Updated 12/24/20, 11am. See latest changes below. We heard from a long-time friend who has been working in the Kauai County Emergency Operating Center on COVID issues. He said that they have been “Pushing the governor for weeks, and it looks like we may get a new rule in place.”
This is all changing so fast that it is hard to keep up with. As another friend here said, stop the roller coaster, I want to get off.
What is being proposed now is that in addition to the current pre-travel testing requirement, Kauai visitors enter quarantine at an approved quarantine hotel for the first three nights after arrival. We were told that “If you get a second negative test on fourth day after arrival, they’re out of quarantine.” If this sounds familiar, Kauai previously proposed a similar quarantine followed by second test, that was disallowed by the governor.
The spokesperson had said that this migh be approved as soon as 12/23, to take effect on January 5. But so far, there has been no approval forthcoming from the governor. We’ll let you know as soon as we learn more.
We responded with the following:
1. The governor previously said that he was not inclined to enable island-by-island rules associated with Safe Travels. That is how Ige appeared to interpret Kauai’s prior request of a similar nature. The governor intimated that you are either in or out of Safe Travels and that separate rules were just too confusing among other issues. Following the governors disapproval, Kauai’s request to opt-out entirely was approved. Would Ige change his mind on this and modify Safe Travel for Kauai? Or would there be a different program? We can’t say, but it wouldn’t entirely surprise us either. How confusing do you think this would be for Hawaii visitors?
2. Any quarantine is a non-starter for visitors. With the average Hawaii vacation being of 7-day duration, you have made clear in now perhaps thousands of comments that you would not be willing to be in quarantine, even until the 4th day. Is that still your feeling? Please let us know in the comments.
3. Vacations rentals are out in the cold. With the current rules in effect and what we were told is being proposed, visitors cannot stay in vacation rentals while in quarantine. This is a challenging situation for both visitors and vacation rental stakeholders, as you have also clearly indicated in the comments. Any further thoughts?
Latest changes from December 24.
1. The approved quarantine hotels and the lowest rates we found on checking in January are as follows:
The Cliffs at Princeville – No online availability. 14-night minimum indicated.
Hilton Garden Inn Kauai Wailua Bay – From $141 nightly.
Koa Kea Hotel & Resort at Poipu – From $320 nightly.
The Club at Kukuiula – From $800 nightly.
Timbers Kauai Ocean Club & Residences at Hokuala – From $1,046 nightly.
Kauai Marriott Resort at Kalapaki Bay – From $271 nightly.
2. Visitors who choose to stay at non-approved hotels remain subject to the 10-day quarantine. Quarantine other than at hotels/motels is not permitted.
3. Residents are subject to a 10-day quarantine and can do so at their residence.
Great comments and questions are coming in.
Among s0 many thoughtful comments in the over 200 below, Margaret posed interesting questions:
– After quarantining for 3 days, would a visitor have to leave his/her hotel (or resort bubble) to get the on-island test?
– If visitors aren’t allowed to rent cars, how do they get to the testing site? Uber? Hotel shuttle bus? Or does the tester go to the quarantine location? Or would it be a self-administered test?
– What kind of test is planned? How long before the result would be known? If the plan is to release the visitor from quarantine on Day 4, it would have to be a rapid test.
– Will the test kits be whatever remains of the 15,000 rapid test kits Kauai purchased with CARES funds?
– Will the visitor be charged for the on-island test?
– How many people would be willing to go through this “short form” quarantine in a hotel or resort bubble? (This is the biggest question).
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We have arranged to fly to Maui Feb 1 for 3 days, get tested there by Doctors on Demand, then fly to Kauai Feb 4 to stay in our own condo. Is this still possible, or should just stay on Maui?
Please keep this chain updated with anything you hear from your friend! I have a wedding booked in Kauai for July 17th and praying that the 3 day rule will be lifted by then! It’s already a lot to ask people to come to a destination wedding, let alone also asking them to pay for an extra 3 days of wait time. We have until April 1 to decide whether to push it out more into the fall – so all info is so appreciated!! Kauai is so special to my fiancé and I – we’ve been coming there for 10 years and it has been my dream to have my wedding there and share it with my family & friends. I hope I still can.
