About Kailua Town

Kailua is a small town on the windward side of the island of Oahu. It is a balance of small town vibes with the conveniences of restaurants and shopping. My favorite places to eat in Kailua is Cinnamon’s Restaurant where I’ll usually order their “Kailua Pork Eggs Benedict” and of course a cinnamon roll. There is also a great little strip of retail stores and lunch spots across Target. It’s easy to spend a day in Kailua after a nice morning at the beach. This is one of Megans favorite for morning or a sunset family photoshoots.

Directions and Parking

If you’re staying in Waikiki, Kailua is about 30 to 40 minutes of driving, depending on traffic. You’ll like take the H3 freeway or the Pali HWY. Both routes are recommended if you need to get there for an important appointment like your family photos. If you aren’t on a schedule then you could take the scenic route along highway 72. Highway 72 will take you around Waikiki and through Kahala town and along Waimanalo. The driving views are unparalleled but be sure to plan for additional stops along the way. Parking for this specific spot (Megan will give you the exact location) is only street parking in the nearby neighborhood.

How will your photos look at Kailua Beach

Megan Moura offers a morning or a sunset family sessions at Kailua beach. Both are gorgeous with very with their own aesthetics. If you opt for a sunset session then your images will look like these here of the Jones’ family. Since Kailua is located on the east side of the Oahu, you will not get a direct sunset view (sunsets are always on the west). However, sunset time on the east side is beautiful nonetheless. You’ll get a pink or orange colored clouds as the sun sets. The clouds will illuminate this pastel color, which makes for great photos. The temperature will be significantly less hot compared to a west side sunset photo session. This lower temperature is a great consideration if sweating is a concern. If you choose to do a sunrise session at Kailua beach then you’ll get a spectacular sunrise view. The colors will be more orange and hopefully you’ll have some clouds to catch this color!

Key Considerations

If you do choose this location for your portrait photoshoot then please consider these things. The first, this is a very popular public beach therefore you can expect beachgoers in the background of your images. Though, Megan will remove these beachgoers from the final set of images that you purchase. Speaking of beachgoers, we cannot tell anyone to move so this means that you and I will move to get the best angles. I often angle my clients towards the ocean as there are less people in the water than on the sand.