Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
21.6 mi
35 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
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.
Wailea, HI
Wikimedia Commons
Paia, HI
Avinash Kumar
Wailea to Paia is 21.6 miles and takes about 43 minutes via Piilani Highway, Maui Veterans Highway, and Hana Highway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Hawaii, taking you from the southern coast of Maui towards the northern windward side. Expect a drive primarily on surface roads, making it a relaxed option if you're looking for a short hop between areas on the island. It's a good choice for a quick transfer or a scenic detour without a significant time commitment.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Piilani Highway | 6.7 mi | 14m |
| Maui Veterans Highway | 6.2 mi | 10m |
| Hana Highway | 5.3 mi | 9m |
| Baldwin Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Ho'okele Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Wailea Alanui Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Okolani Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Wailea, HI and Paia, HI.
Start on this road
At end of road, turn right
Continue
At end of road, turn left onto Wailea Alanui Drive
Turn right onto Okolani Drive
Turn left onto HI 31
Enter roundabout onto HI 31
Continue on HI 31
Continue on HI 311
Turn right onto Ho'okele Street
Turn right onto HI 36
Turn right onto HI 390
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 15.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn right
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Enter roundabout
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Turn left onto HI 31 / Piilani Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Enter roundabout onto HI 31 / Piilani Highway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Turn right onto HI 36 / Hana Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$4.85 one way
$9.69 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.03 | $5.13 | $10.26 |
| premium | $6.22 | $5.29 | $10.58 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $5.34 | $10.67 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.27 | $1.04 |
| Efficient EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.89 | $0.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.02 | $1.38 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Wailea on Sunday
Local time
12:35 AM
HST
Current temp
86°F
Sunny
Destination
Late night in Paia on Sunday
Local time
12:35 AM
HST
Current temp
85°F
Scattered Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny
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.
You'll be on surface roads for this entire 21.6-mile trip, with no highway driving involved. The longest continuous stretch on a single road is 6.7 miles on Piilani Highway. As you transition to Maui Veterans Highway and then Hana Highway, be prepared for a more urban feel with frequent intersections and traffic signals, especially as you approach Paia.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 21.6 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
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 1.2 miles (HI 31 / Piilani Highway): Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
595 ft
Total Descent
377 ft
Highest Point
275 ft
~1.5 mi in
Elevation Range
263 ft
Wailea, and the smaller Makena to the south, are resort areas on the south side of Maui, Hawaii, immediately south of the town of Kihei. They are known for their luxury resort hotels and condos, upscale restaurants, fancy shopping center and expensive golf courses. And although hidden behind the hotels and condos now, the beaches that attracted the developers in the first place are still there in all their golden sand beauty.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 43m. Total distance: 21.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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