See the latest delay on reopening without Kauai Resort Bubbles.
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I’m in Waikiki right now on my way back to Kauai. You still have to stay 4 nights because of limited flights and minimum 6 hour test results.
However, on Oahu you can move freely and the lodging is much more affordable. I haven’t spent this much time on Oahu in years so it’s been nice to reacquaint myself.
It’s an extra $1,000 tax (cheap lodging, meals, transportation and an extra COVID test, but the flights are still cheap.
Yes Oahu is cheap,open,diverse, and Waikiki is beautiful and welcoming.
Aloha,
Please clarify re “If you stay 3 nights on another island first, then test and come to Kauai, you will not be subject to any quarantine. To qualify, visitors must be “Be physically present in the State of Hawai‘i for more than 72 hours before flying to Kauai to qualify as an inter-island traveler.”
Do you also have to be present in the State for more than 72 hours before obtaining *a test* to be cleared to travel to Kauai?
Mahalo for your excellent coverage of this topic.
Hi Peter.
Thanks for the nice words and your comments. Yes, you need to be on another island for 72 hours first. Then test and travel. That’s our interpretation of the county guidelines.
Aloha.
You can quarantine in your own home but you are literally a prison within your walls. You cannot quarantine in a vacation rental if you don’t own it unless it’s in a bubble. Thanks BOH.
I haven’t been able to find any Current information regarding the Option to Quarantine in your own home apon arrival. We plan to arrive on Kauai from the mainland ( we are not Hawaii residents) , and would rather stay “Shut-in” our own home for 10 days of Quarantine ,rather than to jump thru the hoops, and ridiculously high rate of the resort bubbles . As a Kauai property tax payer and home owner are we allowed to arrive with a Negative Covid test and just quarantine in our home without having to waste time and money in a “Resort Bubble ” ? Thank you in advance for any factual information and input .
Hi Chris.
Suggest you check with the county for a definitive answer. Our understanding is that it could not be a vacation rental even if you own it. That Kauai needs to be your primary residence. Not wanting to steer you in the wrong direction, however, so again, do check.
Aloha.
Hi Chris,
As a Kauai homeowner (but not permanent resident), you can indeed quarantine in your own vacation rental condo. You don’t even need to take a Covid test, as Kauai does not check or care.
I arrived on January 10th and quarantined in my own vacation rental in Poipu. I did bring papers showing my proof of ownership, but the National Guard didn’t ask for them. Be warned though, the National Guard did knock on my door after 3 days to make sure I was really staying there.
Yes, you can quarantine in your own home even it is typically a vacation rental. Have done it several times… you need to quarantine for 10 days now.
This is also my understanding, although we did not have to quarantine back in early November so we never put it to the test. It should not matter whether your home is a vacation rental when you are not in it. But, the blog guys have a good point. Just confirm with the county in advance.
Also, be sure to have your vehicle delivered to LIH for you if you plan to drive yourself home. You cannot rent a car, or go to the store, so you also need someone to get food (and booze!) to your place for you. You can order a lot of things on line and have them shipped in advance. It’s just “perishables” you need help with.
Whoever runs your vacation rental operation ought to be able to help you out.
Thank you BoH for trying to keep us informed of Hawaii’s regulations. I’m sad to say, at this point, for our family Hawaii is out of the question for vacation. In spite of your attempts to keep it simple, the program is not simple. Too much risk of rule change and innocent mistakes. I’m not going to risk spending half or all of my vacation confined in a ‘Resort Bubble’.
Again, Mahalo. You are working hard to support and promote tourism for the local businesses that are sadly enduring a slow death.
Cheers,
MJ
Hi Mitch.
Thanks for the feedback. We appreciate it.
Aloha.
Kauai is still a cluster….
Until they get in line with the rest of the islands re: covid they will continue to lose lots of tourists dollars which cannot be recovered. I don’t know why the people don’t rise up and run the mayor out of town.
We are hopeful that by May a completed round of vaccinations will suffice for entry to Kauai with no other restrictions. We have our lodging and air fare booked. Otherwise it’s a no go; we can cancel without penalty up to mid-April. It will kill us to not to go to Kauai again this year after having the bottom fall out on us last May, but hey, there are plenty of other places we have yet to see.
I opting for no island at all. So sad. This is ridiculous.
