152 thoughts on “Decisive Maui Travel Rules Released | No Mixed messages”
Sharon
I feel so bad for the people of Maui effected by the fire, my heart goes out to all. My prayers go out to those who lost family members, homes, etc. I will pray that once you can start to rebuild, that it goes smoothly. I pray God’s will in all your lives.
Did anyone ask the small business owners and employees in West Maui about this plan? How sad that the devastation to Lahaina will now be followed by devastating local businesses by banning tourists from supporting them economically.
How many “small and local” business owners do you know in West Maui? Would love to find them. I only know Resorts and Time Shares like the Westin Villas, supermarkets etc.
We have a hotel return booked at a hotel in Napili Bay for September 10th-September 15th. I wrote the hotel yesterday inquiring about still being able to come visit on those dates, the current situation, and if we could help in any way possible. This was the reply I received today from the hotel-
Aloha Shawn
Thank you for reaching out and asking those questions.
Our hotel is closed at this time and we will not be opening until the governor gives word publicly that the west side is open.
We would love to accommodate you at a later date if wish. We do not want our guests to get into any altercations with the residents here on the island if we open without approval.
We can cancel your reservation with a full refund and or push your reservations to after December 1st 2023?
Thank you for posting, since some people on this site still think it’s business as usual. I must say that I am surprised that you had to ask the hotel instead of them reaching out to you.
I have traveled to Lahaina many times. I understand closing Lahaina Town and other burned areas, but I do not understand why undamaged areas further north are closed. I have stayed in Kaanapali many times and understand it is undamaged. Maybe the Governor does not understand this. Undamaged areas should be reopened.
Very simple when “Can” people go to bookings in West Maui.
We cancelled Sept 18 to the 30th before announcements as we felt it was the right thing to but we have a reservation for Oct. 4 to 14th and do not understand the vague announcement about till the 17th.
Marriott time share owners who had reservations in West Maui are being given only 2 months to rebook before losing their points. Otherwise we are being told that our only choice is to come as scheduled. (Early September). There are no openings in Hawaii, or most other desirable locations in the next 2 months. This seems counter to the governors message, and counter to good business.
I’m so done with Marriott, Soon as they bought Westin it turned to crap, I have a Amex Marriot card with so many points, Those nice resorts won’t even take points anymore. Or redemption value is insane.
I also have a reservation, on September 8th, with Maui Marriott in Ka’anapali.
They told me the same thing – I could cancel but only have 2 months to rebook. I’m thinking maybe since the Pali is open, and businesses are open, we could still go and volunteer in Napili.
Also maybe bring a second suitcase filled with supplies – what do people need? I thought maybe FOOD – pantry items which are always so expensive to buy on Maui. Then we would eat at local restaurants and tip generously, as others have been saying.
Jacki M.
Thank you for your very concise and descriptive explanation of the situation and that West Maui is open and needs our support. My husband and I own a condo at Papakea (5 miles north of Lahaina town) and we were staying there during the gusty hurricane winds that knocked down powerlines early Tuesday morning. We sheltered in place as was requested with no power and limited cellular service. We did not hear about the Lahaina fire until
Wednesday afternoon when our son from California was able to get a call through to us.
We are devastated by the loss of lives, livelihood, and property. We got home safe, but we haven’t stopped crying. We already had reservations to go back again for a week at the end of September. Assuming Hawaiian Airlines doesn’t cancel our flight, we still plan to go back during that time and do some volunteering where needed and also lots of shopping, eating out, and generous tipping on the North West side (Times Market, Bad Ass Coffee, Java Jazz, Gazebo, Maui Fish Company, and eating at many other North West Maui restaurants). Maui no ka oi. Maui Strong!
I just heard that Times opened with temporary hours. Closed evenings and week-ends. Pharmacy still closed. Many others have no internet, so don’t assume they are open just because their site says so
Thanks for confirming. Hope you have what you need in these difficult times. I left Maui 2 weeks before the fires and am trying to get updates from my friends who live there which has been difficult until we could at least reach each other by text. I am returning the 1st week of October (returning resident)
Have no intent to visit West Maui now; however, US Citizens are not children.
No reason was given for “avoiding” West Maui area not impacted by the fire. This Governor has already “suppressed” multiple Laws passed by the elected Legislature. Guess is the tourist industry of West Maui (excluding the disaster areas) will be devastated by this seemingly arbitrary edict.
Something fishy…
Lahaina is much larger than what you might be aware of and it’s not just Front Street that was affected by the fires. For example, drinking water is not safe and bottled water was shipped to those in evacuation centers in Honokawai, there was no electricity in West Maui (not only Lahaina Town) for a week, the bypass was closed except for emergency vehicles, people still don’t have internet connection, Times and Safeway were still closed, not to talk about employees of resorts not being able to make it to work ..The problem here is that people who comment are not on West Maui.
It is still confusing about west maui north of Lahaina. We have a time share in kaanapali in October and we have no idea if whalers village or napili or kapalua is accepting tourists. I hear the word discouraged but are the roads closed to tourists going past Lahaina up more north?
It all depends on your timeshare company. The Marriott is cancelling reservations through September 30 right now but not October. Westin is also cancelling September.
As far as businesses in the area some are open and others are not. Whalers Village is open but not all shops in Whalers Village is open.
I am not there, but I have been reading as I am also supposed to go to Kaanapali in October.
Whalers has reopened and restaurants are reopening one by one. Resort areas of West Maui are open. Napili and Times market are open. Dollies is open. Pizza Paradiso is open. Java Coffee. McDonalds and more. Road is open with no restrictions. Please come.
First of all the messaging by the HTA is wrong. The road is open to West Maui. There is no checkpoint requiring residents only. Power and water is restored and internet is also restored in most areas.
Schools reopened this week for classes. Grocery stores are operating normal hours (Napili Market/Times Market) and many restaurants are reopening as well. Golf course are scheduling openings for September. The HTA is not handing out money to those who work in the resorts located on West Side who are currently on unemployment insurance. The hotels are certainly ready to be open. S’zonis’ restaurant in the Hyatt has opened. So please please do not spread this misinformation which is financially devastating to thousands of people who have lost their loved ones, homes and now their jobs. There are also hundreds if not thousands of immigrants who cannot get UI and rely on their jobs fueled by tourism. We are grieving and will be for a long time but we also are able to cope by being with our coworkers and visitors and moving forward. Reverse your messaging and encourage people to come to Maui Now!
Spectrum says it will begin to have internet restoration on 8/31. Currently Hawaiian Telecom is restored almost everywhere. Many are having Starlinks delivered via overnight mail (UPS is delivering everywhere).
