The County just announced free Kauai COVID tests for those who do not have any health issues or symptoms. Why is this important news for visitors? Read on because tests are available to both residents and visitors. The county says that “you can get tested in the morning and get results that afternoon.”
Free Kauai COVID tests work with Kauai Bubble Resorts. Mostly.
That’s right. The free COVID tests “can be used by participants in Kauai’s Enhanced Movement Quarantine (EMQ) ‘resort bubble’ program as a post-travel test needed to be released from quarantine.
How you get there to obtain the free test is dependent on where you are bubbling and that could be a real problem. The county said in that regard, “Travelers currently in a resort bubble should refer to their resort property for more information and transportation options.”
Another issue is that these tests are only available on weekdays. So if you’re looking for one on the weekends, it is going to get costly.
These tests are for anyone who thinks they may have been exposed.
If you have any concerns but aren’t sick, these also work for you, no matter whether you are a visitor or a resident.
Visit the War Memorial Buiding in Lihue.
Tests are being done by the District Health Office and are offered weekdays from 8 am to 3 pm. No appointment required or a doctor’s order. The address for the War Memorial is 4191 Hardy Street in Lihue.
Tests aren’t valid for travel to Maui or Big Island.
That’s the downside that it can’t be used for travel purposes. These tests (we aren’t sure what kind they are) “Cannot be used with the State of Hawaii’s Safe Travels program for travel to and exemption from quarantine in Maui County or Hawaii County.” For people traveling to those islands, pre-travel COVID testing must still be done by a Hawaii Trusted Partner to avoid quarantine.
An alternative to Kauai Resort Bubbles does not require an on-Kauai test.
There is no test needed on Kauai for those of you arriving following a 3+ night stay on another island. Instead, after 72 hours in Hawaii, travelers can be tested on whatever island they are on, and once they receive a negative test, they can travel to Kauai with no further requirement.
For more, go to the Kauai County information.
Will these new free Kauai COVID tests work for you?
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
Hello there,
Does anyone know which type of tests are taken? Which technology?
I need to fly out of Hawaii to a country outside of the US and a PCR test is needed at arrival.
I am already vaccinated for more then 1 month but they still want me to take tests.
Would be great if i dont have to pay again 150$ for a test. So if someone can let me know which type of test they give that would be great.
Mahalo!
Hi Susan.
Testing info for Hawaii is found on the state’s website at https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel.
Aloha.
Does anyone know what brand/technology of test this is? We need something valid to test out of quarantine in another state when we leave here – and have to see if this test is valid. I can’t find any place on https://www.kauai.gov/COVIDTest to find out, and I’m not super-keen on showing up as though for a test just to ask this question (though I will if I must). Last time we took a test we paid for it and it was great (amazing PPE on the health worker who helped us) but free is always better when possible! Thanks.
Hi Phillippa.
We aren’t sure and would be hesitant to recommend this for your travel requirements. I think emailing or calling the county would be indicated.
Aloha.
thanks
Wow Teri, This should be 100% illegal. It’s basically legal racketeering, and should be investigated by state and federal authorities, in my opinion.
Will be staying on Big Island for 7 nights, then flying to Kauai if we get a negative test prior to arrival are we free to explore the island or are their still some restrictions
I have confirmed that bubblers are not allowed on any public beach or in the water at Kalapaki. The county wants pictures…If you see anyone with a bracelet on that is in the sand or water (not the grassy area as thats part of the Marriott property), please send it to BOH or post it if possible.
Hi Joan.
Yes you are correct that beach access is not permitted. Please don’t send photos to us, however, just to the County.
Aloha.
So, now they now have asked Kauai residents to be spying on and taking pictures of people in public places, to turn them in?
What’s this country coming to, if you feel the need to stoop to this kind of unethical appeasement to the State? I could understand if people are committing serious crimes, but sitting on a beach, several feet from the next person/people, or swimming in the ocean, where it’s perfectly safe to do so, while away from people…this is Just Ridiculous. 🤦♂️
LOL, now people are requesting you Guys to be the Gestapo police for Kauai? I don’t think some people grasp what your role is here, BoH…
🤣😂🤣
Thanks for shedding some light on this and leting people know this isn’t your request or responsibility, Rob and Jeff. 🤙
Hi Jim.
LOL. We told them not to send us any photos. Beyond that, it isn’t up to us. Thanks.
Aloha.
Wow, not we are encouraging people to rat people out. Not good, let it be.
