Origin
Wailea, HI
Night in Wailea on Monday
Local time
11:25 PM
HST
Current temp
87°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wailea, HI to Kīhei, HI
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
15m
Distance
6.3 mi
10 km
Drive Score
5/10
Practical drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 14m
★
6 AM
0h 16m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 17m
12 PM
0h 16m
3 PM
0h 17m
5 PM
0h 18m
8 PM
0h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wailea, HI
Wikimedia Commons
Kīhei, HI
cottonbro CG studio
Trip Overview
Traveling between Wailea and Kīhei is a quick, straightforward transition across Maui’s southwestern coast. Spanning just 6.3 miles, this route typically takes about 15 minutes to complete, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via Wailea Alanui Drive, Okolani Drive, and the Piilani Highway. With a fuel budget of approximately $1, this is an incredibly economical journey for your travel itinerary. Because both locations are situated within the same region of Hawaii, you can expect a seamless experience without significant environmental or logistical shifts. It is a highly practical connection for those looking to move efficiently between these two coastal areas.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Piilani Highway | 4.8 mi | 10m |
| Wailea Alanui Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Okolani Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Kulanihakoi Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Piilani Highway
— 4.8 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wailea, HI and Kīhei, HI.
1
Start on this road
339 ft
·
27 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn right
416 ft
·
32 sec
3
Continue
199 ft
·
15 sec
4
At end of road, turn left onto Wailea Alanui Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Wailea Alanui Drive
5
Turn right onto Okolani Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Okolani Drive
6
Turn left onto HI 31
4.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Piilani Highway
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
Enter roundabout onto Kulanihakoi Street
24 ft
·
0 sec
·
Kulanihakoi Street
8
Continue on Kulanihakoi Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Kulanihakoi Street
9
Arrive at destination
Kulanihakoi Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
At end of road, turn right
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Enter roundabout
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
3
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Wailea Alanui Drive
At end of road, turn left onto Wailea Alanui Drive
Navigation decision point
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
HI 31 / Piilani Highway
Turn left onto HI 31 / Piilani Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
4
6 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
Kulanihakoi Street
Enter roundabout onto Kulanihakoi Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.37 one way
$2.73 round trip
$5.51/gal
25.4 MPG avg
2 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.79 | $1.44 | $2.87 |
| premium | $5.98 | $1.48 | $2.97 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.39 | $2.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 50% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 1.9 | 0 | $0.66 | $0.30 |
| Efficient EV | 1.6 | 0 | $0.55 | $0.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.88 | $0.40 |
Gas CO2
2 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (50% 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
Kīhei, HI
Night in Kīhei on Monday
Local time
11:25 PM
HST
Current temp
69°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
18 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
15m 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 15-minute journey is defined by a turn-heavy, local-road profile rather than a high-speed interstate experience. You won't spend any time on major highways, as the route maintains a zero-percent highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 4.8-mile segment on the Piilani Highway, which offers a brief moment of steady driving. Expect to navigate frequent turns as you transition between the local thoroughfares of Wailea Alanui and Okolani. Behind the wheel, the feel is one of a relaxed neighborhood cruise, requiring you to stay attentive to the changes in road layout as you navigate from one town to the next.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.8 mi on Piilani 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 around 0.1 miles in.
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 15m drive. You will face about 6 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: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.2 miles (Wailea Alanui Drive): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
This 6.3-mile drive is a perfect same-day round trip for a weekend escape, easily fitting into your schedule with just 15 minutes of driving time.
Family Friendly
With a total distance of only 6.3 miles and a quick 15-minute drive, this route is short enough to keep kids happy and the turn-heavy nature is manageable for families.
Solo Traveler
At just 6.3 miles and 15 minutes, this route is a comfortable and quick solo drive, perfect for exploring the local area without a long commitment.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
This 6.3-mile route is ideal for first-time drivers with its short 15-minute duration and straightforward, albeit turn-heavy, local roads.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.8 miles on Piilani 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: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.2 miles (Wailea Alanui Drive): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Haleakalā National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Kīhei, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
More from Wailea, HI
Explore more options from Wailea, HI or browse trips ending in Kīhei, HI.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse HI road trips.