The Governor’s proclamation doesn’t say West Maui is off limits, and in fact it is not closed to visitors (the road in is right now very specifically “open to all motorists” from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.), and there is nothing I am aware of but unjustified guilt trips keeping anyone from visiting areas of west Maui outside of the impact zone in Lahaina. I respectfully think it’s wrong for anyone to decide, apparently arbitrarily, that people who depend on west Maui visitors for their livelihoods are required to suffer an economic catastrophe on top of the brutal loss of life and property they are already forced to somehow bear – while those who work in tourism related businesses in south and north Maui need to be patronized. I have nothing but respect for the tragic losses that have been endured, and at the same time I respectfully reject the notion that it is disrespectful or wrong to support the west Maui economy by visiting Ka’anapali, Kahana, Napili, and Kapalua, all of which are 5 or more miles away from the burned area of Lahaina. The governor’s proclamation states” Nonessential travel to West Maui is strongly discouraged for the duration of this proclamation. Visitors have largely heeded the call to vacate West Maui, so hotels and other accommodations can be used for displaced residents and emergency workers.” I have offered my Kaanapali condominium at Honua Kai through various channels to displaced residents and emergency workers and have received no response.
Operation Hope chairman John Bryant, who is in Maui providing relief services, was interviewed with Maui Cyclery owner Donnie Arnoult on CNBC.
The Operation Hope chairman said that it was okay to visit areas north of Lahaina like Kaanapali and Kapalua. They wanted to support local workers who depend on restaurants and hotels north of Lahaina for their livelihood so that one crisis didn’t turn into two (the fires and then losing jobs).
I am saddened by the terrible loss in Lahaina. We booked a stay at Kahana Village in Lahaina for October 31 and after the tragedy tried to cancel our stay but they are keeping our deposit. We will stay in Wailea to support Maui but it is a bad message that this vacation rental is sending that they can force people to go to Lahaina in such a difficult time. Please share this with the tourism board.
Kahana is untouched by the fire and is open. There is not restriction for those driving into Kahana or resort areas. The HTA messaging is erroneous and the HTA also gave a lot of false information during Covid and kept Hawaii shut down needlessly for too long.
I just spoke with the Property Mgr at the condos we are staying at in Kahana. She stated they are Open. Our stay is early October and we have 12 people traveling. That’s 3 rental cars for 6 days. 3 condos for 6 days, dinner out at least 2-3 nights, money spent at stores and businesses that All say when you call them “West Maui. North of Lahaina is open.” The proclamation doesn’t say West Maui is Closed until 10/17. It says it’s strongly discouraged for travelers to come. We are not cancelling our trip. It’s out of respect and caring for those people of Maui that will be in devastation without ours and other tourism. This isn’t like the Pandemic. The Government isn’t giving anyone out side of the affected Lahaina area $$$ to survive for 2,3 or 4 months without a job and tourist to help support them. Our time in West Maui will be partly given to volunteering if the locals will have us. Lahaina was devastated. It needs time to heal and rebuild, but Maui/Hawaii is going to have a Big problem on their hands if they cut off tourism to the north part of West Maui that aren’t affected. Think about All the people who are going to lose jobs, homes and possibly their life.
I’mso sorry to hear about your condo issue. It’s sad individuals who own the condos do not allow reschedules especially in this tragic situation. Everything is a $$now, but now I am finding even though my condo fees were refunded the owners increased their rates an extra 420 for 2024! Keihi is now overcharging for unkept condos now that it is taking on the W.Maui customers. Im ready to just throw in the towel for greed during a tragedy!
Sandi, I am a Kahana owner. You mention greed, but for those owners who have mortgages (rates at 8% now), are facing high inflation in all their expenses including association condo expenses, etc….they are not greedy but could be simply trying to keep their heads above financial waters. Covid was a big financial hit…Maui isn’t just owned by billionaires, but also by hard working families that love the island. We have given our home for free to a displaced family until October…all of our expenses remain the same as they were.
If visitors are still not coming to the resorts in West Maui October 31, then thousands of people are going to be financially devastated. Most are just one pay check away from financial disaster and there is No One helping monetarily (Maui residents are on their own for their income apart from those whom are eligible for unemployment benefits which max at $3000 a month). Please know that the HTA and Josh Green are incorrect and not thinking clearly about peoples’ livelihoods. The road is open and businesses are opening. There is no reason not to come October 31. God Bless Maui.
Hey Joan, we are property owners in Kahana. Kahana is 7 miles north of Lahaina. Several residents who rely on Kahana tourism have been asking us when we will have guests again. We have opened our home to a displaced Lahaina family until the end of September. Kahana and West Maui residents need you to return to their unaffected area in October. Otherwise, these locals we need to leave to find employment elsewhere.
Hawaiian Airlines has very strict rules on refunds, almost to the point of being unreasonable. They say we must rebook our Lahaina condo and use it by December 15th. As an 80 year old woman having knee surgery in November, I will not be able to reschedule. Therefore, they are charging a $250 cancellation fee. I have talked to 2 agents already. Very disappointing that Hawaiian Air can’t do the right thing.
I have a reservation in Kaanapali just after October 17th. Should I come or should I cancel? What if the proclamation is extended, can I still come after October 17th despite travel to West Maui being “strongly discouraged” but not prohibited? I see my resort (and many others) still selling rooms from October 1st onwards right now. Looking for a perspective from someone living or working in West Maui.
Using terms like “decisive” and “rules” are not very accurate. The proclamation is saying that travel to west Maui is “strongly discouraged”. That is not saying “No”. It is saying “Please Don’t”.
Unfortunately because that is the case, reservations can still be made in West Maui for the beginning of October (actually all of October).
Additionally, because the proclamation is so wishy washy, United Airlines is not refunding flights.
So given that, I still have a reservation for mid October with no options to move elsewhere and I still have a flight that I can only get credit for but need to use that credit by January.
Same with Hawaiian Airlines. October 7th travel and they won’t allow us to move it to spring because we purchased our tickets in January. Only 1 year. Very sad to see the airlines treat people like this.
Not sure why United would reimburse flights to Maui, since only “West Maui” is off limits. Not sure what will happen after October 17, but anyone coming even close to Lahaina will be in for a shock!
But wait….there’s more….With the clarity of the proclamation, I called our (formerly of Lahaina) condo property manager to reschedule our Kaanapali trip from the last week in September to a later date. “Don’t do that. Stores are open. Shelves are full. There’s no need to reschedule, we are encouraging our guests to come early.” I sent a screen shot of the Governor’s proclamation to take to a meeting of the condo owners. BOH had info before condo owners did. But even with that info, the mixed and confusing messages appear not to be over.
Thanks for that – gulp. The messaging from the state and a subsequent press release confirm it is clear, but it sounds like that isn’t enough. Perhaps something even more definitive would be helpful, like an edict. We can’t say what they didn’t happen, or if it still could.
And for me…it is the mere fact, that my personality could not bear to be on Maui after such a tragedy. I know many are stating they need business, but for those of us that have a different personality (empath), I just can not be there. It is like a death to me and I am still mourning . I am willing to wait until next year to return to help economy, etc., but it is a $$$thing for most. I do wish that one individual, that could think about us that have different feelings about those that want to mourn on the Mainland.
I’ve spoken with a condo owner that just north of Kaanapali, and they said they had guests coming in September and October. That they were welcome and all would be fine.
I understand everyone needs to pay their bills and I’m not making a judgement call about this, just wondering if anyone else has talked to condo owners in West Maui who aren’t following this? Are there roadblocks keeping visitors out?
