This has shut down virtually all vacation travel to the Garden Island and nearly all flights.
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171 thoughts on “Kauai Travel Set to Be Banned Longer?”
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This has shut down virtually all vacation travel to the Garden Island and nearly all flights.
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
Comments are closed.
I agree with Jim’s post and 100% enjoyed his perspective.
I planned on traveling to Kauai in mid February but thinking we may cancel if we can take in a Laua
The governor of Hawaii and the mayor of Kauai lack godly wisdom. We need to pray for that, don’t you think?
As I agree with the point that that safety of the residents is of the utmost importance, I don’t believe the current program is benefitting anyone. With the current program, the island is letting untested visitors to enter the island and relying on them not to interact with the residents. There is no incentive to get tested before coming here because you are required to quarantine anyway. So this means untested people are flying here and risking all in there path.
Why would it be so difficult just to require the 72 hour prior to arrival test, and once on the island test again here a day or two later? This way NO untested people come here.
The current plan is crushing local businesses of all types and putting the public at risk at the same time. It really doesn’t make sense, so please consider a different approach.
Hello Mark,
We own a second home on Kauai that we are not willing to be quarantined for 10-14 days upon arrival. We pay property taxes but unable to use our home this year. We want our taxes refunded! 😃.
Regarding testing, there are few trusted partners who can actually deliver and guarantee test results in less than 72 hours in Southern California. we’re not willing to buy air to LIH on this basis. The nearest TP that guarantees results in 24 -48 hours is in Las Vegas. We are not willing to drive or fly 350 miles from central coast California to get tested and return home to board flights to LIH. THE 72 hour limit is an unrealistic hurdle. We’re willing to test again upon arrival with 24 hour results. We are well, Covid free based on occasional testing and practice safe Covid free protocols, including N95 masks, glasses, hat, gloves and jacket when shopping early during senior hours at grocery stores or walking outdoors. We power our vehicle at home with solar no need for gas station exposure. Lastly how many Kauai residents have died this year from 1. Covid, 2 vehicle accidents and 3 ocean related accidents? If vehicle and ocean deaths are greater than Covid will Kauai’s Mayor ban driving an ocean activities?
You are why people don’t like Californians honey. “I want my money back and I’m not willing to do anything because it’s too hard.” If you own a 2nd home here, you can afford to deal with some additional hardship to get here.
Right there with ya!
This is plain out ridiculous
Booked flights…canceled
Changed to October..cancelled
There’s so many other beautiful places to see
But will Not or Never return
With the current government
Running This state into poverty..So sad
Stop the stimulus checks and unemployment checks, and the cray-cray will be cured.
Totally agree..get people to wake up!!
Not to mention Hawaiian airlines holding $2500 of our funds!
I cancelled my three weeks in Kauai this morning 24 hours before my flight! I was looking forward to being in my second home. Love the peaceful Kauai. But, 10 days in quarantine is absolutely absurd. I respect your heritage but all of us in the USA enjoy seeing the sights! We travel to enjoy everything about our great country. We have shared our experiences with our family for several years and it is very hard to tell them we can’t go!
I want my kids to understand why I love Kauai!
Please, I see very little consideration in most of these comments by people whining, yes whining because they can’t come to their second home without qurantining. We are trying to stay safe here. Please have respect for our own efforts to stay safe. We have 9 ICU beds. What will you whiners do if you come here and turn up sick? You will not leave Kaua’i sick. Think about it!!! Stay home.stay safe
Most of the sick is happening from community spread. Its time for Kauai to open up and allow tourist to cone back. There is only so much that us locals can financial bear.
