Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
32m
Distance
18.5 mi
30 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kapa‘a, HI
William Chen
Lawai, HI
Mike Norris
Kapa‘a to Lawai is 18.5 miles and takes about 32 minutes via Kaumualiʻi Highway and Kuhio Highway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Hawaii, connecting two points on the island of Kauai. Expect a straightforward drive primarily on surface roads, making it an easy addition to a day's exploration. It's a quick hop that allows you plenty of time to enjoy your destinations without feeling rushed.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Kaumualiʻi Highway | 9.8 mi | 14m |
| Kuhio Highway | 8.3 mi | 16m |
| Piko Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Oyama Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Koloa Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Kauwila Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Kapa‘a, HI and Lawai, HI.
Start on Kauwila Street
Turn right onto HI 56
Continue on HI 56
Continue on HI 50
Turn left onto Oyama Road
Turn right onto Piko Road
At end of road, turn right onto HI 530
Arrive at destination
4 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 18.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto HI 56 / Kuhio Highway
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto Oyama Road
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Piko Road
Navigation decision point
At end of road, turn right onto HI 530 / Koloa Road
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$4.15 one way
$8.30 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.03 | $4.39 | $8.78 |
| premium | $6.22 | $4.53 | $9.06 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $4.57 | $9.14 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.94 | $0.89 |
| Efficient EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.62 | $0.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.59 | $1.18 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Kapa‘a on Sunday
Local time
2:53 AM
HST
Current temp
71°F
Isolated Rain Showers
Destination
Late night in Lawai on Sunday
Local time
2:53 AM
HST
Current temp
70°F
Isolated Rain Showers
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This route is mostly surface roads, with 0% highway driving. You'll navigate a longest stretch of 9.8 miles on Kaumualiʻi Highway before transitioning to local roads. Expect to encounter typical local traffic patterns as you transition from the highway segment to Piko Road.
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 HI 56 / Kuhio Highway.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 32m drive. You will face about 4 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 (HI 56 / Kuhio Highway): Navigation decision point; at 18.1 miles (Oyama Road): Navigation decision point; at 18.3 miles (Piko Road): Navigation decision point.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
814 ft
Total Descent
310 ft
Highest Point
694 ft
~15.9 mi in
Elevation Range
685 ft
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 32m. Total distance: 18.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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