Why would anyone want to quarantine themselves or put their families in direct proximity of multiple travelers in the next room or down the hall from places with very serious Covid infection/hospitalization rates? Covid tests/results do not make a person Covid bulletproof as a carrier. Being forced by Kauai/Hawaii government to house in Bubble properties with unknown people from unknown places under penalty of fines and jail as a pre-condition for a few days/weeks of vacation on Kauai is off-putting at the least and close to criminal in reality.
thanks for the info. Is there any relaxation of the rules for those who have received the vaccination!
Bob
Hi Robert.
Rules for those who have been vaccinated will be announced soon. We’re awaiting that.
Aloha.
It’s amazing, almost all current cases of coronavirus on Kauai are residents returning from traveling. I have heard of residents that knowing they have the virus and still board a plane, but the people traveling who are conscientious, and do the right thing are considered dangerous. I think it is just the opposite. I have been coming to the Islands for 25 years and consider ourselves O’hana. I am also realistic and I can guarantee, with out the help of the Federal government Hawaii would now be starving. Wake up we are all in this together and with all of us doing the right things we will persevere! I’ll be 69 in March and will be arriving on March 1st. Hope to see everyone soon! Aloha
Had a trip planned, went somewhere else, will probably never go to Hawaii, until you figure it out
Not only do visitors have to pay for the hotel quarantine, for a family of 6, the mobile test clinic come to the hotel to test on day 3 which cost another $1K. That’s in addition to the pre-test costs before landing in Kauai and bubble hotel costs.
Why not let visitors quarantine in their rental units or hotel of choice? Also, why the 2nd test?
It’s too expensive and inconvenient when people have limited vacations and families. In addition, residents can’t have guests visit since no one wants to quarantine at someone’s house for 10 days.
Don’t these people get it? As a visitor I’m not paying for a test, spend there nights doing nothing for the opportunity to spend my money in your state! AND pray you don’t shut everything down while I am there. I’ve already paid a plane fare, rental car, lodging and for food…. Get real, they must think we are stupid. Even with Covid under control I will think hard about coming back… Hawaii isn’t the only vacation game in town…. Certifiably not the cheapest.
We feel the same way, coming all the way from the East Coast and having to pay extra to do nothing in an expensive hotel when we have our condo on the North Shore paid for? And how would we get there from Ligue without a rental car? We love the islands, Kaua’i in particular but not enough to endure this. We will travel elsewhere, like the USVI.
Having to quarantine is nonsense when traveling to Hawaii. Some of my customers are only traveling for 4 days. If they test negative prior to flying in and at their arrival they should be able to go as they please when they get there. No one is going to go there to vacation if they have to quarantine. Thanks, Kim B., travel agent.
I would be visiting my daughter, who lives there, AND I have had the vaccine. Do you know if I could bypass the quarantine hotels if I have proof that I received the vaccine?
If I can’t go to a condo of my choce I sure as hell be forced to spend up to 1000,00 dollars a nite to quarateen who owns these sits the people on the board. Then after three days to go get tested how am I going to get there safely if l can’t rent a car the place where i want to stay at is of to me other wise the board should then pay the expense. I dont see this new rule working in othe words I’ll stay ome or go some where else and enjoy my stay .
Any word on vaccinated people. I start my vaccination process next Tuesday and I’m scheduled to arrive on 5/19 at Lihue.
Aloha
Is there an update yet from IGE approving the 3 day quarantine to begin jan5th???
My family and I love your beautiful garden island, Kauai. We live in CT and have visited twice in the past years. We have a third trip planned for mid-February (A Marriott Resort). For us, it is a very costly trip across many miles and we are saddened to say that it would not be worth it to be quarantined upon arrival for any number of days whether 10 or 4. We would not travel all that way and pay all that money to be confined to a hotel room for any amount of time. We are deeply saddened that we will likely have to cancel our trip. We sincerely hope conditions improve and that the restrictions may be lifted. Meanwhile, our thoughts are with everyone during this very difficult time: the local residents, hospitals, healthcare workers, employees and businesses who count on tourism. We wish everyone good health and safety. Our hope is that things will improve very soon. Aloha! Suzanne
This does not seem equitable. Why must someone stay at one of the mentioned hotels and not any hotel if they are in quarantine? Why does Kauai want to treat its visitors better than their own returning residents?