As a condo property manager north of Kaanapali, Not a rental agent, without an actual rule from the county or state, I can’t tell anyone they can’t come. I can tell them they shouldn’t. Beyond being insensitive to the people that live here, they might find they are not welcome. If they find they are not greeted with the usual aloha they remember from previous trips, they should also remember that aloha works both ways, and right now expressing aloha probably means not coming to West Maui.
I’ve talked to a lot of condo owners over the last two weeks, and had the full range of perspectives, from “the board needs to waive maintenance fees” to, “I told my guests arriving 9/1 it is ok”, to, “please let someone affected by the fire use our condo until December”.
Mahalo my husband and i visited oahu last june what a beautiful place to live and play so romantic and laid back we want to move there…..that being said ive always wanted to visit maui that was next on my list next year october 2024 but we decided to go to oahu and kauai instead give the people time to heal from the devastaion i was wanting to go to piea mommas fish house and the road to hana but i will wait a couple years out of respect to the ones lost in this tragic time i love the aloha spirit and people it truly is no where quit like the islands so close to my heart and soul i support small business and will continue to buy hawaiian even before the fires …..maui strong …..
Dawn just so you know. Paia and Hana are on the opposite side of the affected area. The officials are encouraging visiting those areas. It is still a beautiful side of the island and would help out the economy greatly while giving the westside their time to start healing. I would advise if you do come to make a reservation at Mama’s before you come. We came nearing the end of Covid (9/21), and we called to make a reservation 8/21 and it was full up. I would venture with more people visiting that side, that might be true again.
I am a resident of West Maui that works at a resort. I can only speak to my experience. I was at work the day all this happened and for 12 plus hours every day for the first 6 days until we could get relief. Most of our guests were lovely and understanding; some were not. There was literally 6 of us running a resort that normally has 37 employees. Of that, 3 of them had lost everything in the fires. Come to find in total 6 lost everything and one has a family member still missing.
Our resort will not lay anyone off. During Covid, no one was laid off and it will be the same now. Will it be the same for other resorts? No. I have many friends laid off from the big hotels and condo resorts.
I am deeply torn about this subject. I do not want people to lose their jobs or remaining businesses to go under due to lack of customers, but at this point there is only a handful of places open. I had to get a ride to the other side to get groceries (they are slowly coming back to Time’s and Napili Market). I have seen 4 restaurants open. In a nutshell, I do not want to have to compete with visitors for resources, but I don’t want them to be disappointed either when they come and very few places are open for business. I guess if the people come, the businesses will follow. If you must come to West Maui, please, please, please be respectful and know many people you will interact with lost everything.
Just my two cents.
Shout out from Honokowai. Glad to hear you are safe. We made it through Covid without any layoffs, too, and expect to do the same now. All of our staff and families are living at the property because they all lost everything, but we are able to house and support them. Some shop at Times, some go to the other side, and some just pick up meals in Lahaina and Napili every day.
I have a prepaid reservation at the Kuleana Resort in West Maui Oct 9 thru Oct 16 2023. I am assuming I could not go there until Oct 17 per current directive. I have not been able to get in touch with The Kuleana Resort or their parent co. Destination Maui in Kihei. Are there any agencies or could you direct me to a way to get in touch with them. So sad about everything. Maui IS strong.
To our knowledge Destination Maui is a property management company that represents units that they do not own, and is not a parent company of the resort. There should be a way to reach one of them if you continue to try, although they may have limited staff and be overwhelmed.
The DMI main office number is 808-879-0080, M-F, 9:00 – 4:00. The front desk at Kuleana has been closed since the fires and I don’t have a date when it will reopen. Almost all of the staffs at Kuleana lost their homes, and at least some of the people at DMI did, also. That office is in Kihei, but some of them lived on this side. They are working on it. I’ll send them a message to look for Mike M arriving on 10/9 and see if that shakes anything loose.
*I don’t want to hijack the thread or make the forum this granular a resource, there are other places for that, and I don’t have the resources to monitor it for that or knowledge beyond this specific property to offer any worthwhile help.
For the tragic loss of life, homes, businesses, for the deep innate representations of spiritual and cultural beliefs as well as historic treasures of a way of life that not everyone understands or appreciates. It is a shame that people choose not to be respectful of any loss, let alone a loss of this magnitude.
Having visited family / friends in Maui, and not have visited Lahaina is regretful. I felt a deep connection to Wai’ anapanapa, like nothing I had ever experienced before.
The local government is stating, come to Maui as the rest of the island is open. Why I didn’t realize before, but recognize now, tourists are not wanted. This is being broadcast to us, visitors. Some locals and business owners say come. Some say stay away, we don’t want you.
So, what do we, those who do not live on Maui do? Those who do not live on any of the islands of Hawai’i. I think some are hesitant to return, or to come due to wishes of some of the people of Maui as we do not know how we will be received.
Sorry to say there is no easy answer and the controversies regarding tourism in Hawaii have been ongoing for years. You can certainly expect to have a great time, even though every person on the island won’t be welcoming you with open arms.
Wow! Thankfully Governor Josh has rallied the “troops” and has everyone singing the same song. Perhaps I missed something. But, I recall Don Ho reminding all of us, “It ain’t just the rain that keeps Hawai’i green”. Perhaps the HTA finally got Don’s message!
Jim E
My heart goes out to all of Maui and those who have lost loved ones, their homes, and their livelihood in the devastating Lahaina fire and the fires in the other parts of Maui. I’m also glad that there is now a more clear “visit Maui” message. I respect and understand the message to stay away from Lahaina. However, I feel awful and sad for all of the properties, businesses and the local people who live and work on the west side of Maui a few miles north of Lahaina where there is no fire damage and everything is intact. I really hope there will be financial support for that northern portion of the island so they can survive financially through October 17, assuming visitors will return immediately.
I think this idea is not supportive of the regions of West Maui other than Lahaina. Why are we punishing the residence, resorts, restaurants that work in other areas of West Maui? Where is there income base? Government once again is destroying the livelihood of others. We all respect and are devastated by Lahaina and all that was lost…but we need to keep workers in restaurants, resorts, businesses,
etc. busy to survive. I’m sure the government with all its’ wealth never considers this. They just make the rules not even considering the outcome to West Maui. Sad…
Linda, agreed. I think the Gov is being very short sighted. It takes time to make travel plans, etc. It will take time for Kaanapali, Napili, and on and on to ramp up.
I had a trip to W. Maui planned for September 14. After one week to let my air bnb host absorb the tragedy I reached out and asked for a full refund so that I could find another location. I thought about avoiding Maui all together because its just too sad. After reading more about how Maui needs the tourism I decided to visit Kihei instead and Im looking forward to exploring this side of Maui and supporting the island respectfully.
Aloha,
I agree! No visitors to West Maui at this time. Please respect the the people of Lahaina by not going to West Maui. They need time to recover and grieve. Nosey spectators and gawkers are not welcome.
