Kaunakakai Hawaii Map

About Kaunakakai, Hawaii

Kaunakakai is a locality in Maui County, Hawaii, United States. It has a population of approximately 3,419. The population density is 102.9 people per km². Kaunakakai is located at 21.0942°N, 157.0009°W. It observes the Hawaii Standard Time — no DST (Pacific/Honolulu) timezone. ZIP code: 96748.

Kaunakakai stretches along the sun-bleached southern shore of the island, where the land meets the vast, shimmering expanse of the Pacific Ocean. It lies 26.5 miles northwest of Lahaina, HI (from Lahaina, HI: bearing 304°T), and is situated 4.5 miles south-southeast of Kualapuu. Kaunakakai Gulch carves a dry, weathered path through the terrain, leading the eye toward the distant, hazy silhouette of Meaula Ridge that anchors the horizon. The air here holds a distinct salt-heavy warmth, carrying the scent of kiawe wood smoke and the subtle, sweet perfume of plumeria that drifts from nearby gardens. Travelers arriving at the waterfront find a landscape defined by the State Department of Land State Resource Management Area, which guards the shoreline against the encroachment of modern haste, preserving a stillness that feels as old as the tides themselves.

History lingers in the quietude of Kaunakakai, recalling a time when the economy relied upon the steady rhythm of agricultural cycles and the bounty drawn from the sea. Remnants of traditional life persist, reflected in the calm waters of Kaloko‘eli Fishpond, a structure that speaks to the ingenuity of ancestors who mastered the coastal currents long ago. While the bustle of larger hubs might define the other Hawaiian Islands, life here maintains a deliberate, measured pace, influenced by the distant slopes of the Molokaʻi Forest Reserve and the seasonal flow of water through the distant, rugged course of Waihānau Stream. Residents navigate their days with a profound sense of responsibility toward the land, finding beauty in the way the fading light turns the harbor into a palette of bruised purples and burnt orange at the end of every afternoon.

About This Kaunakakai Map Page

This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of Kaunakakai, Hawaii. Coordinates: 21.094154, -157.000949. Live weather conditions are sourced directly from the National Weather Service. Real-time local and world news feeds keep the page current.

Detailed location data for Kaunakakai includes the ZIP code (96748), telephone area code (808), county seat of Maui County (Wailuku), and school district assignment (Hawaii Department of Education).

Location data is drawn from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and cross-verified against 2020 US Census records by coordinate proximity. Population figures are sourced from the 2020 US Census.