241 thoughts on “Updated: Baffling Maui Travel Advice Just Released By State of Hawaii”
Dan C
And what is going on with Hawaiian Airlines? We had a short trip planned in early September (from Oahu). Hotel and rental car canceled with ease. But Hawaiian only lets you cancel flights scheduled through Aug, and even then there’s no way to do it online. We go out of our way to fly Hawaiian whenever we can, but I’m seeing less and less aloha and ohana mindset with HA.
A very sad time for so many. Maui needs a little rest. Even if not physically in West Maui, the stress across the island is probably great for family, jobs, especially as there were several other fires at the same time. Getting a chance for calm might allow a bright path forward for unaffected areas.
I wish peace for all Hawaii.
OK so I’m planning on visiting Kihei the second week of September. I wonder if that’s gonna happen or not. So far everyone I contacted regarding my travel and accommodations have been OK things are fine, but are they really?
We just don’t know yet. Those who work in tourism will certainly want your returning business in order to keep their jobs, but the negative impact on the very limited overall island infrastructure is not clear. Sorry.
On August 8 there was a 5.5 hour evacuation notice for parts of Kihei, an arsonist set fire in Pulehu/Central Maui posed a potential threat. When the evacuation notice was lifted, on August 8, visitors returned. Those staying enjoyed good air quality (wind was moving towards the fire, pushing the smoke away) and access to everything in South Maui.
Maui Fire Department with the assistance also of Coast Guard helicopter water drops steadily made progress to contain this fire and as of Saturday it is, per Maui County Fire Dept. in 100% containment.
Drought for many years coupled with wind creates opportunities for wildfires. When the last of sugar cane fields were harvested and not replanted, the new challenges have been to manage fires and the fire department has learned to successfully establish and control the perimeter that borders the residential/resort area.
Tragically and catastrophically, Lahaina’s warning system did not go off (this is being investigated). If you are familiar with its geography as well as the road system servicing Lahaina you will understand that it was like a box canyon for the residents who received late warning and had insufficient ability to depart.
Maui News Now will give you very good information about the fires and the conditions across the island following this tragedy.
The information you are hearing about Kihei being fine is Correct.
Amid the heartbreak we all feel, as tourists with plans for February we want to do the right thing. We always reserve almost a year in advance for beautiful ocean side condos so we can watch whales from our lanai. We shop local and are mellow trying to be thoughtful, low impact visitors. If we cancel are we abandoning those who benefit from our tourist dollars? If we switch to another island for this winter we feel guilty and frankly like, but don’t love the other islands like we do Maui. My family feels for Maui deeply. Do we gamble and wait – not making other plans. We want to support in the best way and have heard from friends in Florida California and New York that they do want tourists returning after a disaster. We are so grateful for the time we have had in west Maui and we want to do our small part to support her people.
We have the exact same scenario, book a year early for a beautiful West Maui oceanside condo for several weeks in early February. We shop local, eat local. We are in our 70s and enjoy our very mellow and laid back vacation every year. We have decided at this point to wait it out for a few months (until last date for VRBO cancellation) in hopes there will be better and clearer information available to make an informed decision that works best for both Maui and ourselves.
The affect hotels have a website on which they could communicate with those who currently have reservations and those who desire future reservations. Email should also be an effective way for hotel staff to communicate with their customers.
Maui Schooner, Kihei, is Closed until September 15. The owners of this timeshare complex are being contacted to tell them to cancel their upcoming plans.
I think the original reaction by the HTA of “Don’t come to Maui” was a knee-jerk reaction to the shock and devastation everyone here was feeling the first few days. Then, the more the HTA thought about it, the more they started realizing that it might not be in Maui’s best interest to curtail tourism to untouched areas completely, as those areas could help bring money to the island to aid in the recovery. I think it’s just going to take some time to sort everything out and start creating a strategic recovery plan. It’s only been 6 days.
Having said all that, I can’t help but remember that one of the goals of the “new” HTA is to reduce tourism. I wonder how much incentive they will actually have to rebuild a tourism base, and how much travel they will actually want to encourage in their long-term goals.
I can’t tell you how profoundly sad I am about losing what I feel has been our second home. We visited the Lahaina area just about every year since 1983 and always stayed at beautiful Puamana. I cry every time I think about the devastation there and the horrors those people went through in this catastrophic fire. I send prayers to everyone who experienced this tragedy. I will always love Maui and especially our beloved Puamana and Lahaina.
What is happening on Maui is horrific. Those of us with timeshares on West, South and East Maui and have been returning for many years are not casual tourists. My husband and I plan to keep our January/February reservation, assuming we are allowed to return, and hope others return as well. For now, please donate!!