If you are in a bubble resort, you CANNOT go to a public beach…period…. The geo fence prevents it so if Marriott people are able to touch the sand and go into the water at Kalapaki they are breaking the fencing. Koa Kea folks cannot walk to the Poipu Beach. Hanalei Bay Resort’s geo fence ends at the pathway to Puu Poa Beach where the sand begins. Timbers does not have a beach but they are able to play golf at the course next door certain times of the day. So if someone tells you they have been going to Kalapaki Beach, they are in violation of the EMQ bracelet and Marriott is not monitoring them and can get kicked out of the program and fined. Mahalo.
So…that’s very different from the rest of the Hawaiian Islands. Sorry. You won’t see us traveling 15 hours to be bubbled away from beaches. That is not happening where were are now…USVI. Sad, but so long Kaua’i.
Maybe you should ask before you volunteer where people should send pics of visitors committing violations…just an obvious observation.
Are you stalking the beaches with your telephoto lense, trying to catch people too, Joan? 🤦♂️
Another quick decision they think will magically make the resort bubbles more appealing. *headslap* The continued extra costs and inconveniences of back & forth Uber rides, lack of weekend testing, restaurant & grocery delivery fees, an overcrowded resort and lack of being able to walk Kauai’s beaches for a good portion of our stay still makes staying in a resort bubble NOT an option for our family.
Agreed Kathy B. Not really doing anything to help matters. As owners in Princeville as long as Mayor Kawakami insists on this expensive option we will be taking our business elsewhere…such as right now. We are currently in St. Thomas USVI with none of his nonsense; test for Covid 5 days out, negative results-travel portal, present paperwork, enjoy paradise.
OK,time to stop the craziness in Hawaii. Alaska dropped their testing requirements and they do not have near the healthcare that even Hawaii does. Catch up already!
Wow, they continue to dig in on this resort bubble idea and think it is working (per the news over there). I read that like 1400 people who have tested after the bubble are all negative, not one positive test. Wonder if they look at those statistics?
This resort bubble is a complete waste of time and money for those of us trying to take a vacation. Now a free test, yet how do you get to Lihue from Poipu and back? Who pays for that? And while doing this you are not on vacation, you are schlepping around getting tested while being held captive. What happens to the jailbird bracelet during this time? Who takes people to be tested? Are they getting tested after being exposed to us?
I have a friend who just got back from Mexico. She said it was great. They had free testing right there at the resort (you need a negative test to return to the US).
We are both vaccinated (our choice), but I guess that is meaningless until they get around to deciding otherwise.
What a mess.
Thank you for the information. I was wondering
if you own a condo in Kapaa and have received
both doses of the covid vaccine and have the
proper documents, are you able to go to your condo?
Hi Bobbie.
There are no different provisions yet for those who have been vaccinated. Hopefully, that will be announced soon.
Aloha.
Can we book at Wyndham bubble with our points and get a Covid test? I am confused. Aloha
Hi Dianne.
Those are questions best asked of Wyndham.
Aloha.
This ‘free’ test really doesn’t make a bit of difference to those who wish to travel to Kauai. The requirement of having to stay on an outlying island for three days prior (which adds considerable expense for lodging and air flights/rental car) and/or stay in one of Kauai’s bubble resorts (which are quite costly options) makes the choice of choosing Kauai as a vacation destination, VERY LIMITED. We have owned a condo on Kauai for 40 years. We now market it on VRBO. With these restrictions, people who have reserved dates this year, hoping the restrictions would lift, with the rollout of the vaccine and the weakening of the virus, have gone to the expense and trouble of arranging flights and accommodations, only to have to cancel at the last minute. Besides discouraging people to want to make the effort to come to Kauai ever again, you have made it near impossible to enable homeowners to return for a visit and keep a viable rental business going. Our very expensive Homeowner dues are payable each and every month, with or without renters. Mortgage and utility payments come due every 30 days, and of course State real estate taxes. How much longer can homeowners hang on without the island collapsing? Please consider your full time residents and their need to earn a living, be able to hold onto their homes and feed their families, along with the many off-island homeowners that sustain your tax base and welcome visitors to support your island businesses. From a logical standpoint, with minimal Covid cases on island and improved conditions, please allow those healthy people that wish to travel to Kauai to enter without these ludicrous restrictions. Who are they benefitting at this time? Certainly not the ‘bubble resorts’ who are operating at less than half capacity, certainly not the other resorts that are not considered essential to rent and certainly not all the employees of these resort businesses that are out of work. PLEASE OPEN SOON!
