Maui: Car Travel

• Locations
• Sights & Beaches
• Restaurants
• Hotels
• Entertainment
• Shopping
• Activities
• Travel Tips
• Features

Car Travel

Traffic on Maui can be very bad branching out from Kahului to and from Paia, Kihei, and Lahaina. Drive here during peak hours and you'll know why local residents are calling for restrictions on development. Parking along many streets is curtailed during these times, and towing is strictly practiced. Read curbside parking signs before leaving your vehicle, even at a meter.

Gasoline

Regardless of today's fluctuating gas prices, you can pretty much count on having to pay more for gasoline on Maui than on the U.S. mainland.

Road Conditions

Maui's roads and streets, although they may challenge the visitor's tongue, are generally well marked. Keep an eye open for the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau's red-caped King Kamehameha signs, which mark major attractions and scenic spots. Ask for a map at the car-rental counter. Free publications containing good-quality road maps can be found at the aiport, hotels, and resorts, and in shopping areas.

Maui has its share of impenetrable areas, although four-wheel-drive vehicles rarely run into problems on the island. Molokai and Lanai have fewer roadways, but car rental is still worthwhile and will allow plenty of interesting sightseeing. Opt for a four-wheel-drive vehicle if dirt-road exploration holds any appeal.

Rules of the Road

Be sure to buckle up. Hawaii has a strictly enforced seat-belt law for front-seat passengers. Children under four must be in a car seat (available from car-rental agencies). Children 18 and under, riding in the backseat, are also required by state law to use seat belts. The highway speed limit is usually 55 mph. In-town traffic moves from 25 to 40 mph. Jaywalking is very common, so be particularly watchful for pedestrians, especially in congested areas. Unauthorized use of a parking space reserved for persons with disabilities can net you a $150 fine.

Asking for directions will almost always produce a helpful explanation from the locals, but you should be prepared for an island term or two. Instead of using compass directions, remember that Hawaii residents refer to places as being either mauka (toward the mountains) or makai (toward the ocean) from one another.