Driving the Kahekili Highway around West Maui

The Road to Hana gets all the buzz as Maui’s most famous drive (heck, it’s one of the most famous drives in the world!), but I’ve got one that you definitely don’t want to miss…

The Kahekili Highway circles the West Maui Mountains connecting Kapalua and Wailuku and some of Maui’s most rugged and beautiful terrain. 

But I’ll be honest…this drive is not for the faint of heart. And I actually can’t recommend driving the full loop. I’ve done it twice, but it’s…INTENSE. 

Here’s everything you need to know about the trip:

Driving the Kahekili Highway around West Maui

As I said, this drive isn’t for the faint of heart or nervous/inexperienced drivers. The road is narrow, with blind curves, steep drop-offs, and sections where only one car can pass at a time. 

But it isn’t ALL that bad. 

I feel pretty comfortable saying that the drive from Kapalua clockwise around West Maui up to Kahakuloa Village is a must do for everyone. 

This stretch of the Kahekili Highway is just about 15 miles, but there is sooooo much to see, and you’ll get to do the best part of the epic drive without doing the risky part. 

From Kapalua to Kahakuloa, the road is a paved two-laned state highway with plenty of guard rails and pullouts. (The state highway actually ends just before you get to Kahakuloa, but I feel like it’s still fine to drive the last bit to get to the overlook before turning around). 

Past that, I feel like it’s very much “at your own risk.” If you’re used to extreme mountain driving, you’ll be more comfortable but I would definitely recommend watching some YouTube videos so you know what you’re getting yourself into. 

Stops along the Kahekili Highway

Here are my favorite places to stop along the part of the Kahekili Highway that I recommend everyone drives (going clockwise from Kapalua to Kahakuloa):

Slaughterhouse Beach

There are plenty of great beaches in West Maui, but this one has a pretty dramatic entrance. Parking is limited, but if you’re early enough you can snag one of the parking spots alongside the road and take the staircase down to the beach. 

It feels a bit like a hidden secret. 

Honolua Bay

This is one of Maui’s most popular snorkeling spots. A lot of West Maui snorkeling tours make a stop here, but you can also snorkel out from the shore. It’s rocky though so the entry is a little tricky. Also, the walk from the road down to the bay is BEAUTIFUL. 

Nakalele Blowhole

The Nakalele Blowhole is a natural geyser that shoots seawater high into the air creating a pretty dazzling display (especially when it creates a rainbow!). The blowhole is strongest at high tide or in high surf and it’s worth timing your visit for the right conditions otherwise you might not be able to see it very well. 

The hike down to the blowhole is deceptively short but it’s a fairly steep climb back up. You can actually see the blowhole pretty well from a distance but be REALLY careful if you hike down closer. People have lost their lives getting too close either getting sucked down into the hole or washed out into the ocean by a rogue wave. 

And yes, this is the spot where you used to be able to find the famous heart shaped rock, but sadly it was destroyed during a big storm a few years ago. 

Olivine Pools

A few miles past the blowhole, there’s a small parking area leading to the Olivine Pools. These natural volcanic tide pools are filled with seawater and when the tide and surf are LOW, people like to swim in the pools. But be super careful because conditions can change in a minute. 

Kahakuloa Head (Pu’u Koa’e) Overlook

This is the point where I usually turn around (it’s just a mile or two past the sign where the state highway ends). It’s probably the most iconic view from this drive. 

Kahakuloa Village

If you want, you can drive down into the small village and stop for banana bread, shave ice, or to check out an art gallery. You can also do some hiking around Kahakuloa Head. 

More Tips

***If you ARE going to drive the entire Kahekili Highway, you 100% need to drive it clockwise from Kapalua so you’ll be on the inside lane. When you get an open sightline, pay attention to how many cars are coming towards you and pull over where there’s space and wait for them all to pass. Since you’re on the inside lane, you’ll need to yield right of way to cars coming on the outside lane and you don’t want to have to back up to a pullout (the road is very steep in stretches). 

The road is carved into the cliffside, and you'll encounter numerous blind curves and one-lane sections. Drive slowly and honk your horn before entering blind corners to alert oncoming traffic.

You don’t need 4WD for the full loop, but a smaller (shorter) car is definitely preferable over something like a van or suburban. 

Make sure you have a full tank of gas when you leave the Kapalua area because you won’t pass another gas station. 

And don’t expect any cell service once you’re a few miles past Kapalua so make sure you have a good idea of the route (there’s only one road ; )  and where you want to turn around.