“Will these new free Kauai COVID tests work for you?” Nope. First off, resort bubbles won’t work for me. Secondly, the county is putting the onus on the bubble resorts to get guests to the War Memorial for testing. Some may accommodate, some not. Just another typical goat rope by the County Administration.
Aloha,
Well, I just found out today that Alaska Airlines canceled our April flights to/from Kauai due to their travel restrictions. Per my chat with the airline today when I asked what happened to our flight when I was checking prices for someone this morning: “So being you would have to have your covid test to enter Kaui and then take another one once you land and stay at their resort bubble. Our flights are not flying. Since there will be so little need if no one wants to do the double testing and quarantine. We are not flying until Kaui opens back up with just the one test requirement.”
So our family of 16 will not be going after all, as we kinda expected because we tried to figure out ways to comply with the “resort bubble” requirements (including the $200 per person MD who comes to the Marriott one you meet the 72 hour mark) and that added a minimum of $8500 for our group with hotel, shuttle, location monitoring bracelets, extra Covid test). We also looked at changing our flight to Oahu, staying for 3-4 nights, etc etc, and that also added almost 10k.
Keep us posted if things with Kauai.
JC
Fantastic news except we just miss the window to take advantage. We were due to come in at 12:55pm, but with the cancellation of most direct flights, we were moved to a connection which now doesn’t come in until 3:55pm so we’re stuck with the $200/pp test unless their hours get extended. Bummer.
Aloha,
Once again clear as mud! We are staying in a bubble hotel in Poipu for three days and taking the 15 min rapid test. Transportation is not addressed and also what if you finish your quarantine on a Sat or Sunday? You are out of luck for free test. No one seems to think any of this through before announcing one aspect of it. So frustrated!
Mahalo
Hi Denise.
Yes, we understand your valid concerns. Thanks.
Aloha.
Where is it free in Maui to get tested before flying to kauai ?
Which of the “Resort Bubbles” would you recommend?
If I were to bubble in Kauai, I’d choose the Marriott Beach Resort in Lihue because it has an on-site store with basic groceries and access to Dukes Restaurant. It’s is also close to the new free testing place.
From all my mainland contacts… no one is saying “gee, look at Hawaii and Kauai. They are doing great.” They all say, “jesus, are they trying to go poor.”
With less deaths and sickness compared to an average flu season in Hawaii, what we’ve done is put people in the soup line on the sides of the highway.
And with every new month that passes there will always be some “event” that the State “leaders” want to wait and see about. This week is Super Bowl. Next will probably be Valentines day. Then they want to wait and see about a couple variants. When those are deemed safe, there will be a new variant they are concerned about.
Oh, and many “scientists”, Fauci included, along with Moderna, have stated Covid will most likely not go away. It’ll be vaccines and spikes for years to come… ENJOY your masks and emergency orders.
Wake up, this will not be over, out here, way into next winter.
Then we have Florida. Proving lockdowns don’t make a difference. BTW, Alaska opened up this weekend, no more testing or emergency proclamations. Lemme guess, the people of Hawaii still think they are wiser than everyone else? Yippee, you can’t even travel interstate yet! Way to go!!!
Is it true that current orders expire on Feb. 21? Is there a limit to orders that can be placed – especially in light of current stats that do not support an ‘emergency’. We have tickets for March – this is our last try if there isn’t a clear path, our family of 17 is giving up and will find a new paradise.
I live on Kauai and I agree with you. There is only one thing I need to add. Its not to locals that think there wiser then the rest of the world. It’s our dictator or a Mayor that thinks he the Savior of Kauai. He need to open his eyes look at how much damage he’s doing to our economy. Just because he still makes his $137,000 paycheck he tends to forget that he’s the one and only person that caused over 1500 people there jobs.
“Yippie, you can’t even travel interstate yet!” – Sean
This right here sums up the utter stupidity of this State Government, better than anything spoken here to date.
This can be compared to someone from the San Fransisco bay area
(nearly 8 million people, with 5 times the population of Hawaii) traveling to the Greater LA area (nearly 19 million people, with over 17 times the population) being forced to take a test and/or quarantine for multiple days, which is not done. It hasn’t even been proven that people from other regions have been the cause of the spread, and in Hawaii, just the opposite has been proven. Visitors aren’t the majority of the spreaders within the islands.
