Additionally, Kailua has shopping centers and a variety of restaurants including Chinese, Italian, Hawaiian, Mexican, and western cuisine. Kailua encourages other activities including jogging and bicycling. Its nearby mountain ridge background lends itself to hiking and hang gliding. There are three accessible off shore islands. The coral reefs help protect Kailua and provide the protected calm waters of its bay.
Coral reefs are very fragile colonies that can be damaged by human trespassing.
When engaging in water sports, please circumvent coral, which will mutually protect it, from breakage, and you from its razor sharpness. It serves as a background to the windward coastal communities of Waimanalo, Lanikai, Kaneohe and Kailua. Because of its wind-facing position, the Koolau Range traps precipitation which results in numerous streams and waterfalls. Two cliff passes, Nuuanu and Waimanalo Palis, cut through the range with highway tunnels. Nuuanu Pali has a historical lookout where Oahu warriors were defeated by Kamehameha the Great's troops in 1795.