How long from kahului to kihei

Next, drive for another 15 minutes then stop at Hawaiian Islands and stay for 1 hour. Finally, drive for about 5 minutes and arrive in Kahului. To see all the details on this itinerary, including recommended restaurants, hotels, and things to do along the way, check out the full road trip planner: Road trip from Kihei to Kahului Plan a trip to Kahului Trippy has a ton of information that can help you plan your trip to Kahului, Hawaii.

Start by reading the Trippy page on where to stay in Kahului. If you're looking for a place to stay, you might want to check out Iao Valley Inn. A great place to eat might be Mama's Fish House Restaurant. Trippy members can suggest things to do in Kahului like Maui Ocean Center. Click the button below to explore Kahului in detail. The distance is the same either way if you're flying a straight line or driving the same roads back and forth. Start by reading the Trippy page on where to stay in Kihei.

If you're looking for a place to stay, you might want to check out Four Seasons Maui at Wailea. A great place to eat might be Monkeypod Kitchen. Trippy members can suggest things to do in Kihei like Road to Hana. Check out some of the questions people have asked about Kihei like Condos in Kehei. Click the button below to explore Kihei in detail.

The distance is the same either way if you're flying a straight line or driving the same roads back and forth. But for a real trip, there can be plenty of differences so go ahead and check the reverse directions to get the distance from Kihei to Kahului , or go to the main page to calculate the distance between cities.

If you happen to know Kahului, don't forget to help other travelers and answer some questions about Kahului! We love them because their expert and local guides are some of the best in the industry, and their luxury customized vans are spacious, comfy, and have panoramic windows for great views. They even provide pick-up at most hotels. Best of all, as trailblazers in the eco-friendly tourism industry, they are the first Hawaii-based tour company to complete the Hawaii Green Business Program.

Time Estimate: As a straight drive, it's 2. But, as noted, you're likely not making it a straight drive. Directions: Take Highway 31 to Highway and turn right. Take Highway until it joins with Highway turn right onto Hwy Take a short distance to Highway 36 and turn right. From here you'll pass through Paia town and eventually the road will change to Highway The journey ends in Hana almost 50 miles away.

Directions: Take Highway 30 to Highway and turn right at the traffic light. Continue on Highway until you reach Highway 36, then turn right again. Some of the most beautiful beaches on Maui exist along the south Maui shore. Be forewarned also that "Little Beach" is popular with those who like to wear little clothing as well.

La Perouse Bay is just further south of Makena and is a great place to make a quick visit to Maui's most recent geologically speaking lava flow. The parking lot is on the right. La Perouse is just a few minutes three miles beyond this point. Parking is on the right at La Perouse Bay. Directions: Take Highway 30 until it meets Highway Take a right and continue on Highway 31 for a long distance until it runs into Wailea Alanui Drive.

Iao Valley and Iao Needle are a wonderful attraction for all Maui visitors. It's an especially great stop for families. The valley is a state park and offers paved trails throughout. Directions: Take Highway 31 all the way north to Highway 30 and turn right. The road will dead end at the parking lot in the valley. You May Also be Interested In This road, although paved, was a lot busier and therefore a little more tricky, especially because of the blind corners.

But for someone who learned how to drive on steep logging roads in Idaho, it was a piece of cake. Hey Mark, Thanks for this bomb guide! Question — thoughts on driving a campervan through this road?

It depends on how gutsy you are, some parts are a tight squeeze, and for many it might be nerve-wracking. I guess it all depends on your level of adventure! Also this goes for everyone actually please give right of way to locals. I would not drive a camper van around the far side, after visiting Hana.

I just drove this in a car and it is a very narrow road, one lane without guardrails on the edge of a foot cliff. It was very treacherous. The road is unpaved and very bumpy. It has gravel. I think a. Camper van would be too top heavy. It is very easy to go right over the cliff. The real issue is driving at night and cows on the road. The first time we drove half of it at night and nearly hit two cows who were just standing in the road. Hi, we are looking to do the Road to Hana counter clockwise, driving from Kaanapali at 6am.

