Kailua is a city of about 38,635 people in Honolulu County, Hawaii. Today the sun rises at 6:29 AM and sets at 6:03 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:33 PM – 6:17 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour by month
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:12 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:34 PM | 10h 58m |
| February | 7:02 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 27m |
| March | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:03 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 6:12 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:14 PM | 12h 39m |
| May | 5:53 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:27 PM | 13h 09m |
| June | 5:49 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:40 PM | 13h 26m |
| July | 5:58 AM | 6:30 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:41 PM | 13h 19m |
| August | 6:10 AM | 6:41 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:26 PM | 12h 52m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:35 PM | 6:57 PM | 12h 16m |
| October | 6:27 AM | 6:57 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:30 PM | 11h 40m |
| November | 6:43 AM | 7:14 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:14 PM | 11h 07m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 50m |
Local time in Pacific/Honolulu, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Kailua
At Kailua the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 64° (ENE) at the June solstice and 115° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 296° (WNW) in June to 245° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 88° in summer but only 45° in winter.
Best photo spots near Kailua
42 photo locations lie within 80 km of Kailua. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
Scenic Viewpoints
Waterfalls
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Lighthouses
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Botanical Gardens
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Botanical GardenNight sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Kailua is estimated at Bortle 8 (city sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Heleleikeoha Falls, about 187 km (116 mi) away (Bortle 2). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from February to October, best in June.
Darkest skies within 200 km
| Location | Type | Distance | Est. Bortle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heleleikeoha Falls | Waterfall | 187 km (116 mi) | 2 |
| Kahanu Garden | Botanical Garden | 189 km (117 mi) | 2 |
| Kaia Ranch Tropical Botanical Gardens | Botanical Garden | 190 km (118 mi) | 2 |
| Alelele Falls | Waterfall | 191 km (119 mi) | 2 |
| Waimoku Falls | Waterfall | 192 km (120 mi) | 2 |
| Other Oheo Gulch Waterfalls | Waterfall | 193 km (120 mi) | 2 |
| Kekuapo‘owai Falls | Waterfall | 193 km (120 mi) | 2 |
| Makahiku Falls | Waterfall | 193 km (120 mi) | 2 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 4:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.5 | 25° |
| March | 2:25 AM – 5:25 AM | 3.0 | 36° |
| April | 12:27 AM – 4:47 AM | 4.3 | 40° |
| May | 10:25 PM – 4:25 AM | 6.0 | 40° |
| June | 8:41 PM – 4:21 AM | 7.7 | 40° |
| July | 8:41 PM – 2:51 AM | 6.2 | 40° |
| August | 8:21 PM – 12:51 AM | 4.5 | 40° |
| September | 7:50 PM – 10:50 PM | 3.0 | 37° |
| October | 7:22 PM – 8:52 PM | 1.5 | 26° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 47% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (61%). September is the warmest month and February the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.