The rest of Maui is open for visitors. Mahalo
Lyn J. not very much Aloha from you. Why do you assume we are “Nosey and gawkers”? Perhaps we have donated to the cause, perhaps we have lost people? I could go on, but what is the point. Your comments are hurtful. While I haven’t lost anything material, my heart grieves for the people of Lahaina. I have cried with them on a daily basis. My family and I have come every year since 1995. We have spent dollars in the local economy and we have made a lifetime of memories. We consider the people of Lahaina and West Maui our Ohana.
Please speak with West Maui landscapers, cleaners, restaurant owners, etc. Until financial compensation for their two months of lost wages is arranged (in one of the most expensive places in the world), a plan to shut West Maui is effectively kicking them when they’re already down.
Seems pretty clear. Of course West Maui should be avoided, but travel to other areas of Maui is helping support the recovery effort. The only other option would be not traveling to Maui at all. Can’t see how not supporting the people who are open, working and needs your business does any good?
People still have to work and feed their families. Not only for a salary but also for their emotional well being. Maui will have a long and difficult rebuilding ahead of them, hopefully political infighting and social media won’t sabotage the efforts.
Thanks and I suspect the Kaanapali area will be opened sooner rather than later. Right now the area is providing a lot of much needed housing in the resorts for the victims. Safe to say tourist traffic through the Lahaina area is not a great idea at this time. But Kaanapali is such a beautiful area and that will certainly be crucial to the return of tourism. Hopefully the balance and timing will be worked out unimpaired by special interests!
I think that we’ve really confused potential visitors. Everyone on BOH knows the geography of Maui. This isn’t the case for the average visitor. To date they’ve heard:
1. Maui is closed – Everybody out
2. Wait – South Maui is still open, Please come support Maui
3.The west side is closed until October 17th, but South Maui is still open
I fear that many will simply roll their eyes and decide to go to a different island or skip Hawaii all together until a later date. Miscommunication from the government has made a terrible situation much worse.
Its clear now here on BOH, so you should feel more comfortable in a decision.3.The west side is closed until October 17th, but South Maui is still open.
Please feel free to look at Any maps, especially on the Hawaiian Isles and learn and read about history, islands, land, neighborhoods, and its people. It will help you make not only an informed decision, but will help you with any other future travels you will make in life.
Decisive Maui Travel Rules Released | No Mixed messages
Really? If you only get your info from government and HTA maybe, but it’s 2023 far more individuals get their info from social media where there’s still a lot of mixed messaging going on.
“When you come, you will support our local economy and help speed the recovery of the people that are suffering right now.”
As I’ve stated before feel bad for folks on Maui, but not my job to save Maui’s economy. This is a message not only do we demanding you to come back, but we’re going to tell you how to spend your time and where to spend your money. Not me.
One other thing has there been a guideline provided by government or travel industry on how many tourist Maui can except at this time.
Social media is a slippery slope. In many cases it’s undermined common sense, respectful exchanges of ideas and pragmatic thinking with finger pointing, name calling and conspiracy theories. Social media can be a force of good or bad, but you have to step back and make up your own mind. What happened was unprecedented and lessons need to be learned, but right now all that matters is the immediate support of the people in Maui and how best to do that. Throwing stones and blame around helps nothing.
Mahalo Beat of Hawaii for this information.
When I start obeying the government and HTA mandates, you’ll know I’m seriously impared.
As you know, I’m off Island right now tending to family in hospital and would appreciate any prayers available.
That being said, I fully intend to come home asap and that’ll be to stay in Kaanapali, and bring the rest of my remaining family with me to mourn, honor and eventually celebrate the lives of those lost in the fires.
The State of Hawai’i can’t dictate where we go and when, as that’s clear by the carefully worded statements.
Politicians are guilty of this mess and only time and our people’s resilience will get us out of the mess they created.
For now, we honor those lost, celebrate their lives and look forward to Lahaina Rising like the Phoenix from the ashes.
Kindness to one another while we all adjust to our new lives.
Patience and love to all as we navigate our new, now.
Mahalo Nui Loa for all you do for everyone.
Aloha and blessings always.
You’re my heroes.
So what happens to businesses and employees in Napili, Kaanapali, and Kapalua? This seems to be another poorly thought out directive along the same lines as the early statements that killed tourism island wide.
This is going to ass uncertainty for travelers which is never a good thing for tourism.
Lahaina is completely physically/emotionally devasted and restricting travel to West Maui would seem to make sense during this initial time of cleanup and emotional healing and realignment with the “new normal” for those who have lost loved ones, homes, and businesses. I’m curious of the Oct 17th date selection though as cleanup and emotional healing will take significantly longer than that to achieve. I’d predict this is going to turn out just like the pandemic messaging when dates of when travel would be allowed back onto the island were changed over and over and over again. This was equally as frustrating for the tourists looking to plan trips to Maui as was for the businesses trying the plan staffing/hiring and supply chain issues preparing for those travelers. I’m also very interested in how the decision to close all travel to west Maui is impacting the communities of Ka’anapali/Napili/Kapalua. With such a heavy reliance on tourism in those communities, I can only imagine massive layoffs are in the near future and on the heels of those businesses barely recovering from the pandemic shutdown that this shutdown may permanently put many of of business for good. The “trickle-down” economic impact may be similar to that of Lahaina even though those communities were untouched by the fire. Just wondering if there wasn’t some way to keep those communities economically viable while still allowing Lahaina cleanup and emotional recovery efforts to commence.
Perhaps I’m missing something, but I still keep seeing ‘should not’, rather than ‘shall no’ travel to West Maui’. And I was surprised to see the resorts north of Lahaina Town included in the ‘ban’. What about the visitors already there, are the resorts ‘closed’ until mid-October? Still some questions here.
We checked with four resorts in areas north of Lahaina today and all indicated that they are closed to visitors. The date of effect is new of as of last night from the state.
The Marriott website shows availability at the Westin, Sheraton, and Ritz for the night of 21 Sep 23. Are utilities restored to Kaanapali and Kapalua now?
I feel so bad for the people of Maui effected by the fire, my heart goes out to all. My prayers go out to those who lost family members, homes, etc. I will pray that once you can start to rebuild, that it goes smoothly. I pray God’s will in all your lives.
Did anyone ask the small business owners and employees in West Maui about this plan? How sad that the devastation to Lahaina will now be followed by devastating local businesses by banning tourists from supporting them economically.
How many “small and local” business owners do you know in West Maui? Would love to find them. I only know Resorts and Time Shares like the Westin Villas, supermarkets etc.
I am one. What would you like to know?
We have a hotel return booked at a hotel in Napili Bay for September 10th-September 15th. I wrote the hotel yesterday inquiring about still being able to come visit on those dates, the current situation, and if we could help in any way possible. This was the reply I received today from the hotel-
Aloha Shawn
Thank you for reaching out and asking those questions.
Our hotel is closed at this time and we will not be opening until the governor gives word publicly that the west side is open.
We would love to accommodate you at a later date if wish. We do not want our guests to get into any altercations with the residents here on the island if we open without approval.
We can cancel your reservation with a full refund and or push your reservations to after December 1st 2023?
Mahalo
Thank you for posting, since some people on this site still think it’s business as usual. I must say that I am surprised that you had to ask the hotel instead of them reaching out to you.
