not speak more highly of the shop and the aloha spirit that each employee embodies! Although I’m sure much more could be said, I wanted to take the time to show my appreciation for all of the KBA employees I was lucky to meet:

Austin: During my first week, I took the Mokulua Islands tour with Austin as my guide. He made everyone feel completely comfortable with the paddle out - he even helped tow some inexperienced kayakers throughout the tour so they could sit back and enjoy the other aspects of the ride out to the islands. Towards the end of the tour, Austin graciously shared a list of his favorite places to eat/drink/adventure around the island - many of which I ended up exploring! I had a fantastic time and could not recommend it (or Austin) enough.

Mokulua Mike: Mike somehow feels like an old friend as soon as you meet him. After a few weeks of my stay in Kailua, he and I ended up running into each other every single day; whether it be on the beach, out in the open water while I was taking a swim & he was leading a tour, out on the town, and even way out in the mountains during a hike - and it was a pleasure every time! I was sad I didn’t get to see him in action on a tour but hey, on the list for next time.

Marty: I had a chance to chat with Marty several times throughout my stay whenever I stepped into the shop - whether it be to pick up a paddle board or to simply browse their gear (which features an amazing selection from local shops!). Marty knew me by name and always made me feel very welcome at KBA

Harmony: While Harmony and I never got a chance to talk too much, I did see her out helping launch & land kayaks day in and day out. She was always ready to dive in and help!

Griffin: Griffin helped outfit me with a paddle board several times throughout my stay & was always extremely helpful when setting me up with my gear & helping me launch into the water

Braden: Similarly, Braden was always very helpful when setting me up with some gear and was very friendly!

Chaz: I only met Chaz once, but I had a chance to witness him helping a particularly inexperienced first-time kayaker launch into the water. After what seemed like endless attempts, this kayaker eventually made it out with his friends - all thanks to the effort and dedication that Chaz put into making sure this person had a great time

Evelyn: I briefly interacted with Evelyn while she was leading a Twin Islands tour & I had paddled a rental out to Moku Nui. She seemed extremely knowledgeable about all the local wildlife & led the tour with obvious enthusiasm and passion. Plus, on the way back to the shop I heard her blasting “Dancing Queen” by ABBA which is just an obvious green flag

Egmar: Never talked to him, but he sounds like a stand up guy (ayyy)! Shoutout to Egmar for operating such a 10/10 shop. Hit me up if you want to hire an advertising tech employee based in New York

Kailua Beach Adventures was a perfect start for my family's week on Oahu. We rented kayaks and snorkel gear to paddle out to the Mokes. The shop is very well equipped with tons of rental equipment, as well as a very stylish beach shop. We realized at the last minute that we'd be in the sun for four hours and were so happy to find high quality, stylish rash guards in sizes and colors for each of us. The staff were friendly and helpful, both in the shop and in getting set up with the gear. The website waivers, video info, and safety instructions take a while, so be prepared to spend 15 - 30 minutes at the shop before being released to the water. We booked ahead so our kayaks were all set up and perfectly balanced on nice rolling dollies, and walking them to the beach from the shop was no strain at all. It's about 4 blocks to the channel where they ask you to put in.

NOTE: You're supposed to paddle in the channel another hundred yards to the actual beach, but a local warned us that the channel water was bad (bacteria?) and since my wife had a cut on her foot we decided to drag our boats through the grass and sand to the beach. It was a strain, but since Kailua Beach Park doesn't allow commercial operations in the park, there's no alternative. It is what it is. And once you're in the water you realize you're kayaking in one of the most beautiful spots in the world. KBA does have a beach assistant waiting for guests at the water front, and the young woman who offered to assist us was friendly and helpful getting us launched in the waves without swamping.

The sandy beach is impeccable, the water is pristine and iridescent, and the adorable Mokulua Islands called to us across the waves. My kids (23 and 25) each had a single kayak, while my wife and I shared a tandem. We had always wanted to make it out to the famous islands, so it felt like a bucket list day for us. However, we had one major challenge: fierce winds. The shop did alert us to the conditions before we set out, but since I didn't think they offered refunds for weather issues, and it was our only free day to kayak anyway, we decided to make the best of it. I've kayaked in headwinds before and it's very frustrating. I cautioned my family that we might not make it all the way out to the islands, and to set our expectations lower and just enjoy the experience. It was a good call, because in the winds, and with my family's inexperience and limited strength and stamina, we probably paddled for only 30 minutes before we realized we weren't even going to make it to the nearby Flat Island. Many other tourists did push on and make it, but struggling into the wind was straining my families happiness, so we circled the kayaks, took some stunning photos, and let ourselves drift back to shore to relax on the beach.

The wind was disappointing, but we still absolutely loved our mini adventure. Obviously on a day with less wind we would have thrilled to see the extraordinary Kailua beachscape and mountain range from the Mokes, but we were grateful Kailua Beach Adventures were so well equipped and friendly and would absolutely recommend them as your first choice on the Windward side for any beach or...

We rented two single kayaks from Kailua Beach Adventures (KBA) and paddled the canal and went out to Popoi’a Island (Flat Island). Everything (booking, check-in, pick-up, return) was seamless. All the employees were really friendly too which was a nice bonus. We were a bit concerned about getting in and out of the kayaks in the ocean, but there were two KBA employees who helped us both when we left and when we returned. Be aware that you have to transport the kayaks to the launch site on dollies. You have to walk about 10 minutes while rolling the kayak along, but it was not a big problem for us.

Some advice… The earlier you go, the less crowded it will be. Locker rentals are $5, but you will have the peace of mind knowing that your car keys are safe. Buy a waterproof phone pouch before you leave home. It will keep your phone safe and you can still take nice photos. And yes, you will need it when you go kayaking. Do not underestimate the sun - you are completely exposed when you are out on the water. Take water, a hat, and put on sunscreen. The sun was hot, even at 10 AM in late March. Get your snacks and drinks before you rent your kayak - it’s pretty inconvenient to try and find a place to put your dolly-mounted kayak as you run in to buy some grub at Kalapawai Market…

So for those people renting kayaks and not going on tours, there are 4 options. The Ka’elaepulu Canal - calm, flat water. Perfect for beginners or for practicing. Pleasant, but there’s not much to see - a few birds and a gaggle of rich people playing golf at Mid-Pacific Country Club. Popoi’a Island (Flat Island) - fairly close to the shore (15-30 minutes), but it was windy, so it was still a pretty good workout. It’s a sanctuary for wedge-tailed shearwaters (Ardenna pacifica) and a few freeloading pigeons. You can walk around the island and take some nice photos. It’s a pretty quick stop as the island is small. Lanikai Beach - it’s a bit further away (~35 minutes). Despite it being a nice snorkeling site and within our skill set, we weren’t comfortable with going there because we would have to potentially navigate through snorkelers/swimmers, land at a crowded beach, and then leave the kayaks/gear on the beach while snorkeling. Moku Nui - it’s far (1hr -1.5 hrs). And there are lots of waves and obstacles on the way. At our skill level (intermediate/beginner), there was no way we were...