Origin
‘Ele‘ele, HI
Afternoon in ‘Ele‘ele on Saturday
Local time
3:20 PM
HST
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from ‘Ele‘ele, HI to Wailua, HI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
22.5 mi
36 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
‘Ele‘ele, HI
alleksana
Wailua, HI
Mike Norris
Trip Overview
‘Ele‘ele, HI to Wailua, HI is 22.5 miles and takes about 37m via Kaumualiʻi Highway and HI 56, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip within the state of Hawaii. You'll be traveling through local areas, so expect a drive that requires your attention. The route covers a relatively short distance, making it ideal for a leisurely exploration or a quick transfer between points on the island. Plan for a drive that’s more about navigating local roads than covering vast distances.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Kaumualiʻi Highway | 15.5 mi | 23m |
| HI 56 | 3.7 mi | 7m |
| Kuhio Highway | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| Koki Road | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Eleele Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Haleilio Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Uliuli Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Kaumualiʻi Highway
— 15.5 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between ‘Ele‘ele, HI and Wailua, HI.
1
Start on Uliuli Road
84 ft
·
9 sec
·
Uliuli Road
2
Turn left onto Eleele Road
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Eleele Road
3
Turn left onto HI 50
15 mi
·
23 min
·
Kaumualiʻi Highway
4
Continue on HI 56
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Kuhio Highway
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn left onto HI 56
3.7 mi
·
7 min
·
HI 56
6
Turn left onto HI-5840
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Haleilio Road
7
Turn left onto Koki Road
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Koki Road
8
Arrive at destination
Koki Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 22.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Eleele Road
Turn left onto Eleele Road
Navigation decision point
3
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
HI 50 / Kaumualiʻi Highway
Turn left onto HI 50 / Kaumualiʻi Highway
Navigation decision point
3
18.4 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
HI 56
Turn left onto HI 56
Navigation decision point
3
22.1 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
HI-5840 / Haleilio Road
Turn left onto HI-5840 / Haleilio Road
Navigation decision point
4
22.2 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
Koki Road
Turn left onto Koki Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.88 one way
$9.75 round trip
$5.51/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.79 | $5.13 | $10.26 |
| premium | $5.98 | $5.30 | $10.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.97 | $9.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.36 | $1.08 |
| Efficient EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.97 | $0.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9 | 0 | $3.15 | $1.44 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Wailua, HI
Afternoon in Wailua on Saturday
Local time
3:20 PM
HST
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
37m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, with 16% of the journey on highways. You'll experience a mix of conditions, moving from Kaumualiʻi Highway onto HI 56 and eventually Kuhio Highway. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 15.5 miles along Kaumualiʻi Highway. Be prepared for frequent changes in road type and potential traffic as you navigate through populated areas. The drive progresses from a more highway-like feel to more direct local road navigation.
Only 16% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.5 mi on Kaumualiʻi Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Eleele Road.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 37m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Eleele Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (HI 50 / Kaumualiʻi Highway): Navigation decision point; at 18.4 miles (HI 56): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 37m. Total distance: 22.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (16%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15.5 miles on Kaumualiʻi Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Eleele Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (HI 50 / Kaumualiʻi Highway): Navigation decision point; at 18.4 miles (HI 56): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Wailua, HI before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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