The bubble resort idea also discriminates against residents because resident only have the option of a 10 day quarrantine.There is a disturbing psychological manipulation happening on Kauai now,gaslighting.
We have been coming to Hawaii every year for our anniversary. We even had a savings account specifically for making a purchase there once I retire. (Feb. 2021) But now, after watching Governor Ige’s leadership during this pandemic we have decided to stay on the mainland and have purchased a condo in southern Florida instead. We are both deeply saddened but, are confident with our decision after watching the steady, sharp, decline in the Hawaiian Islands economy.
Thank you so much. This website has been a great resource.
Sincerely,
Pam H
Hi Pam.
Thanks for that feedback.
Aloha.
We had 2 weeks at a condo last 2 weeks of February. I am glad I canceled before I lost my money. Sill part is We have already had Covid.
We are now staying in Oahu for our 2 weeks.
I see a lot of comments about the vaccine. While I agree that every state with quarantine needs a travel policy for those who are vaccinated, we do not yet know if those vaccinated can still transmit the disease to those who are not, and for how long the vaccine will provide immunity (i.e., will it be like Polio and not need repeating once enough people have been vaccinated, or will it be like the flu and need to be done once a year?) Further, it will be the better part of a year before most who want to be vaccinated will be able to be, if all goes well…and so far it is only 2 million, not even close to the 20 million they thought would be done at the end of Dec.
We have already paid for our trip and cannot change it. If they decide to quarantine us in a hotel for 3 nights, we will be double paying and basically, part of our vacation will be stuck in a hotel room with nowhere to go. We come to golf and go to beaches, both of which will not be allowed during this quarantine.
Quite honestly if we test negative, it’s not going to change in 4 days. My husband is a doctor and will be vaccinated, but I will not be in time for our trip. Does a vaccine even count? What if someone has antibodies to SARS-CoV-2? Does this matter? When will it be safe for everyone to return to the island? They seem to keep kicking the can down the road.
Too bad Kauai is taking a different stance than the other islands. This will drive people to the other islands and we may not come back to Kauai. I feel bad for the Kauai businesses that are suffering from these rules.
We will most likely pass if we are quarantined for any period of time and try to get a refund of lodging and airfare, which only adds to the depression in the economy. We love Kauai, but it’s an expensive trip. We need to have fun for our ‘entire’ vacation.
Thank you
Hi Cynthia.
Thanks for your input. Yes, there will be a plan announced in the next week or two for those who are vaccinated.
Aloha.
Flying to quarantine is a non-starter for me. Also seems like some of the quarantine hotels are taking advantage in their pricing.
Planning on a five day trip to Maui in March. Just praying this craziness is over or we’ll have to cancel. My daughter will be crushed it was a huge surprise Christmas present!
If the government is paying for the 4 days in a resort that is unaffordable to the average person. Where do I sign up? Otherwise. No thanks.
Frankly, the mayor is destroying Kauai and he needs to go. Require a pre-flight negative test. Require airlines to require masks. When people arrive, tell them to wear masks and stay distanced. Then, it is what it is.
Could Kauai residents have priority of getting the vaccine? Get the whole island vaccinated then open up tourism and give livelihood back to the people. With this constant rule changing it is impossible to plan anything.
Thanks but no thank you to Kauai.
Go ahead and demolish your tourism industry and all the other people on Kauai who are out of work.
People who are truly at risk can shelter. Let the rest of Kauai’s people resume their lives. Stop the fear!
We had planned on a one week stay at our timeshare resort in Poipu but its clear that Hawaii is protecting its residents at the expense of their livelihoods. So when the islands are full of bankrupt citizens then they will finally allow us back to see how Governor Inge turned one of the world’s greatest tourist destinations into a third world country. Just keep voting democrat, Hawaii – you’ll be crying out soon for a bailout from the mainland and your current hostility towards those tourists who are your primary source of revenue will not be forgotten.
There was 20 of us coming in 5 different condos. .. but we can’t spend our days there in quarantine. I feel bad for the owners. We”ll need to vacation else where 😔
Just got back from Mexico. People were warm and welcoming, and wore masks while in groups or common areas. We never felt like we were prisoners or needed to waste our money on a senseless quarantine hotel. They took our temperature on arrival, and at every restaurant we visited. I will have a hard time ever returning to Hawaii, as 5 star service is 50% cheaper in Mexico, and they are happy to have us. Hawaii state leaders are killing the economy and don’t seem to care.