If we aren’t very careful, we’ll make a horrible situation even worse by tanking small businesses on Maui. None of these businesses can survive without revenue and that equates to tourism. Conflicting and confusing travel guidance has already triggered a cascade of cancellations in parts of Maui that are unaffected by the Lahaina tragedy.
The Governor has also stated that we need to keep the rest of Maui going. Self appointed experts are on Facebook telling everyone to stay away for 6 months. I don’t know of any business that can sustain zero revenue for even a small fraction of that time.
I’m not trying to minimize the horrific situation in Lahaina. I personally know people who lost their homes. Its going to be a long, difficult and expensive process for Lahaina to recover. We need to do everything we can to support them and one of those things is to keep the rest of Maui’s economy in tact.
The activities elsewhere on the island are still open. Got this yesterday from a friend of mine:
“ Hello my fellow Maui Adventure Group family!
I wanted to let you all know that my heart is aching and weeping right now for Maui and the fire devastation that has happened. I have been on the mainland (at my ‘other home’ in Utah) for the past few months and have really missed going on adventures with all y’all! Right now I wish I was there to give each and every one of you a big huge hug!!!
I am holding space in my heart for everyone that was affected by the fires and I’m sending my love across the ocean. I’m not sure when I’ll be returning to Maui yet – its looking like not for a few more months but our other fearless leader Rayna is there in Kihei and she will be hosting some adventure group activities in the near future so please stay tuned! This is a wonderful ohana we have built and it’s a beautiful way where we can all come together for healing and to help each other recover from this tragedy thru our friendship.
I feel badly for all of those people who were/are directly and indirectly impacted by this horrible tragedy; however, you couldn’t pay me to travel to Maui now or even over the next few years. This will impact the whole island for awhile.
I know its difficult to get news about West Maui but you two seem to be more “in the know” than State and County officials and sources. Do you know if the Honokowai-Napali area has been impacted by the wildfire? This is so sad. Thanks Jim F
We’re sitting here in Honolulu talking with someone from that area. The infrastructure there is fed thru Lahaina. Also traffic now is via Pililani/the back side. Narrow, unimproved and one-lane road (as reported to us by Kahului resident who uses it). Very challenging.
I have been crying for days as I watch with horror and think of the pain that Maui and Lahaina and families are enduring. Please believe me when I post my comments with all sympathy and caring. With all due respect, what happens with all the Timeshare weeks that are booked? All the $$ on Air Travel that has been booked … for all areas besides the Lahaina area. First it was 2 weeks, then avoid the month of August, now avoid all together? I realize that there will be infrastructure issues, but how will Maui County recover without travel?
Just finished reading the tourism website notification when I got your “Beat”. I was confused as well as we have a condo in Kihei we were going to next Sunday. My take is they don’t want to kill off all tourism on Maui especially just a year after all the Covid stuff that went down over the last 2 years.
Aloha,
My heart goes out to the families that are affected by this tragedy. We have been to Maui many times.
We have planes for 9/1-9/15 in Kihei. when I emailed the rental place told me that there is no reason that they will not be able to welcome us then. It seems to me that the locals would view us as uncaring people to show up for a vacation during this tragic time. I do not think that the rental company plans to let us reschedule unless they are forced to. We paid over $4000. If you have any more helpful advice, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you for all the info that you have been sharing with your readers.
Janet,
Keep your plans and go to Kihei in September. Kihei remains beautiful. Remember, the condo and hotel housekeeping workers need their jobs. The restaurant workers need their jobs. The shopkeepers and grocery store workers need their jobs. When tourism decreases in Kihei and other areas of Central/South Maui, workers get laid off. Consider that many homeowners in Central and South Maui are now hosting families who were displaced from the West Side. This means more family/friends to feed, and higher electrical and water bills in many households. So, travel to Kihei in September. Spend locally. Bring your gratitude and appreciation for the aina, and bring your compassion. I have friends who are rental agency managers and housekeeping staff. I know they want the economy to flourish where it can, and they want to sustain their families.
Seems many depend on tourism so why ignore those people. Lahahia is a many tourist area but not the only one. It is quite odd information is so broken and confusing. Pretty obvious one cannot get near Lahaina but there are other places north and south of Lahaina surly.
And what is going on with Hawaiian Airlines? We had a short trip planned in early September (from Oahu). Hotel and rental car canceled with ease. But Hawaiian only lets you cancel flights scheduled through Aug, and even then there’s no way to do it online. We go out of our way to fly Hawaiian whenever we can, but I’m seeing less and less aloha and ohana mindset with HA.