Mayor Kawakami hinted at what is in the works on one of the morning shows here. He was asked if Kauai had any plans to opt back in to travel. What he said was that the Governor was open to a second test and shortened quarantine in a bubble resort on our island only, and that Kauai was working on a proposal including those items. He also said that the Governor did not want any of this to be a part of the safe travels program, so it sounds like this would be a separate program just for Kauai. So to sum up, it sounds like the proposal would be for Kauai only, that it would include the original test prior to your flight but expanded outside of the trusted testing partners (per a direct comment by the Mayor), then a test upon landing with a short quarantine at a bubble resort(no length of quarantine was mentioned). The Mayor also gave a timeline of early January for submission of the proposal. Of course everything can change daily, but those are his comments right now from the morning show.
Doug,
Thanks for that. I can’t listen to those love fests. Was there any mention of returning residents? Will they be able to do the short quarantine at their homes instead of an expensive “resort bubble”? I am wondering if Kawakami feels some sort of obligation to try and force people to stay at resort bubbles. Or maybe he just loves the idea of electronic monitoring bracelets.
Nope, no mention of returning residents
About 5 minutes after my longer post, just (12/23 3:36pm MST) received this from the Marriott Kauai Beach Club Owner Relations Manager…
Aloha Barbara,
Ownership is changing in March for Marriott International Hotel Portion however there is not discussion of closing. The Kauai Beach Club will not be changing ownership.
I understand they are working on a letter to communicate this to Owners.
Warmest Aloha,
We have tickets to come Mar h 13th. Should we make reservations for later?
Cancel. Visit Cancun instead. Prettier beaches. Prettier ocean. Cooler sand. Better food. Nicer people.
I think the Kauai restrictions are unreasonable. A negative test within 72 hours, should be sufficient to allow me to spend a lot of money to come there. I have had to cancel and change our travel plans 4 times in the past year and have lost a lot of money (vacation club owner at Marriott Kauai Beach Club). Please. How can Kauai’s economy survive? The numbers there are low, likely from your strict restrictions but eventually you need to open back up with safe guidelines in place. Be reasonable. Now Marriott is saying we can pay $100 per person ($400 for my family) to stay as a prisoner at the resort. Seriously?!?!
NIKOLE ARMSTRONG…
We also own two weeks each year at the KBC. We have lost nothing except literally occupying at the resort and it was our choice not to try to work within the restrictions on Kauai. MVCI and Interval have been fabulous in helping us with other arrangements and, to be honest, their creativity about how to use what we “lost” has been amazing! Have you actually talked to them?
Nikole do you care at all about the health of the locals who live on the island? It seems that all you care about is all of the money you’re spending for your vacation. The biggest problem for us here on Kauai is that we don’t have enough healthcare infrastructure to support visitors coming from the mainland who could be infected with the virus, which is currently plaguing the mainland with the highest numbers yet. The 72 hr pretest was obviously not enough because covid cases spiked after that – you could contract the virus anytime after getting tested before arriving to Kauai. Until we have more than 9 ICUs and 14 ventilators, it isn’t safe to allow visitors to come over. Wait until the pandemic is over to make your plans with all your money – or head to another island with more healthcare infrastructure.
Aloha Lory
You see it clearly. Medical limits are
A reality.
We are a Island, and sickness came before on Sailing Ships. Now , it’s Flying Ships.
Hardly anyone who lives in Hawaii is indigenous.
What an incredibly ignorant comment. No wonder why there is so much hostility from locals towards outsiders. People come her and treat our home like an amusement park and even have the gall to deny the existence of its native people. Hawaiians may be a minority in the ancestral lands today, but this is historically due to mass epidemics that wiped out a large percentage of our population in less than a hundred years. Perhaps why locals do not take this new illness lightly…
Cancel.
It’s a 14 day quarantine, not 10 days.
It is now 10 days. That changed last week.
Who in their right mind would close a whole island’s economy down due to six active cases?? This is insanity.
Agree!!!!!!!