I have traveled to Lahaina many times. I understand closing Lahaina Town and other burned areas, but I do not understand why undamaged areas further north are closed. I have stayed in Kaanapali many times and understand it is undamaged. Maybe the Governor does not understand this. Undamaged areas should be reopened.
Very simple when “Can” people go to bookings in West Maui.
We cancelled Sept 18 to the 30th before announcements as we felt it was the right thing to but we have a reservation for Oct. 4 to 14th and do not understand the vague announcement about till the 17th.
I would think, Workers can get unemployment like they did during the pandemic.
Biden has to give up relief money, With all he has done for Ukraine, It will not look good if he does not step up.
Marriott time share owners who had reservations in West Maui are being given only 2 months to rebook before losing their points. Otherwise we are being told that our only choice is to come as scheduled. (Early September). There are no openings in Hawaii, or most other desirable locations in the next 2 months. This seems counter to the governors message, and counter to good business.
I’m so done with Marriott, Soon as they bought Westin it turned to crap, I have a Amex Marriot card with so many points, Those nice resorts won’t even take points anymore. Or redemption value is insane.
I also have a reservation, on September 8th, with Maui Marriott in Ka’anapali.
They told me the same thing – I could cancel but only have 2 months to rebook. I’m thinking maybe since the Pali is open, and businesses are open, we could still go and volunteer in Napili.
Also maybe bring a second suitcase filled with supplies – what do people need? I thought maybe FOOD – pantry items which are always so expensive to buy on Maui. Then we would eat at local restaurants and tip generously, as others have been saying.
Is this a good idea?
Still undecided what to do…
Jacki M.
Thank you for your very concise and descriptive explanation of the situation and that West Maui is open and needs our support. My husband and I own a condo at Papakea (5 miles north of Lahaina town) and we were staying there during the gusty hurricane winds that knocked down powerlines early Tuesday morning. We sheltered in place as was requested with no power and limited cellular service. We did not hear about the Lahaina fire until
Wednesday afternoon when our son from California was able to get a call through to us.
We are devastated by the loss of lives, livelihood, and property. We got home safe, but we haven’t stopped crying. We already had reservations to go back again for a week at the end of September. Assuming Hawaiian Airlines doesn’t cancel our flight, we still plan to go back during that time and do some volunteering where needed and also lots of shopping, eating out, and generous tipping on the North West side (Times Market, Bad Ass Coffee, Java Jazz, Gazebo, Maui Fish Company, and eating at many other North West Maui restaurants). Maui no ka oi. Maui Strong!
I just heard that Times opened with temporary hours. Closed evenings and week-ends. Pharmacy still closed. Many others have no internet, so don’t assume they are open just because their site says so
I live by Times. Yes, modified hours and was even closed Saturday. No internet or cable either.
Thanks for confirming. Hope you have what you need in these difficult times. I left Maui 2 weeks before the fires and am trying to get updates from my friends who live there which has been difficult until we could at least reach each other by text. I am returning the 1st week of October (returning resident)
Java Jazz Love that place.
Does anyone have an update on Kapalua, are the hotels and restaurants open. Do they have power and drinkable water?
Have no intent to visit West Maui now; however, US Citizens are not children.
No reason was given for “avoiding” West Maui area not impacted by the fire. This Governor has already “suppressed” multiple Laws passed by the elected Legislature. Guess is the tourist industry of West Maui (excluding the disaster areas) will be devastated by this seemingly arbitrary edict.
Something fishy…
Lahaina is much larger than what you might be aware of and it’s not just Front Street that was affected by the fires. For example, drinking water is not safe and bottled water was shipped to those in evacuation centers in Honokawai, there was no electricity in West Maui (not only Lahaina Town) for a week, the bypass was closed except for emergency vehicles, people still don’t have internet connection, Times and Safeway were still closed, not to talk about employees of resorts not being able to make it to work ..The problem here is that people who comment are not on West Maui.
Aloha. Your information is old. None of it is accurate.
It is still confusing about west maui north of Lahaina. We have a time share in kaanapali in October and we have no idea if whalers village or napili or kapalua is accepting tourists. I hear the word discouraged but are the roads closed to tourists going past Lahaina up more north?
Hi Karen.
No the road is not closed.
Aloha.
It all depends on your timeshare company. The Marriott is cancelling reservations through September 30 right now but not October. Westin is also cancelling September.
As far as businesses in the area some are open and others are not. Whalers Village is open but not all shops in Whalers Village is open.
I am not there, but I have been reading as I am also supposed to go to Kaanapali in October.
Whalers has reopened and restaurants are reopening one by one. Resort areas of West Maui are open. Napili and Times market are open. Dollies is open. Pizza Paradiso is open. Java Coffee. McDonalds and more. Road is open with no restrictions. Please come.
First of all the messaging by the HTA is wrong. The road is open to West Maui. There is no checkpoint requiring residents only. Power and water is restored and internet is also restored in most areas.
Schools reopened this week for classes. Grocery stores are operating normal hours (Napili Market/Times Market) and many restaurants are reopening as well. Golf course are scheduling openings for September. The HTA is not handing out money to those who work in the resorts located on West Side who are currently on unemployment insurance. The hotels are certainly ready to be open. S’zonis’ restaurant in the Hyatt has opened. So please please do not spread this misinformation which is financially devastating to thousands of people who have lost their loved ones, homes and now their jobs. There are also hundreds if not thousands of immigrants who cannot get UI and rely on their jobs fueled by tourism. We are grieving and will be for a long time but we also are able to cope by being with our coworkers and visitors and moving forward. Reverse your messaging and encourage people to come to Maui Now!
“internet is also restored in most areas”
That has not been my experience, and Spectrum has been very tight-lipped when they might be able to restore it and cable TV.
Spectrum says it will begin to have internet restoration on 8/31. Currently Hawaiian Telecom is restored almost everywhere. Many are having Starlinks delivered via overnight mail (UPS is delivering everywhere).
The Governor’s proclamation doesn’t say West Maui is off limits, and in fact it is not closed to visitors (the road in is right now very specifically “open to all motorists” from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.), and there is nothing I am aware of but unjustified guilt trips keeping anyone from visiting areas of west Maui outside of the impact zone in Lahaina. I respectfully think it’s wrong for anyone to decide, apparently arbitrarily, that people who depend on west Maui visitors for their livelihoods are required to suffer an economic catastrophe on top of the brutal loss of life and property they are already forced to somehow bear – while those who work in tourism related businesses in south and north Maui need to be patronized. I have nothing but respect for the tragic losses that have been endured, and at the same time I respectfully reject the notion that it is disrespectful or wrong to support the west Maui economy by visiting Ka’anapali, Kahana, Napili, and Kapalua, all of which are 5 or more miles away from the burned area of Lahaina. The governor’s proclamation states” Nonessential travel to West Maui is strongly discouraged for the duration of this proclamation. Visitors have largely heeded the call to vacate West Maui, so hotels and other accommodations can be used for displaced residents and emergency workers.” I have offered my Kaanapali condominium at Honua Kai through various channels to displaced residents and emergency workers and have received no response.