To boot, not one other state has restrictions on interstate travel, and with the climate in Hawaii proven to be condusive to reduced spreadability, it should be a no brainier that inter island travel, after proving you do not have Covid, along with safe hygiene and distance practices, should be allowed within the state.
Just more to prove Hawaii’s state government is out of control, and out of touch with reality.
Aloha, thank you for all the great updates! So is there an unlimited supply of free covid tests On Kauai? Just concerned that when they do run out, people staying at the bubble will have to rely on the prior testing??? Mahalo for all you do🌺
Hi Annie.
Thanks. That’s a very good question. Nothing was stated about that.
Aloha.
Thank you for this and all the updates. With a family of four, this on-island free test would save us about $900 for the $225/person fee the test would have cost us at the resort bubble. Still, not a big fan of having a family kept in a hotel room for 4 nights before allowed to be free, if all the on-island testing goes well. As an alternative to the resort bubble I had flights and a Maui condo booked to spend 4 nights there. We were going to get tested after the minimum 72 hours on Maui then fly to Kauai. Unfortunately, I checked with all the trusted testing partners located on Maui and none would guarantee COVID test results in less than 48 hours. That meant we would need to schedule a minimum of 5 or 6 nights on Maui to obtain the negative test results before we could schedule a flight to Kauai. We only wanted to go to Kauai and having only 8 nights we could be away from home meant only 2 or 3 nights on Kauai, which led us to cancel our plans. Kauai travelers need to be aware of so many different restrictions AND the length of testing time results needed to meet the restrictions. The last I heard the current Kauai only test requirements are set to expire on February 21. With that only 6 days away has anyone heard an update? With 0 active cases on Kauai and the fewest current cases in the mainland reported since late October I would hope the mayor will remove the additional testing/bubble resort requirements and join the rest of the state on the test requirements.
Hi Joel.
Thanks for sharing about issues with testing for interisland travel. There is no update for now on any upcoming changes.
Aloha.
JoelV, you mentioned that the current Kauai only test requirements are set to expire Feb. 21. Where can that information be found? It would be nice if the second test requirement was dropped.
I wait for the vaccinated rules to be established.
Here are copies and quotes from the Kauai County website. It has been my experience that this is what is as of today, 2-15-21. Tomorrow …?
Mayor Derek S. K. Kawakami announced that the County of Kaua‘i, in partnership with the Kaua‘i District Health Office, is now providing free COVID-19 testing weekdays in Līhuʻe for anyone without symptoms.
Mayor Kawakami Quotes:
“This opportunity is open to everyone – no specific reason or doctor’s order is needed.”
“While these tests cannot be used for the state’s Safe Travels program for travel to Maui or Hawai‘i Island, they can be used by Kaua‘i Resort Bubble guests as the post-travel test needed to be released from the bubble. This will make it more affordable for returning residents and visitors to participate in the Resort Bubble program.”
This is very good news for us. We will be visiting Kauai very soon, vaccinated, and very respectful of covid-19 protocols. The post arrival test Kauai requires was quoted to us as $200 per person! If the free testing holds on, we will have $400 in our budget to spend on the island.
How to get to the testing location is still new to our bubble resort, so we haven’t heard how yet. Mayor Kawakami should address how we will be able to violate our wrist monitors to get to the testing site.
What about after getting 2 vaccines ? What is the situation on that?
YES!
Thank you for the update.
This is not really a very good option for many of the bubble hotels. Except the Lihue based bubbles that are very close (Timbers and Marriott and Timbers already has free testing), as the other resorts are pretty far away from the testing center in Lihue. So for instance if you are staying at bubble resorts Cliffs or Hanalei Bay Resort, you would need to take a shuttle or taxi to Lihue ($100+), take the test (free), take a taxi or arrange another shuttle back to the resort ($100+), stay until your results came back (so now you have to rent another day), get released from the EMQ bracelet because only the resort/hotel can do that, take another taxi/shuttle (which you have to reserve 48 hours ahead) to get your car ($100 plus). You have now spent all day driving back and forth and still spent about as much for shuttles vs having the doctor come to the resort, give you a 15 minute test and you are on your way. Will the EMQ resort even let you leave with the bracelet on and get into a cab with a stranger?????? Now if the county wants to set up a test site in Princeville at the airport, Lihue at the War Memorial and in Poipu where the other bubbles are located, fine. Better yet go to the bubbles and do the testing there for free or reduced rates. It should also be noted that supposedly 1400 have gone through some sort of bubble stay and not ONE person has tested out positive. That should tell you something like the first test did the trick.