A very sad time for so many. Maui needs a little rest. Even if not physically in West Maui, the stress across the island is probably great for family, jobs, especially as there were several other fires at the same time. Getting a chance for calm might allow a bright path forward for unaffected areas.
I wish peace for all Hawaii.
OK so I’m planning on visiting Kihei the second week of September. I wonder if that’s gonna happen or not. So far everyone I contacted regarding my travel and accommodations have been OK things are fine, but are they really?
Hi K. M.
We just don’t know yet. Those who work in tourism will certainly want your returning business in order to keep their jobs, but the negative impact on the very limited overall island infrastructure is not clear. Sorry.
Aloha.
KM,
On August 8 there was a 5.5 hour evacuation notice for parts of Kihei, an arsonist set fire in Pulehu/Central Maui posed a potential threat. When the evacuation notice was lifted, on August 8, visitors returned. Those staying enjoyed good air quality (wind was moving towards the fire, pushing the smoke away) and access to everything in South Maui.
Maui Fire Department with the assistance also of Coast Guard helicopter water drops steadily made progress to contain this fire and as of Saturday it is, per Maui County Fire Dept. in 100% containment.
Drought for many years coupled with wind creates opportunities for wildfires. When the last of sugar cane fields were harvested and not replanted, the new challenges have been to manage fires and the fire department has learned to successfully establish and control the perimeter that borders the residential/resort area.
Tragically and catastrophically, Lahaina’s warning system did not go off (this is being investigated). If you are familiar with its geography as well as the road system servicing Lahaina you will understand that it was like a box canyon for the residents who received late warning and had insufficient ability to depart.
Maui News Now will give you very good information about the fires and the conditions across the island following this tragedy.
The information you are hearing about Kihei being fine is Correct.
Such a heartbreaking thing, I wish so much this didn’t happen.
I send love and healing energy to the people and the islands of Hawaii.
Amid the heartbreak we all feel, as tourists with plans for February we want to do the right thing. We always reserve almost a year in advance for beautiful ocean side condos so we can watch whales from our lanai. We shop local and are mellow trying to be thoughtful, low impact visitors. If we cancel are we abandoning those who benefit from our tourist dollars? If we switch to another island for this winter we feel guilty and frankly like, but don’t love the other islands like we do Maui. My family feels for Maui deeply. Do we gamble and wait – not making other plans. We want to support in the best way and have heard from friends in Florida California and New York that they do want tourists returning after a disaster. We are so grateful for the time we have had in west Maui and we want to do our small part to support her people.
We have the exact same scenario, book a year early for a beautiful West Maui oceanside condo for several weeks in early February. We shop local, eat local. We are in our 70s and enjoy our very mellow and laid back vacation every year. We have decided at this point to wait it out for a few months (until last date for VRBO cancellation) in hopes there will be better and clearer information available to make an informed decision that works best for both Maui and ourselves.
The affect hotels have a website on which they could communicate with those who currently have reservations and those who desire future reservations. Email should also be an effective way for hotel staff to communicate with their customers.
Maui Schooner, Kihei, is Closed until September 15. The owners of this timeshare complex are being contacted to tell them to cancel their upcoming plans.
I think the original reaction by the HTA of “Don’t come to Maui” was a knee-jerk reaction to the shock and devastation everyone here was feeling the first few days. Then, the more the HTA thought about it, the more they started realizing that it might not be in Maui’s best interest to curtail tourism to untouched areas completely, as those areas could help bring money to the island to aid in the recovery. I think it’s just going to take some time to sort everything out and start creating a strategic recovery plan. It’s only been 6 days.
Having said all that, I can’t help but remember that one of the goals of the “new” HTA is to reduce tourism. I wonder how much incentive they will actually have to rebuild a tourism base, and how much travel they will actually want to encourage in their long-term goals.
Have you heard any news on flying into Maui from the mainland and getting a connecting flight to other islands. ie., the big island, Kauai?
I can’t tell you how profoundly sad I am about losing what I feel has been our second home. We visited the Lahaina area just about every year since 1983 and always stayed at beautiful Puamana. I cry every time I think about the devastation there and the horrors those people went through in this catastrophic fire. I send prayers to everyone who experienced this tragedy. I will always love Maui and especially our beloved Puamana and Lahaina.
Many locals have voiced a dislike for tourists. Now, we will see how well Maui can get along without tourists. Be careful what you wish for!
Please show some aloha, Thomas. This is no time to be vindictive.
What is happening on Maui is horrific. Those of us with timeshares on West, South and East Maui and have been returning for many years are not casual tourists. My husband and I plan to keep our January/February reservation, assuming we are allowed to return, and hope others return as well. For now, please donate!!
