524 thoughts on “Kauai Not Reopening Travel Soon + Kauai Resort Bubbles And More”

  1. The Governor did approve the inter-island quarantine exception, and it’s now published on the Kauai Covid19 website as Mayor’s Emergency Rule #23 Amendment 1. Three days on another island sounds a lot better than a resort bubble…and probably less expensive too.

    1. “Three days on another island sounds a lot better than a resort bubble”

      Agree! If only I had confidence that this will still be an option in another month, we’d like to visit the mainland for some skiing and what not. Would give us a good excuse to spend a few days on Oahu (or maybe another island) on the way back.

      But, who knows what the rules will be in a month, and they can change before you return, so it’s a crapshoot, and best to equip yourself for the full ten days when you get back, just in case.

      In any event, this is really helpful for Kauai residents who need to get over to Oahu for a short trip for business or family emergencies, since no test needed to go to Oahu, and just the one test to get back, and you could take it right after you land if your visit is no more than 72 hours.

      1. The Emergency Rule states ““Intercounty travelers five and older are exempt from quarantine if the travelers receive a negative test result from a test taken after they have been physically present in the State of Hawai‘i for at least 72 hours. Upon entry into the County of Kaua‘i, the traveler must
        upload into the State’s Safe Travels program or otherwise provide written hard copy confirmation from a State Department of Health (“DOH”) approved COVID-19 testing facility of a negative test result, using a DOH-approved form, from an observed test administered to the traveler within 72 hours from departure.”

        It’s not 100% clear, but it seems that if you took an inter-island trip from Kauai to Oahu, you might need to be physically present in Oahu for at least 72 hours before taking the test, then you could fly back as soon as you get the negative result.

  2. For most people planning a trip to Hawaii takes several months. When the state of Hawaii and the individual counties keeps moving the ball around that makes travel virtually impossible for most people. It would be helpful if the state of Hawaii would behave as one state and not five states. Until Hawaii can behave as one state there’s just not going to any numbers of tourist coming to Hawaii and just maybe that’s what the state wants.

    Aloha Guys, your daily updates make travel a possibility.

  3. The new inter island travel plan where you stay 3 days on another island and take a 2nd test is meant for returning residents so they don’t have to stay in a bubble resort upon their return to Kauai. It was not made for visitors, although smart visitors will figure out that they can take advantage of the plan too by spending 3 days on another island and then come here. It is a nice slow way to open back up as we were over touristed before with 1,389,300 people visiting the island in 2019, way too many for this tiny island. Hopefully the slow re-opening will stop the hotel construction and our wildlife, which has come back tremendously during the pandemic, will stay this time as new visitors enjoy the real, laid back and uncrowded Kauai lifestyle.

    1. Unfortunately Doug, the only way most new visitors will be able to see your wildlife or new laidback Kauai landscape, is from the room of their prison room for the first 10 days. BTW, I’m pretty sure the damage to the wildlife and landscape out at Polihale, has nothing to do with tourists. We didn’t drive our jeeps all thru the dunes and vegetation. If things are coming back though, congrats. That’s great newd!

  4. Hawaii is an island with limited resources, you threatening to withhold your money and not visit sounds like a breath of fresh air. The return of tourists do nothing personally for the locals except threaten their already limited resources and crowd our beaches. It’s not easy to go from your state being completely shut down, to watch it open up for families who are recreationally traveling for funsies during a pandemic. We are still in recovery and repair mode. I recommend Florida!
    Aloha

    1. Actually the state of Hawaii has a tourist economy, until the stated develops another way to replace the 30% or more of the State GDP Hawaii needs the tourism to keep financially sound.

      Without the stimulus checks sent by the Fed Hawaii would be in a depression, you don’t actually have the resources to feed your population without tourist dollars the state would stop being able to import the stuff it does. Including food and fuel, TV’s, cars, close etc. You don’t even produce much in the way of pineapples and sugar cane anymore. What Hawaii does produce is vacation memories for the millions of tourists that come and spend an average of 500$ a day to hang out and soak up some sun and aloha… (the 500/day figure is from 15 years ago when I had a business in Hawaii).

