Trip from Wailea, HI to Kīhei, HI

Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026

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

Unknown

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.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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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.

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

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

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.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 9 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Piilani Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 4.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

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.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 6 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

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

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

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	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	1.9	$0.66	$0.30
Efficient EV	1.6	$0.55	$0.25
EV Truck/SUV	2.5	$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.

Forecast as of Jun 21, 2022

Origin

Wailea, HI

Evening in Wailea on Thursday

Local time

5:32 PM

HST

Current temp

87°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Kīhei, HI

Evening in Kīhei on Thursday

Local time

5:32 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Wailea, HI to Kīhei, HI covers 6.3 miles and takes about 15m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Piilani Highway, Wailea Alanui Drive, Okolani Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 3.2 miles from Wailea, HI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.37 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

This is a straightforward 15m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

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.

The route from Wailea, HI to Kīhei, HI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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