Another thing about this bubble idea. Most of the travelers in the bubbles are owners of timeshares within the bubbled resort. Marriott, Cliffs, HBR, Timbers, Point are all timeshare resorts. There are a few residents or owners of homes wanting to come over for longer stays that are using the bubbles. Did you know if you stay at The Marriott Lihue, you can walk down the pathway along the beach path to Dukes which is a public restaurant??? So how safe is that bubble? It just overall makes no sense.
Joan B, first, I did not know that a “bubbler” could go down to Dukes – that makes no sense. It’s a severe breach of safety protocols of the quarantine system for me.
You present a very good idea for testing sites. There are three major areas for visitor accommodations on Kauai; Princeville, Lihue and Poipu Point. It would seem to make a lot of common sense to have a testing site in the area of each of these.
Is the decision to headquarter in Lihue a financial nod to transportation providers? Hopefully safety and common sense are paramount.
Did you really just say “Common Sense” ? Big words for Kawakami.
I just learned from a resident of Kauai, that the Bubble hotels are not a true bubble at all. The resorts allow any local or nun-bubbler to visit friends, eat at their restaurants, enjoy their drinks and entertainment. This is unfair monopoly by the Bubble hotels against non-bubble restaurants, stores, hotels and vacation rentals. Obviously this shows hypocrisy of Kawakami. If they fear “visitors” coming, why are they letting locals mingle with them? Here is the first hand comment from a local (from County of Kauai Facebook comment thread):
“YES, I have been to the Bubbles. Many times.
We sit spaced out and of course here there’s lots of air so it feels safe (if it didnt, I’d leave).
Anyone can go.
It sounds like you’re not on island – correct? – but if you were you could go visit .Koa Kea for instance with friends who are Bubbling, or at any time.
Same w all the EMQs.
We were at Dukes the other day – the place was packed… live music, drinks, folks waiting for a seat in the bar area and by 7pm about 1/2 the rest upstairs was full.”
This is true. I walk at Kauai Lagoons almost every morning then swim at Kalapaki.Spoke today with a visitor in the “ bubble resort “ plan—-he can eat at Dukes,shop at the ABC store near Dukes,walk on the beach and around the Lagoons,swim,surf at Kalapaki. I am happy they are able to have these experiences,; its wonderful to have visitors back,but,as a resident I am unable to get a free covid test before or after travel,and,if I quarrantine I am confined to my home,and unable to do my morning walks,swims where guests from “ bubble resorts “ can. -it just does not make sense. -thank you for this forum.
Hi Jeanne.
Thanks for your report from Kalapaki. We appreciate your many comments.
ALoha.
Has anyone in the government of Hawaii and especially about going to Kauai decided if we can go straight to the islands if we have had our vaccination shots. I have had a condo share on Kauai for 30 plus years and would like to come and stay for 4 weeks. Mahalo
Hi Tricia.
That will be forthcoming, but no word so far.
Aloha.
I understood that if we’re going to our own places, we do not have to quarantine. Especially with the vaccine. Or maybe I dreamt that…
As a resident here that recently returned from the mainland with a negative Covid test, I can tell you that’s not true! I had to quarantine for 10 days because I didn’t spend the $1500 + to stay in a bubble resort.
Aloha,
We live in Kihei. We would like to take the ferry to Lanai for the day. Since we will be traveling only within Maui County, are we required to quarantine upon arrival on Lanai and then quarantine when we return to Lahaina? Nothing on the Maui website addresses travel among the same county islands. Please advise. Thank you.
Hi Darleen.
We can’t say with certainty. Can you please ask the Go-Lanai Ferry. They should know.
Aloha.
Somebody “should” know
This whole situation of bubbles, bubble tests that don’t qualify for inter island travel, protected test providers, etc
Is a mess.
I am sorry for believing that Hawaii has a promise to peace and prosperity.
I hope Pele doesn’t get too mad.
No traveling for you. Too dangerous to go approx. 7 miles away. Stay home for eternity, Save Lives. Life may not be worth living, but atleast we’ll all live forever.
One 10 day old positive case. There must be a way to figure out the probability of acquiring covid on Kauai. .0000013
Totally absurd. If this continues Kauai will sink!