Are you sure those in need have internet connection? Our community at Kaanapali Hillside still doesn’t ….
Honokowai still does not have cable or internet.
Operation Hope chairman John Bryant, who is in Maui providing relief services, was interviewed with Maui Cyclery owner Donnie Arnoult on CNBC.
The Operation Hope chairman said that it was okay to visit areas north of Lahaina like Kaanapali and Kapalua. They wanted to support local workers who depend on restaurants and hotels north of Lahaina for their livelihood so that one crisis didn’t turn into two (the fires and then losing jobs).
cnbc.com/video/2023/08/22/we-could-use-some-tourists-coming-to-maui-says-local-business-owner.html
I am saddened by the terrible loss in Lahaina. We booked a stay at Kahana Village in Lahaina for October 31 and after the tragedy tried to cancel our stay but they are keeping our deposit. We will stay in Wailea to support Maui but it is a bad message that this vacation rental is sending that they can force people to go to Lahaina in such a difficult time. Please share this with the tourism board.
Kahana is not in Lahaina
Napili Market will apparently be able to re-open on Monday.
Kahana is untouched by the fire and is open. There is not restriction for those driving into Kahana or resort areas. The HTA messaging is erroneous and the HTA also gave a lot of false information during Covid and kept Hawaii shut down needlessly for too long.
I just spoke with the Property Mgr at the condos we are staying at in Kahana. She stated they are Open. Our stay is early October and we have 12 people traveling. That’s 3 rental cars for 6 days. 3 condos for 6 days, dinner out at least 2-3 nights, money spent at stores and businesses that All say when you call them “West Maui. North of Lahaina is open.” The proclamation doesn’t say West Maui is Closed until 10/17. It says it’s strongly discouraged for travelers to come. We are not cancelling our trip. It’s out of respect and caring for those people of Maui that will be in devastation without ours and other tourism. This isn’t like the Pandemic. The Government isn’t giving anyone out side of the affected Lahaina area $$$ to survive for 2,3 or 4 months without a job and tourist to help support them. Our time in West Maui will be partly given to volunteering if the locals will have us. Lahaina was devastated. It needs time to heal and rebuild, but Maui/Hawaii is going to have a Big problem on their hands if they cut off tourism to the north part of West Maui that aren’t affected. Think about All the people who are going to lose jobs, homes and possibly their life.
I’mso sorry to hear about your condo issue. It’s sad individuals who own the condos do not allow reschedules especially in this tragic situation. Everything is a $$now, but now I am finding even though my condo fees were refunded the owners increased their rates an extra 420 for 2024! Keihi is now overcharging for unkept condos now that it is taking on the W.Maui customers. Im ready to just throw in the towel for greed during a tragedy!
Sandi, I am a Kahana owner. You mention greed, but for those owners who have mortgages (rates at 8% now), are facing high inflation in all their expenses including association condo expenses, etc….they are not greedy but could be simply trying to keep their heads above financial waters. Covid was a big financial hit…Maui isn’t just owned by billionaires, but also by hard working families that love the island. We have given our home for free to a displaced family until October…all of our expenses remain the same as they were.
If visitors are still not coming to the resorts in West Maui October 31, then thousands of people are going to be financially devastated. Most are just one pay check away from financial disaster and there is No One helping monetarily (Maui residents are on their own for their income apart from those whom are eligible for unemployment benefits which max at $3000 a month). Please know that the HTA and Josh Green are incorrect and not thinking clearly about peoples’ livelihoods. The road is open and businesses are opening. There is no reason not to come October 31. God Bless Maui.
Hey Joan, we are property owners in Kahana. Kahana is 7 miles north of Lahaina. Several residents who rely on Kahana tourism have been asking us when we will have guests again. We have opened our home to a displaced Lahaina family until the end of September. Kahana and West Maui residents need you to return to their unaffected area in October. Otherwise, these locals we need to leave to find employment elsewhere.
Hawaiian Airlines has very strict rules on refunds, almost to the point of being unreasonable. They say we must rebook our Lahaina condo and use it by December 15th. As an 80 year old woman having knee surgery in November, I will not be able to reschedule. Therefore, they are charging a $250 cancellation fee. I have talked to 2 agents already. Very disappointing that Hawaiian Air can’t do the right thing.
I have a reservation in Kaanapali just after October 17th. Should I come or should I cancel? What if the proclamation is extended, can I still come after October 17th despite travel to West Maui being “strongly discouraged” but not prohibited? I see my resort (and many others) still selling rooms from October 1st onwards right now. Looking for a perspective from someone living or working in West Maui.
Using terms like “decisive” and “rules” are not very accurate. The proclamation is saying that travel to west Maui is “strongly discouraged”. That is not saying “No”. It is saying “Please Don’t”.
Unfortunately because that is the case, reservations can still be made in West Maui for the beginning of October (actually all of October).
Additionally, because the proclamation is so wishy washy, United Airlines is not refunding flights.
So given that, I still have a reservation for mid October with no options to move elsewhere and I still have a flight that I can only get credit for but need to use that credit by January.
Same with Hawaiian Airlines. October 7th travel and they won’t allow us to move it to spring because we purchased our tickets in January. Only 1 year. Very sad to see the airlines treat people like this.
Not sure why United would reimburse flights to Maui, since only “West Maui” is off limits. Not sure what will happen after October 17, but anyone coming even close to Lahaina will be in for a shock!
Hi Eva.
The dates for Maui travel waivers were extended this week including on United Airlines. https://beatofhawaii.com/airlines-all-extend-maui-travel-waivers-as-more-details-emerge/.
Aloha.
ditto that for several other airlines! Corporations dont care that some or most of us can not reschedule our lives for many reasons, some medically
But wait….there’s more….With the clarity of the proclamation, I called our (formerly of Lahaina) condo property manager to reschedule our Kaanapali trip from the last week in September to a later date. “Don’t do that. Stores are open. Shelves are full. There’s no need to reschedule, we are encouraging our guests to come early.” I sent a screen shot of the Governor’s proclamation to take to a meeting of the condo owners. BOH had info before condo owners did. But even with that info, the mixed and confusing messages appear not to be over.
Hi Maleko.
Thanks for that – gulp. The messaging from the state and a subsequent press release confirm it is clear, but it sounds like that isn’t enough. Perhaps something even more definitive would be helpful, like an edict. We can’t say what they didn’t happen, or if it still could.
Aloha.
BOH: I can find nothing online on this. There are no tweets by Maui County or HTA.
I’m sure things will change again by the end of the month.
Hi Gloria.
We suspect the same thing – that more updates will be forthcoming in the next week or two.
Aloha.
And for me…it is the mere fact, that my personality could not bear to be on Maui after such a tragedy. I know many are stating they need business, but for those of us that have a different personality (empath), I just can not be there. It is like a death to me and I am still mourning . I am willing to wait until next year to return to help economy, etc., but it is a $$$thing for most. I do wish that one individual, that could think about us that have different feelings about those that want to mourn on the Mainland.
I’ve spoken with a condo owner that just north of Kaanapali, and they said they had guests coming in September and October. That they were welcome and all would be fine.