      But hey, I’m totally with you all tourists should go elsewhere, that will make the property values in Hawaii plummet (since thousands of people will head to other places in search of work) I’m just waiting to snap up a great deal or two your short sighted thinking will create
      that will make it more affordable for me to move back to the place I consider Home…

  5. Rule #24, Really? Hawaii has only been open 2 1/2 months and we are up to rule #24. Anybody want to guess what rule # we will be up to 2 1/2 months from now?
    Thanks to BOH for keeping us updated and please keep up the good work.

    1. Hi Jim.

      Thanks. Yes, and we’re still trying to sort out the language on the latest rules. \

      Aloha.

      1. Hawaii can’t “behave as one state” when the healthcare delivery capabilities vary as much as they do from island to island. What might be a treatable infection on Oahu could be a death sentence on another island.

        Let’s hope the vaccines change this situation quickly.

  6. Ever changing rules make planning a trip to Kauai impossible for me.

    And I hope proof of one dose of vaccine does not serve as a waiver … It takes two doses for maximum effectiveness, whatever that may be. It’s just too soon to resume “normal” activities, in my opinion.

  7. The new proposal will do absolutely nothing to encourage me & my family to visit Kauai. There is no way we would agree to stay in the resort bubble. As far as going to another island and getting a Covid test 72 hours prior to arriving in Kauai … no way! All of this is much too complicated!

    Currently, we have a trip planned for two weeks beginning 06/25/21. We reserved & paid for airfare and condo reservations. Between my family & extended family there are 12 of us. Certainly, that represents quite a bit of money on the line. It also equates to lost revenue for Kauai. I’m sure there are hundreds if not thousands of visitors in the same situation. I’m also sure that those potential visitors, along with my family, are considering cancelling reservations. There are no winners in this situation. Potential lost revenue for Kauai & lost vacation plans as well as possible loss of money for visitors.

    June is a way off, & it’s possible that “once again” Ige & the mayor could change the rules. But, how long are visitors going to wait before changing their plans. And … will potential changes be better or worse? There is so much uncertainty on the island of Kauai. Why can’t rules be consistent throughout the state? It would make things so much more simple.

    This past Thanksgiving my family and I visited Oahu. Although Oahu has never been a favorite island for us, we had a wonderful time. We followed the rules & all was good. The only stressful time was waiting for Covid results. We were concerned they might not come in time. However the “Vault” company came through with flying colors. Oahu was very quiet, as most visitors have still not returned. But, everything was doable and mask requirements were no worse than at home on the mainland.

    BOH, do you think the resort bubble and the 10 day quarantine for direct arrival from the mainland will be lifted before summer? Just a guess would be appreciated.

    Mahalo,
    TJ

    1. Hi TJ.

      We do think it will change by summer, but in what way, we simply cannot say. Also, we don’t know whether changes will be via the governor or via the Mayor. Plus there will be vaccine travel starting in February we believe. Hope that helps and sorry to not have more answers.

      Aloha.

      1. Kauai didn’t do it right. Obviously Josh Green and the rest of the state got it right regarding a safe way to open with a 3 day test. They proved is wrong. Admit it and join in. Or, if the intent is not to promote a covid free environment, but rather to limit the number of visitors to kauai indefinitely, do it in a straight forward manner, not under the guise of a pandemic.

    2. Why doesn’t our Mayor listen to the large percent of Kauai’s needs ?
      Business /Tourism need to open!
      He is killing our economy!!

  8. Hurt. Until derek is removed from power I don’t think anyone should even think abt traveling to lih. Seriously is he getting kickbacks from the $1200 a night bubble resorts as no one outside of cuba is going for this insane idea. Even if you went there like much of power drunk commie er democrat run cities what’s left open? Why isn’t there a recall effort started. Will the last person leaving kauii turn off the lights. For like a few cases this is massive over reaction that given how well the program is going makes him look like the giant fool that he is. Is he doing this to draw attention from all the franken food test ing going on the island?

    1. Yep…. Another state ruined and an economy destroyed. What political persuasion us there…. Let me think now!?!

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