If we aren’t very careful, we’ll make a horrible situation even worse by tanking small businesses on Maui. None of these businesses can survive without revenue and that equates to tourism. Conflicting and confusing travel guidance has already triggered a cascade of cancellations in parts of Maui that are unaffected by the Lahaina tragedy.
The Governor has also stated that we need to keep the rest of Maui going. Self appointed experts are on Facebook telling everyone to stay away for 6 months. I don’t know of any business that can sustain zero revenue for even a small fraction of that time.
I’m not trying to minimize the horrific situation in Lahaina. I personally know people who lost their homes. Its going to be a long, difficult and expensive process for Lahaina to recover. We need to do everything we can to support them and one of those things is to keep the rest of Maui’s economy in tact.
We are traveling to South Maui to Kihei on October 11th. Is it going to be safe for travel and are there still activities to do?
We are trying to determine what to do at this time.
Thanks
The activities elsewhere on the island are still open. Got this yesterday from a friend of mine:
“ Hello my fellow Maui Adventure Group family!
I wanted to let you all know that my heart is aching and weeping right now for Maui and the fire devastation that has happened. I have been on the mainland (at my ‘other home’ in Utah) for the past few months and have really missed going on adventures with all y’all! Right now I wish I was there to give each and every one of you a big huge hug!!!
I am holding space in my heart for everyone that was affected by the fires and I’m sending my love across the ocean. I’m not sure when I’ll be returning to Maui yet – its looking like not for a few more months but our other fearless leader Rayna is there in Kihei and she will be hosting some adventure group activities in the near future so please stay tuned! This is a wonderful ohana we have built and it’s a beautiful way where we can all come together for healing and to help each other recover from this tragedy thru our friendship.
Much love and aloha ~Adrian R
I feel badly for all of those people who were/are directly and indirectly impacted by this horrible tragedy; however, you couldn’t pay me to travel to Maui now or even over the next few years. This will impact the whole island for awhile.
Rob & Jeff:
I know its difficult to get news about West Maui but you two seem to be more “in the know” than State and County officials and sources. Do you know if the Honokowai-Napali area has been impacted by the wildfire? This is so sad. Thanks Jim F
Hi Jim.
We’re sitting here in Honolulu talking with someone from that area. The infrastructure there is fed thru Lahaina. Also traffic now is via Pililani/the back side. Narrow, unimproved and one-lane road (as reported to us by Kahului resident who uses it). Very challenging.
Aloha.
That road was challenging even to someone who has driven mountain roads. I can’t imagine driving it with a lot of traffic.
I have been crying for days as I watch with horror and think of the pain that Maui and Lahaina and families are enduring. Please believe me when I post my comments with all sympathy and caring. With all due respect, what happens with all the Timeshare weeks that are booked? All the $$ on Air Travel that has been booked … for all areas besides the Lahaina area. First it was 2 weeks, then avoid the month of August, now avoid all together? I realize that there will be infrastructure issues, but how will Maui County recover without travel?
Just finished reading the tourism website notification when I got your “Beat”. I was confused as well as we have a condo in Kihei we were going to next Sunday. My take is they don’t want to kill off all tourism on Maui especially just a year after all the Covid stuff that went down over the last 2 years.
Aloha,
My heart goes out to the families that are affected by this tragedy. We have been to Maui many times.
We have planes for 9/1-9/15 in Kihei. when I emailed the rental place told me that there is no reason that they will not be able to welcome us then. It seems to me that the locals would view us as uncaring people to show up for a vacation during this tragic time. I do not think that the rental company plans to let us reschedule unless they are forced to. We paid over $4000. If you have any more helpful advice, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you for all the info that you have been sharing with your readers.
Hi Janet.
We sincerely wish we had more answers. They’re are no indications at present that you should not come.
Aloha.
Janet,
Keep your plans and go to Kihei in September. Kihei remains beautiful. Remember, the condo and hotel housekeeping workers need their jobs. The restaurant workers need their jobs. The shopkeepers and grocery store workers need their jobs. When tourism decreases in Kihei and other areas of Central/South Maui, workers get laid off. Consider that many homeowners in Central and South Maui are now hosting families who were displaced from the West Side. This means more family/friends to feed, and higher electrical and water bills in many households. So, travel to Kihei in September. Spend locally. Bring your gratitude and appreciation for the aina, and bring your compassion. I have friends who are rental agency managers and housekeeping staff. I know they want the economy to flourish where it can, and they want to sustain their families.
Seems many depend on tourism so why ignore those people. Lahahia is a many tourist area but not the only one. It is quite odd information is so broken and confusing. Pretty obvious one cannot get near Lahaina but there are other places north and south of Lahaina surly.