We are planning a day trip. Also, would you recommend this counter clockwise route at this time of year we are travelling last week of April? Hi, I just completed the loop around Hana, and it was pretty crazy, luckily there was a small caravan of us, cars at any time.

I know for 1 I hate coming back down and being on the outside lane, seeing all the cliff edges on my passenger side freaks me out, so I opted to go all the way around. I had gone to hana and back the day before as well. I would say that it does get pretty bumpy for about a 5 mile stretch, but the dirt roads are not a problem so much as the narrow one laners, but there are usually spots to pull aside and let one person thru, we had to do it about 3 times, not so bad.

Also, as for type of car there was a nissan versa, a mustang and seabring. The sun was still pretty crazy in some parts, especially towards the end. And you reach nice roads a lot faster this way and the scenery is really nice. Oh and some of the dirt roads are actually quite wide towards the end, locals were passing us actually. Anyways, just my take on it, and I was driving a Jeep, which personally was big for what I m used to Pontiac Vibe so it made it a bit more unnerving.

All in all worth the risk, give it a go. And that honk horn sign only appears twice on the road to Hana and one of those times is before reaching Hana. Hello- great article! We will be spending 7 days in Maui and wanted your advice on what route to take?

We are staying in Lahaina for 2 nights then Hana for 2 nights and ending our trip with a 3 nights stay in Wailea- which route do we take in Hana? Start time, etc? Thanks in advance! Hi there, unfortunately the floods we just had have washed out part of this road and it wont be passible for some time. Check the Maui County website when you arrive. As far as what time to start, I always say as early as you are willing! Have fun! Hi Mark, Do you know if the road is still not passible?

Thank you! PS: I have not seen anything on the Maui County website but may have missed it. Bumpy but nothing that felt unsafe. Possibly I love this side more than the road to Hana. Mark — Are you saying that the road on the backside of Hana has been washed out in spots and is not passable?

Avoid the road death road that loops around the western Maui along the northern shore, and avoid the backside road that goes through Kaupo that loops around the eastern Maui along the southern shore. The views are spectacular, but the roads are very dangerous in my opinion. Hi there, my family is visiting in January. I am typically up fairly early and was considering driving the back way in the early morning , dark and starting at Pipiwai Trail or would you suggest going around clockwise at the same timish and starting in Pipiwai?

We just drove it. Hi- is it possible to car camp along this stretch. Do you know where you took that second to last picture, where it looks like the road will drop into the ocean? Just drove it today. What a beautiful drive. The first miles are kind of difficult but the rest is a breeze. Is the scenery better clockwise or counter-clockwise? Thinking of driving from Hana to Kula, driving up Haleakala for sunset and then overnighting in Kula before driving out to West Maui.

Is that cramming too much into one day, or is there plenty of time to get to Kula by noon, and ample time to enjoy Haleakala views before sunset? Hi Dennis — I think that plan sounds great as long as you were planning on an overnight in Hana before this.

Have a blast, sounds awesome! Great article! What do you think? If you are not a Hawaiian National or Hawaiian subject I do not recommend traveling on the back South side of Haleakala.

Please when visiting the Kingdom of Hawaii come with respect for the culture and the Hawaiian people. My family and I plan to drive the backside in December. We will be hitting the road at am leaving from Kahului cruise port And using the Shaka app and will only have hrs to make our way around and to the airport.

Will we be okay? Thank you for the great info and your feedback. Just reading your question.. We had a small SUV and had no troubles. That back side is really unique..

There are a couple of tight spots past Hana and then the road opens up. The switch backs and tight roads made it feel like home…. Looking great! I am astonished to learn the road map you have shared as this could have saved a lot of travel time.

Hi — My husband and I are planning on doing the whole loop this Christmas. Our flight is at 1. The clockwise route has many more places to stop and enjoy waterfalls and trails and you will want more time for that side. I would suggest going that way to Hana, so you can spend the time unhurried.