We’re scheduled to come the last week in March and ultimately decided to stay in a bubble resort (The Marriott). We changed our flights on Alaska at no charge to extend our trip and the hotel was about $1000 for 3 nights (would have been $800 if we chose non-refundable). The testing will be an additional $600 for our family. I know it makes more sense to others to just go to another island, but for us that likely would be even more of an added cost (we’re traveling with another family of 4) not to mention finding flights from the mainland to another island and then the cost to fly between islands. The Marriott resort and especially their pool is large enough to keep the kids (ages 7-10) happy for a few days until we can test out. The bracelet cost is not that bad considering the Marriott offers the first at no charge under the resort fee and kids under 15 don’t have to have one. So $75 for our family of three since one bracelet is $100 and includes a $25 food credit. They also have a few more on site food options available compared to others, some of which have none at all. They also have 2 testing times available (8-9 and 5-6 onsite for a flat $200/test), so we won’t have to book a fourth night unless our incoming flight is significantly delayed.
Our direct flights were canceled this week but we were able to find connecting flights from California through Seattle that weren’t too bad duration wise. Trying to stay positive and hope that everyone just tests negative both times, that’s more stressful than anything else in my opinion. Never worked so hard for a vacation, but I can’t complain as we’re opting to travel during this mess.
No vacation is worth the hassle being presented by hawaii….
Ah. Such a tangled web we weave.
If according to the statement in your article. “Furthermore, you must provide proof of a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of inter-island travel to Lihue. These test results need to be uploaded to the state’s Safe Travels website/program.”
Circumstance: I have been on Kauai for more than thirty days and travel to the big island for 7 days and return to Kauai.
Do I have to get another COVID test?
Is a COVID test required my all people returning to Kauai from another island?
Yes…you will need another test (as well as the one to get you to the Big Island) but you won’t have to quarantine. I live on Oahu and have to get a covid test for any other island. Thank goodness, I don’t need a repeat to come back here.
We are flying to Maui from Phoenix in April. Can you recommend a testing site that is best to return results in 72 hours in the Phoenix area?
Thanks in advance.
Hi Anne.
Perhaps someone else who is familiar with the Phoenix testing options can give us a hand.
Aloha.
We are getting tested at PHX airport through Hawaiian Airlines. You need an appointment. It is in terminal 4.
I would advise going a day or two before you fly.
They test 9-5. If you have an early flight it won’t work same day. Check the airlines website.
Mahalo.
Hi Denise.
Thanks for the update on PHX testing.
Aloha.
Get tested at the airport 72 hours in advance of your flight. They guarantee the results in less than 72 hours. Walgreens and CVS wouldn’t guarantee the results in time. Make an appointment!!! I we got our results in an hour! Xpress clinic is a trusted testing partner for Hawaii.
Xprescheck at the airport.$200.00 but results in 30 minutes just used them flying to kona.
Anne
I noticed that Walgreen’s has 10 locations in the Phoenix area for the, ” Covid Rapid Diagnostic Test (ID NOW)”. Results come back in less than 24 hours, usually 2/3 hours. Go to the Walgreens.com site and look under, Covid 19 Testing & Locations. Start with your state and city you live in. The red button will show you the locations for the rapid test, do not use the PCR test. There’s going to be a 72 hour sign up before you need the test.You will be competing with others. You will need to time your test, as to be within 72 hours of your flight departure time to Hawaii. As you look at the questionnaire pages you will have a better understanding. Your test results will need to uploaded to your Hawaii Safe Travels site and 24 hours before you leave, Safe Travels will have a questionnaire for you, that’s how you will get your QR code. Also, make sure you print out a hard copy of your tests results, you will want it. Walgreens also has a 800 number. Many of the airlines also offer Rapid covid test
Aloha and good luck.
ANNE and ROY H…
Thanks, Roy, for the info but I’d like to clarify a few things for Anne. #1: Check your locality for Rapid Testing. In our state, neither CVS nor Walgreens offer Rapid Testing anywhere in our state including our metro area of 900,000! #2: At least in our state, Walgreens and CVS only allow for appointments 2 days in advance so they are useless as a source. #3: Upload your test results ASAP but don’t fret if you can’t do it 24 hours in advance of travel – the site has actually had issues with uploading – but DO MAKE SURE to carry a hard copy you can present to the officials. #4: Yes, many of the airlines offer Rapid Testing but only at major – major – airports like LA, etc. Even in Phoenix, there is no Rapid Testing offered by an airline. In Phoenix, there is an Xprescheck location in Terminal 4 available for any traveller and, the last I looked, you can make reservations months in advance. They are expensive, however and, again, last I looked, are only open Thursday-Monday. HOWEVER!!! Kauai will honor test results from other than “Trusted Partners” and here locally, I got my test results in 36 hours from a pathology lab conducting testing. Please verify that is still the case and check out local labs. Good Luck!