Origin
Lawai, HI
Afternoon in Lawai on Saturday
Local time
3:20 PM
HST
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lawai, HI to Kapa‘a, HI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
32m
Distance
18.5 mi
30 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 30m
★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 38m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 38m
8 PM
0h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lawai, HI
Mike Norris
Kapa‘a, HI
William Chen
Trip Overview
Lawai to Kapaʻa is 18.5 miles and takes about 32 minutes via Kaumualiʻi Highway and HI 56, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop across Hawaii's island of Kauai is an easy drive, mostly on well-maintained highways. You'll stay within the state of Hawaii for this entire journey. It’s a straightforward trip, perfect for a quick transfer between locations or as part of a larger exploration of the island. Expect a smooth ride with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Kaumualiʻi Highway | 9.7 mi | 14m |
| HI 56 | 5.7 mi | 11m |
| Kuhio Highway | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| Piko Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Oyama Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Koloa Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Kauwila Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Kaumualiʻi Highway
— 9.7 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lawai, HI and Kapa‘a, HI.
1
Start on HI 530
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Koloa Road
2
Turn left onto Piko Road
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
Piko Road
3
Turn left onto Oyama Road
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
Oyama Road
4
Turn right onto HI 50
9.7 mi
·
14 min
·
Kaumualiʻi Highway
5
Continue on HI 56
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Kuhio Highway
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn left onto HI 56
5.7 mi
·
11 min
·
HI 56
7
Turn left onto Kauwila Street
94 ft
·
5 sec
·
Kauwila Street
8
Arrive at destination
Kauwila Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 18.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Piko Road
Turn left onto Piko Road
Navigation decision point
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Oyama Road
Turn left onto Oyama Road
Navigation decision point
3
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
HI 50 / Kaumualiʻi Highway
Turn right onto HI 50 / Kaumualiʻi Highway
Navigation decision point
3
12.8 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
HI 56
Turn left onto HI 56
Navigation decision point
4
18.5 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
Kauwila Street
Turn left onto Kauwila Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.01 one way
$8.02 round trip
$5.51/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.79 | $4.22 | $8.43 |
| premium | $5.98 | $4.36 | $8.71 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.08 | $8.17 |
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, 2026-04-13.
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Kapa‘a, HI
Afternoon in Kapa‘a on Saturday
Local time
3:20 PM
HST
Current temp
82°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
14 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
32m 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 offers a mixed drive, with 31% of your travel on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 9.7 miles along Kaumualiʻi Highway. As you transition to HI 56 and then Kuhio Highway, the road character may subtly shift, but generally, you can anticipate a consistent driving experience. It's not an overly complex or winding path, making it accessible for most drivers. The journey feels like a convenient connection rather than an adventure in itself.
31% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.7 mi on Kaumualiʻi Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Piko 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 32m 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: at 0.1 miles (Piko Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Oyama Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (HI 50 / Kaumualiʻi Highway): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
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 (31%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.7 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: at 0.1 miles (Piko Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Oyama Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (HI 50 / Kaumualiʻi Highway): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Kapa‘a, 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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