I understand everyone needs to pay their bills and I’m not making a judgement call about this, just wondering if anyone else has talked to condo owners in West Maui who aren’t following this? Are there roadblocks keeping visitors out?
As a condo property manager north of Kaanapali, Not a rental agent, without an actual rule from the county or state, I can’t tell anyone they can’t come. I can tell them they shouldn’t. Beyond being insensitive to the people that live here, they might find they are not welcome. If they find they are not greeted with the usual aloha they remember from previous trips, they should also remember that aloha works both ways, and right now expressing aloha probably means not coming to West Maui.
I’ve talked to a lot of condo owners over the last two weeks, and had the full range of perspectives, from “the board needs to waive maintenance fees” to, “I told my guests arriving 9/1 it is ok”, to, “please let someone affected by the fire use our condo until December”.
Mahalo my husband and i visited oahu last june what a beautiful place to live and play so romantic and laid back we want to move there…..that being said ive always wanted to visit maui that was next on my list next year october 2024 but we decided to go to oahu and kauai instead give the people time to heal from the devastaion i was wanting to go to piea mommas fish house and the road to hana but i will wait a couple years out of respect to the ones lost in this tragic time i love the aloha spirit and people it truly is no where quit like the islands so close to my heart and soul i support small business and will continue to buy hawaiian even before the fires …..maui strong …..
Dawn just so you know. Paia and Hana are on the opposite side of the affected area. The officials are encouraging visiting those areas. It is still a beautiful side of the island and would help out the economy greatly while giving the westside their time to start healing. I would advise if you do come to make a reservation at Mama’s before you come. We came nearing the end of Covid (9/21), and we called to make a reservation 8/21 and it was full up. I would venture with more people visiting that side, that might be true again.
I am a resident of West Maui that works at a resort. I can only speak to my experience. I was at work the day all this happened and for 12 plus hours every day for the first 6 days until we could get relief. Most of our guests were lovely and understanding; some were not. There was literally 6 of us running a resort that normally has 37 employees. Of that, 3 of them had lost everything in the fires. Come to find in total 6 lost everything and one has a family member still missing.
Our resort will not lay anyone off. During Covid, no one was laid off and it will be the same now. Will it be the same for other resorts? No. I have many friends laid off from the big hotels and condo resorts.
I am deeply torn about this subject. I do not want people to lose their jobs or remaining businesses to go under due to lack of customers, but at this point there is only a handful of places open. I had to get a ride to the other side to get groceries (they are slowly coming back to Time’s and Napili Market). I have seen 4 restaurants open. In a nutshell, I do not want to have to compete with visitors for resources, but I don’t want them to be disappointed either when they come and very few places are open for business. I guess if the people come, the businesses will follow. If you must come to West Maui, please, please, please be respectful and know many people you will interact with lost everything.
Just my two cents.
Shout out from Honokowai. Glad to hear you are safe. We made it through Covid without any layoffs, too, and expect to do the same now. All of our staff and families are living at the property because they all lost everything, but we are able to house and support them. Some shop at Times, some go to the other side, and some just pick up meals in Lahaina and Napili every day.
I have a prepaid reservation at the Kuleana Resort in West Maui Oct 9 thru Oct 16 2023. I am assuming I could not go there until Oct 17 per current directive. I have not been able to get in touch with The Kuleana Resort or their parent co. Destination Maui in Kihei. Are there any agencies or could you direct me to a way to get in touch with them. So sad about everything. Maui IS strong.
Hi Mike.
To our knowledge Destination Maui is a property management company that represents units that they do not own, and is not a parent company of the resort. There should be a way to reach one of them if you continue to try, although they may have limited staff and be overwhelmed.
Aloha.
The DMI main office number is 808-879-0080, M-F, 9:00 – 4:00. The front desk at Kuleana has been closed since the fires and I don’t have a date when it will reopen. Almost all of the staffs at Kuleana lost their homes, and at least some of the people at DMI did, also. That office is in Kihei, but some of them lived on this side. They are working on it. I’ll send them a message to look for Mike M arriving on 10/9 and see if that shakes anything loose.
*I don’t want to hijack the thread or make the forum this granular a resource, there are other places for that, and I don’t have the resources to monitor it for that or knowledge beyond this specific property to offer any worthwhile help.
I am devasted for the people of Maui.
For the tragic loss of life, homes, businesses, for the deep innate representations of spiritual and cultural beliefs as well as historic treasures of a way of life that not everyone understands or appreciates. It is a shame that people choose not to be respectful of any loss, let alone a loss of this magnitude.
Having visited family / friends in Maui, and not have visited Lahaina is regretful. I felt a deep connection to Wai’ anapanapa, like nothing I had ever experienced before.
The local government is stating, come to Maui as the rest of the island is open. Why I didn’t realize before, but recognize now, tourists are not wanted. This is being broadcast to us, visitors. Some locals and business owners say come. Some say stay away, we don’t want you.
So, what do we, those who do not live on Maui do? Those who do not live on any of the islands of Hawai’i. I think some are hesitant to return, or to come due to wishes of some of the people of Maui as we do not know how we will be received.
Hi SG.
Sorry to say there is no easy answer and the controversies regarding tourism in Hawaii have been ongoing for years. You can certainly expect to have a great time, even though every person on the island won’t be welcoming you with open arms.
Aloha.
has the governor or mayor of maui put in place a moratorium on real estate sales???to protect Lahaina from developers etc? is this possible? thank you
Mary m
Hi Mary.
We don’t know what is even possible legally, and what may happen in that regard. It is largely outside of our area, but we do follow it personally.
Aloha.
Wow! Thankfully Governor Josh has rallied the “troops” and has everyone singing the same song. Perhaps I missed something. But, I recall Don Ho reminding all of us, “It ain’t just the rain that keeps Hawai’i green”. Perhaps the HTA finally got Don’s message!
Jim E
My heart goes out to all of Maui and those who have lost loved ones, their homes, and their livelihood in the devastating Lahaina fire and the fires in the other parts of Maui. I’m also glad that there is now a more clear “visit Maui” message. I respect and understand the message to stay away from Lahaina. However, I feel awful and sad for all of the properties, businesses and the local people who live and work on the west side of Maui a few miles north of Lahaina where there is no fire damage and everything is intact. I really hope there will be financial support for that northern portion of the island so they can survive financially through October 17, assuming visitors will return immediately.
Hi, where can I find the Oct 17th date as far as dont come until that date. ?
I think this idea is not supportive of the regions of West Maui other than Lahaina. Why are we punishing the residence, resorts, restaurants that work in other areas of West Maui? Where is there income base? Government once again is destroying the livelihood of others. We all respect and are devastated by Lahaina and all that was lost…but we need to keep workers in restaurants, resorts, businesses,
etc. busy to survive. I’m sure the government with all its’ wealth never considers this. They just make the rules not even considering the outcome to West Maui. Sad…
Linda, agreed. I think the Gov is being very short sighted. It takes time to make travel plans, etc. It will take time for Kaanapali, Napili, and on and on to ramp up.
