Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
33m
Distance
15 mi
24 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
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
Waikapū, HI
Studio Lichtfang
Wailea to Waikapū is 15 miles and takes about 33m via Piilani Highway/North Kihei Road/Honoapiilani Highway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Hawaii, connecting two points on Maui. It's primarily a surface road experience, making it a straightforward trip for most vehicles. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a flexible schedule, allowing you to depart at your convenience and enjoy the local scenery without feeling rushed.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Piilani Highway | 6.7 mi | 14m |
| North Kihei Road | 3.6 mi | 7m |
| Honoapiilani Highway | 3.3 mi | 6m |
| Wailea Alanui Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Okolani Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Pilikana Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Kama Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Hookawai Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Wailea, HI and Waikapū, 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
Turn left onto North Kihei Road
Turn right onto HI-30
Turn left onto Pilikana Street
Turn left onto Hookawai Drive
Turn right onto Kama Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 14.9 — 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
Turn left onto Hookawai Drive
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Kama Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$3.15 one way
$6.30 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.61 | $3.31 | $6.62 |
| premium | $5.80 | $3.43 | $6.85 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $3.31 | $6.61 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.58 | $0.72 |
| Efficient EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.31 | $0.60 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6 | 0 | $2.10 | $0.96 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Night in Wailea on Tuesday
Local time
10:45 PM
HST
Current temp
76°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Night in Waikapū on Tuesday
Local time
10:45 PM
HST
Current temp
76°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
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
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 entirely on surface roads, with no highway driving involved. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 6.7 miles along Piilani Highway. You'll notice the transition from Piilani Highway to North Kihei Road and finally Honoapiilani Highway. Expect typical surface road conditions with potential for local traffic and intersections.
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.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 33m drive. You will face about 11 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 1.2 miles (HI 31 / Piilani Highway): Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
684 ft
Total Descent
245 ft
Highest Point
480 ft
~15 mi in
Elevation Range
474 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 33m. Total distance: 15 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
33m 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 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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