Not a chance. Why does Kauai make it more difficult than the other islands?
If the comments on the Garden Isle News story are any indication, the “bubble resort” part of the proposal is not catching any traction with the readers of said publication.
Linking only because directly on point.
thegardenisland.com/2020/12/24/hawaii-news/kauai-proposes-rule-independent-of-states-safe-travels/
Sorry, but still the answer is a resounding No! We just won’t go. If Kawakami does not want to follow the governor’s rules, will Kauai receive any funding or help at all? How are regular people able to stay in a home that is mortgaged, or rented? I just don’t get it. I am going to try to rent some of my weeks at our resort for April/May, but I doubt there will be any takers. Kauai will have to open, or will become like a third world country. Infrastructure will begin to break down with no money coming in, no restaurants or stores, etc.
Thanks for the updates. We always stay where we can prepare meals, so a stay in a hotel is more costly for both the accommodation and the meals during quarantine. Plus you don’t even get to dine out for these more expensive meals! Getting to hotel and all would be a hassle.
Mostly, a multi-day quarantine when you can afford a 7 to 9 day trip is more than it is worth.
At this rate they will be quarantining people with a vaccination card !!
I walk from Waiohai beach west to the end of Sheraton and back everyday. Visitors are easy to spot and there are only a few.
I have been patiently waiting to be able to respectfully enjoy the island again, but will not travel as long as any type of quarantine is required. We love to visit but do not have that type of kk way to waste.
hello boh. we finally made it to kona on 12/24, although 36h before we were pretty sure we were not going to make it: we did vault and one of the kits seemed to be lost according to UPS (we got the results of the other test 8h after delivery). vault received the missing one somehow and gave us our results promptly. 16h before our flight, we started making hotel reservations since we had cancelled everything beforehand to avoid cancellation fees because we knew nothing was certain. we are pretty good about handling stress in our regular lives but this was something else… not for the faint of heart but really glad it worked out. on arrival in kona, they do the antigen test but they do not make you wait (i imagine that the number of positives is so low that it is not worth the hassle). Really impressed by vault and we would not have had the courage to not cancel if it had not been by all the info from BOH and your readers.
Hi Jeff.
Thanks for letting us know. Congrats and enjoy your time on the BI.
Aloha.
Will someone please explain to me:
How is it that staying in a “bubble resort” where you come into contact with other guests and the staff is a safer place to quarantine than being in your residence or condo seeing no one for four days. Am I missing something in the logic?
My wife and I plan to arrive on 1/3 for about 6-weeks and are accepting of the 10-days in our condo to insure safety for others, but I cannot see how it would be safer for us all if we intermingled with other guests and staff for four days instead?
Your confused fellow lover of Kauai,
Emerson
I understand the rules because Hawaii wants their visitors and residents safe. I have another dilemma, however. My brother lives on Kauai. I have plans to see him in January 2021. I’m going to be there because he’s having surgery for cancer and I’ll be helping him through his recovery process. I haven’t it in my budget to pay for a hotel. If this order is mandatory before I can see him, is there a program that will pay for my room? If not, I’ll likely not be able to go help my brother.
Please, does anyone have info for someone I can contact about my situation?…
Thank you!
Earlene, concerned sister of a resident.
Hi Earlene.
We’d suggest you try calling the Kauai mayor’s office. 808-241-4900.
Aloha.
We come to Kauai every year. But will not return as long as a quarantine is required. Other destinations are available and welcoming. We love Kauai so much. Thank you for all you do to keep us informed.
Hi Carol./
Thanks for the feedback.
Aloha.
Thanks for the chance to say no. We got married in hanalei and would love to go back but why bother. Other sites to visit that appreciate us and our vacation revenue. Kauai should year up the runway at the airport and live in tents because no one is going to waste a vacation in prison
This is a ripoff! Why should we have to pay over $500 to stay somewhere other than our hotel or timeshare just because they are “approved”? Just make it fair for all of the lodging on the island so everyone can enjoy and spend their time (and money!) where they want to.