Hi Mark — Thanks for a great website! The backside of Haleakala is one of my favorite activities when visiting Maui. Thank you in advance for your time! Hi Judd — unfortunately camping is very limited on Maui, and there are no campgrounds in this area.

Hi Mark. We planned on leaving Lahaina around 6am in October and doing the whole loop clockwise. We would like to get back around sundown. That gives us around 12 hours. Is this doable? Hi Ralph — yes, this should be a nice full day, and you will miss a lot of the heavy traffic thats usually on the Lahaina side on your way out.

Great article. We took off on a rented Slingshot closest thing to a motorcycle that you can get and headed to Hana at 9am. Paia only has one stoplight in the middle of town, so to avoid a slow start, get through Paia before 9 am. Amazing views! We continued on the south side of the island, not knowing where we were headed. It completed the Hana trip. Without the drive South, you only get half of the experience. Elevation changes, beautiful coastal views and severe climate changes complete the entire trip.

Drive slow, obey all signs and have respect, and it will be the drive of a lifetime. Still a fantastic drive! Thanks for the excellent advice to take the road less travelled. Enjoyed the very limited counter-flow traffic, and loved the 10 miles of smooth roller coaster pavement in our rented Camaro.

Love your website. Weather permitting, I plan to drive SUV rental from Wailea round the back side directly to the Pipiwai Trail and hike to the waterfall first. Then we will grab lunch in or near Hana and drive the main road back to Paia. I figure we can stop at some of the highlights on the way back in the afternoon and maybe avoid the biggest crowds.

Does this make sense? It seems like the backside might have less morning traffic. Is that correct? Would you be able to estimate for each route what time we would need to leave Hana to make sure we could catch our flight with no difficulty including a rental car return assuming we made minimal stops?

Hi Carol — If it were me I would return to the airport via the backside. Give yourself 2. Grandmas Coffee House in Keokea is about a half an hour from the airport, so if you get there way ahead of schedule, go ahead and head in for a yummy lunch or some treats!

Their grill usually fires up around 11am and they serve up one of the best burgers EVER! Beef, elk, venison, lamb……all raised there at the ranch and so good. If you have a few xtra minutes then pay a visit to Maui Wine, they have shipping and travel sleeve options if you want to bring back a bottle…..

The Upcountry is a slice of Heaven on Earth. We will be driving from wailea to Hana and staying two nights in Hana then heading back to the airport.

We would like to catch a sunrise at halakei. What sequence would you recommend. We were thinking of heading from wailea to Hana on the north road heading east and spending the day working our way to Hana. On the second day spending the day around Hana and going down to the seven pools.

On our departure day getting up super early and driving to the state park for sunrise. Does this make sense or do you have a better sequence. Also if we did this would be travel the back way to the park for sunrise. Great info.

Much easier than making the mega turns from Hana to Paia. When we go again we will do it in reverse and see the winery, beach and Lindberg grave before we go to Hana. Did the back road from Hana with my wife yesterday. Beautiful trip with absolutely no problems.

Yes, the road is narrow in spots and can be a bit bumpy. But if you drive with care and at a prudent pace you will find it very enjoyable.

The views are spectacular and the last miles of the road back to Kahului appears to have been recently improved and is a very nice surface. We actually found the back side to be easier to navigate than the very curved and restricted view trip out to Hana. Two suggestions. First, leave early to increase your enjoyment and decrease the traffic and stress. We left the Costco in Kahului at am and the resulting traffic was very light although it was early December the entire length of the trip.

Second, watch the weather and make the trip on a sunny day, if possible. If it is rainy I suspect the degree of difficulty can be much higher—on both stretches of road. Take the less traveled road and enjoy the wonderful vistas. We did the round trip, with multiple stops and lunch in approximately 7 hours.

Thanks for trip report. We are about to do this in couple of days, so encouraging to know things have improved on that side! Great Article. You appreciate the road more when you really witness it. It is bumpy ride. But views are spectacular. We had an SUV with 2 kids so did not have the bumpy road issue.