I had a trip to W. Maui planned for September 14. After one week to let my air bnb host absorb the tragedy I reached out and asked for a full refund so that I could find another location. I thought about avoiding Maui all together because its just too sad. After reading more about how Maui needs the tourism I decided to visit Kihei instead and Im looking forward to exploring this side of Maui and supporting the island respectfully.
Aloha,
I agree! No visitors to West Maui at this time. Please respect the the people of Lahaina by not going to West Maui. They need time to recover and grieve. Nosey spectators and gawkers are not welcome.
The rest of Maui is open for visitors. Mahalo
Lyn J. not very much Aloha from you. Why do you assume we are “Nosey and gawkers”? Perhaps we have donated to the cause, perhaps we have lost people? I could go on, but what is the point. Your comments are hurtful. While I haven’t lost anything material, my heart grieves for the people of Lahaina. I have cried with them on a daily basis. My family and I have come every year since 1995. We have spent dollars in the local economy and we have made a lifetime of memories. We consider the people of Lahaina and West Maui our Ohana.
Please speak with West Maui landscapers, cleaners, restaurant owners, etc. Until financial compensation for their two months of lost wages is arranged (in one of the most expensive places in the world), a plan to shut West Maui is effectively kicking them when they’re already down.
Seems pretty clear. Of course West Maui should be avoided, but travel to other areas of Maui is helping support the recovery effort. The only other option would be not traveling to Maui at all. Can’t see how not supporting the people who are open, working and needs your business does any good?
People still have to work and feed their families. Not only for a salary but also for their emotional well being. Maui will have a long and difficult rebuilding ahead of them, hopefully political infighting and social media won’t sabotage the efforts.
Hi John.
Thanks for that and smart 900 other comments! We’re appreciate it.
Aloha.
Thanks and I suspect the Kaanapali area will be opened sooner rather than later. Right now the area is providing a lot of much needed housing in the resorts for the victims. Safe to say tourist traffic through the Lahaina area is not a great idea at this time. But Kaanapali is such a beautiful area and that will certainly be crucial to the return of tourism. Hopefully the balance and timing will be worked out unimpaired by special interests!
Left Maui 2 days before the fires. Will go back in February. Plenty to see and dog in South end.
I think that we’ve really confused potential visitors. Everyone on BOH knows the geography of Maui. This isn’t the case for the average visitor. To date they’ve heard:
1. Maui is closed – Everybody out
2. Wait – South Maui is still open, Please come support Maui
3.The west side is closed until October 17th, but South Maui is still open
I fear that many will simply roll their eyes and decide to go to a different island or skip Hawaii all together until a later date. Miscommunication from the government has made a terrible situation much worse.
Its clear now here on BOH, so you should feel more comfortable in a decision.3.The west side is closed until October 17th, but South Maui is still open.
Please feel free to look at Any maps, especially on the Hawaiian Isles and learn and read about history, islands, land, neighborhoods, and its people. It will help you make not only an informed decision, but will help you with any other future travels you will make in life.
I have a couple of issues with this article.
Decisive Maui Travel Rules Released | No Mixed messages
Really? If you only get your info from government and HTA maybe, but it’s 2023 far more individuals get their info from social media where there’s still a lot of mixed messaging going on.
“When you come, you will support our local economy and help speed the recovery of the people that are suffering right now.”
As I’ve stated before feel bad for folks on Maui, but not my job to save Maui’s economy. This is a message not only do we demanding you to come back, but we’re going to tell you how to spend your time and where to spend your money. Not me.
One other thing has there been a guideline provided by government or travel industry on how many tourist Maui can except at this time.
Social media is a slippery slope. In many cases it’s undermined common sense, respectful exchanges of ideas and pragmatic thinking with finger pointing, name calling and conspiracy theories. Social media can be a force of good or bad, but you have to step back and make up your own mind. What happened was unprecedented and lessons need to be learned, but right now all that matters is the immediate support of the people in Maui and how best to do that. Throwing stones and blame around helps nothing.
Well “blaming” may help if it wakes some up to the mistakes made that cost people and animal lives! This was Preventable!
Love the comments they are spot on.
We don’t want you but we need your money from tourism and donations.
If they aren’t careful the will drive away people.
Mahalo Beat of Hawaii for this information.
When I start obeying the government and HTA mandates, you’ll know I’m seriously impared.
As you know, I’m off Island right now tending to family in hospital and would appreciate any prayers available.
That being said, I fully intend to come home asap and that’ll be to stay in Kaanapali, and bring the rest of my remaining family with me to mourn, honor and eventually celebrate the lives of those lost in the fires.
The State of Hawai’i can’t dictate where we go and when, as that’s clear by the carefully worded statements.
Politicians are guilty of this mess and only time and our people’s resilience will get us out of the mess they created.
For now, we honor those lost, celebrate their lives and look forward to Lahaina Rising like the Phoenix from the ashes.
Kindness to one another while we all adjust to our new lives.
Patience and love to all as we navigate our new, now.
Mahalo Nui Loa for all you do for everyone.
Aloha and blessings always.
You’re my heroes.
So what happens to businesses and employees in Napili, Kaanapali, and Kapalua? This seems to be another poorly thought out directive along the same lines as the early statements that killed tourism island wide.
This is going to ass uncertainty for travelers which is never a good thing for tourism.
What about the businesses north of the Lahaina town. How about some decisive help for us.
Lahaina is completely physically/emotionally devasted and restricting travel to West Maui would seem to make sense during this initial time of cleanup and emotional healing and realignment with the “new normal” for those who have lost loved ones, homes, and businesses. I’m curious of the Oct 17th date selection though as cleanup and emotional healing will take significantly longer than that to achieve. I’d predict this is going to turn out just like the pandemic messaging when dates of when travel would be allowed back onto the island were changed over and over and over again. This was equally as frustrating for the tourists looking to plan trips to Maui as was for the businesses trying the plan staffing/hiring and supply chain issues preparing for those travelers. I’m also very interested in how the decision to close all travel to west Maui is impacting the communities of Ka’anapali/Napili/Kapalua. With such a heavy reliance on tourism in those communities, I can only imagine massive layoffs are in the near future and on the heels of those businesses barely recovering from the pandemic shutdown that this shutdown may permanently put many of of business for good. The “trickle-down” economic impact may be similar to that of Lahaina even though those communities were untouched by the fire. Just wondering if there wasn’t some way to keep those communities economically viable while still allowing Lahaina cleanup and emotional recovery efforts to commence.
I appreciate reading the clarification. My prayers continue for my beautiful home state of Hawai’i and for healing for the precious people of Lahaina.
Perhaps I’m missing something, but I still keep seeing ‘should not’, rather than ‘shall no’ travel to West Maui’. And I was surprised to see the resorts north of Lahaina Town included in the ‘ban’. What about the visitors already there, are the resorts ‘closed’ until mid-October? Still some questions here.
Hi Dennis.
We checked with four resorts in areas north of Lahaina today and all indicated that they are closed to visitors. The date of effect is new of as of last night from the state.
Aloha.
The Marriott website shows availability at the Westin, Sheraton, and Ritz for the night of 21 Sep 23. Are utilities restored to Kaanapali and Kapalua now?