Origin
Wailuku, HI
Afternoon in Wailuku on Saturday
Local time
3:21 PM
HST
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wailuku, HI to Wailea, HI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
17.3 mi
28 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wailuku, HI
Wikimedia Commons
Wailea, HI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Wailuku to Wailea covers 17.3 miles of Maui’s landscape, a quick journey that typically takes about 40 minutes. Because this trip is short, it is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, allowing you to get between these two points with minimal effort. You will navigate using a combination of Honoapiilani Highway, North Kihei Road, and Piilani Highway. Budgeting approximately $4 for fuel should be plenty for this direct commute. It is a straightforward transition between these two regions, making it an ideal route if you are looking to move efficiently across the island without needing an overnight split.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Piilani Highway | 6.6 mi | 14m |
| Honoapiilani Highway | 4.7 mi | 8m |
| North Kihei Road | 3.6 mi | 7m |
| North High Street | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| Wailea Alanui Drive | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Okolani Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West Vineyard Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Market Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Piilani Highway
— 6.6 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wailuku, HI and Wailea, HI.
1
Start on Makua Street
252 ft
·
32 sec
·
Makua Street
2
Turn left onto Kahawai Street
0.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Kahawai Street
3
Turn right onto HI 3405
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
North Market Street
4
Turn right onto West Vineyard Street
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
West Vineyard Street
5
Turn left onto North High Street
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
North High Street
6
Continue on HI-30
4.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Honoapiilani Highway
7
Turn slight left
108 ft
·
4 sec
Use the left lane.
8
Continue on HI 310
3.6 mi
·
7 min
·
North Kihei Road
9
Turn slight right
230 ft
·
6 sec
10
Turn right onto HI 31
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Piilani Highway
Use the left / straight lanes.
11
Enter roundabout onto HI 31
117 ft
·
2 sec
·
Piilani Highway
12
Continue on HI 31
4.7 mi
·
10 min
·
Piilani Highway
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn right onto Okolani Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Okolani Drive
Use the right lane.
14
Turn left onto Wailea Alanui Drive
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Wailea Alanui Drive
Use the straight / left lanes.
15
Turn right
79 ft
·
7 sec
16
Continue
519 ft
·
46 sec
17
Turn left
339 ft
·
24 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 17.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
West Vineyard Street
Turn right onto West Vineyard Street
Navigation decision point
5
16.1 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
Okolani Drive
Turn right onto Okolani Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
16.6 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
Wailea Alanui Drive
Turn left onto Wailea Alanui Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
17.2 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Enter roundabout
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
17.3 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.75 one way
$7.50 round trip
$5.51/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.79 | $3.94 | $7.89 |
| premium | $5.98 | $4.07 | $8.15 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.82 | $7.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.1 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 | 5.2 | 0 | $1.82 | $0.83 |
| Efficient EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.51 | $0.69 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.42 | $1.11 |
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
Wailea, HI
Afternoon in Wailea on Saturday
Local time
3:21 PM
HST
Current temp
87°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
21 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
40m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate experience, as this route maintains a 0% highway share. You will spend your time navigating local roads that require your full attention behind the wheel. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 6.6-mile segment along the Piilani Highway, which offers a brief respite from the frequent turns found elsewhere. As you move from Wailuku toward Wailea, the road characteristics shift, demanding that you stay alert to changing traffic patterns and local conditions throughout the duration of the trip.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.6 mi on Piilani Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near West Vineyard Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 17.3 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.3 miles (West Vineyard Street): Navigation decision point; at 16.1 miles (Okolani Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.6 miles (Wailea Alanui Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 17.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.6 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 0.3 miles (West Vineyard Street): Navigation decision point; at 16.1 miles (Okolani Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.6 miles (Wailea Alanui Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Wailea, 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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