Totally worth it. Just make sure you leave the Seven sacred pools in time to have a save drive. This should be a must do in Maui. We were in a Malibu. Great views! I have made 6 trips to Hana over past years. I drove the back road one time. Big mistake.

In my opinion it is really too dangerous. I think it should be closed until it is paved. It is really not too dangerous. I drove it too and it was breathtakingly beautiful! We had no problem at all, and we were in a minivan. Only a few miles are unpaved, but it is graded gravel. I checked out the link, it shows road closed during working hours which is , so it should be open after ? We are hoping to do the whole look, including this backside drive next week. We will be leaving from Kaanapali around 6 am.

Would you recommend we start with the south side and go counter-clockwise? Thanks for the sharing, I also found a useful service for forms filling. Its pretty easy to use. I think you can get a free trial if you ask for it. We have asked the state, DLNR and county to intervene.

We take offense to drivers that disrespect our Aina. Your visiting our island be respectful. Even when we gave signs you still go in, Stop it!!! Stop throwing garbage out the window. The Yield sign must be respected specially at a one lane bridge. I can appreciate what you are saying about respecting your island, it is beautiful and everyone should respect this beauty.

That being said, you need to address your concerns with respect. The visitors to your island make your economy, please remember this. Scott, virtually all of the tourist money flows off of this island as quickly as it came. Few of the locals who live in Kipahulu are benefiting from the tourist economy. Even for those who are, to have an attitude that your money somehow bought you the right to impact the people or environment negatively IS the problem.

What I suggest, and this applies to any visitor anywhere, that everyone visit with the humility of a gracious guest, rather than a king who paid to do as he pleases. That said, the original comment is written from anger, and polarized pigeonholing all white people as being one way — but if you can see past that anger with some understanding of what it must be like for those who have lived here all their life watching the land and lifestyle being taken away for nothing in return, there is also a lot of truth in there.

I drove this route 30 years ago and was terrified. I respect your island very much and will not travel the roads anymore. God bless you for letting us share your island and I hope all visitors will feel the same.

When I visit your island respect is foremost on my mind. Understand what you are saying and can clearly hear the frustration in your words. I have witnessed tourists disrespecting the land and not okay.

As a tourist coming up behind another tourist who has slammed their brakes on to get that perfect photo is dangerous and irritating. So know that there are tourists that treasure your land and treat it with respect. I agree…. Respect people….. The Earth is a beautiful treasure that only humans can appreciate. The Earth is a beautiful treasure that only humans can destroy. Wherever your feet tread, remember that respect is not given BUT earned.

Reflect on your contributions to the macro- AND micro-cultures you happen upon, whether purposeful or by chance. Strive to be socially respectful and responsible anywhere AND everywhere you venture.

I would highly recommend making this drive… some spectacular sweeping views — probably my favorite drive on Maui. We made this drive today in a rented BMW convertible, and it was just fine. Many other convertibles and compact cars were on the route as well. Chris, thx for the update. Thanks for the great info. What is your opinion on driving the back side from the other direction?

We are taking the Road to Hanna a different day, but on this day we plan to take in the sun rise, breakfast at Grandma Coffee House, then drive the back side to the Seven Sacred Pools and hike to the falls before the crowds arrive. We felt making the hike after the Road to Hanna was too late in the day. Especially having to drive back to Kaanapali. Hello, we are staying in Wailea next week and planning to do the same counter-clockwise to Hana leaving at 3.

We do not plan to make any stops. How did you find the counter-clockwise drive? As it sounds like most drive clockwise I want to make sure there is enough room to slowly pass another car or pull to the side to let a car pass. I also wanted to see if you think we will make it to Hana where we are staying the night by dark if we leave at 3.

Hi, We are planning on taking the the road to Hana and stopping off to hike and go to the seven pools and maybe a few other stops along the way.

How long do you think this entire trip will take? Aloha Julie — I suggest giving yourselves the whole day and leaving as early as possible.