One challenge with a second test after arrival is what to do with those groups who treat positive on the second test. Some clarity on what happens would be helpful. How long will one be quarantined, where, and how much will it cost. Quarantine insurance might be helpful paying for the possibility of being quarantined. Waiving HI income tax on non-HI residents working remotely while in quarantine could also be helpful for people not very sick. I’m in Maui on vacation this week, and Maui offers a second test, but the uncertainty of what happens if one test positive does not encourage taking it. My hotel is also not a quarantine hotel, so I would need to move if I tested positive. If I had symptoms, I would get tested, but that would be after possibly being infectious.
I am grateful Hawaii has allowed me to visit during this time. I don’t want to bring any sickness to Hawaii. It also appears to be a safer place to visit than other places inside and outside of the US open to tourism, and I’m doing my best to keep it that way.
Aim gun at big toe, pull trigger.
I know, right?
I enjoy the news letter. Would you the please explain the implications for travelers to Kauai of each update. Trying make sense of what the mayor is doing very confusing.
Does the mayor have a plan for reopening Kauai and what conditions have to be met for reopening?
If the mayor is so concerned about infections, why is he only using the least restrictive – Tier 4
Travel related questions about Covid 19 infections:
1. How many cases of Covid 19 are related to residents returning from other destinations?
2. How many of the Covid 19 cases reported from anyone using the Safe Travelers program?
3. How many Covid 19 cases were related to residents infecting other residents?
Hi Bud.
To answer your questions, no the mayor has not stated any specifics about what will trigger reopening (or for that matter reclosing) of the island. He indicated he wanted to remain on Tier 4 so that locals would not be penalized in terms of getting together. We don’t have the other answers at our fingertips but would direct you to the county’s website here. https://www.kauai.gov/covid-19.
Aloha.
What makes me angry is that people say, “well it’s just the flu, or less than 1% fatality rate” what these inconsiderate selfish people don’t understand is that, that less than 1% could be your mother, father, sister, brother. Kauai is so small everyone knows everyone. It affects us all. I lost 2 aunts and 1 uncle this year within 3 months. We don’t have enough beds in ICU to handle a big cluster like Oahu is barely handling. Our Mayor asked the governor for a post travel test to be added to the travel program. He was denied. We opened up travel, we spiked in positive cases, so we opted out of travel program for the sake of the people.
100%
I know, right?
Stop the stimulus and unemployment checks.
We travel to the garden island every year, but missed ot cuz of covid, i support the ban, but miss the island and our friends, we stay in princeville in our friends condo at hbr , for at least 3 weeks in november, next year we will b back with vacine in us, we love it there! Thanks and we will see you all soon, Sincerely
I have never understood why a protest was required without having to have results before flying in. Why can’t we have a rule that you must have a negative Covid test to board the plane and then a post test 3 days later with no quarantine. And no restrictions if you have taken the vaccine. Please open this island. People are suffering. Thank you!
Thank you for the update on Kauai. We love the island and the communities and have booked a two month holiday for next Nov. Trusting the battle with this virus will be considerably in hand by then. No solved but I believe the world is moving in the right direction, it will takes years. I think the strict rules for now can only help that. Mahalo Ron H
We need to open Kauai to Tourism asap. More harm is being done by staying closed than Covid can ever do. Our mayor is not looking out for the best interest of the majority of Kauai’s people. He is catering to the minority If the select few at high risk want to shelter in place that’s their choice. The world and Kauai can’t shut down when the majority of people will be fine. We all get sick with something every year. That’s part of life. Most survive. Our Governor needs to override our Mayor and make same rules for entire state.People need to be able to work live life and travel freely. The rest of us who are not high risk have rights too Almost 100 percent of people will survive the virus if they get it that is a proven statistical fact. However we all depend on tourism in some manner. It is our economy directly and indirectly for each of us. and nearly 100 percent will not survive not having a job and having no money to take care of their families.
Wow, Leann, You couldn’t have put it better.
The mayor’s being allowed to carry out these directives is a travesty, and, actually a tragedy!
Additionally I strongly advise against a diabolical vaccine which tinkers with and alters one’s sacred body and Cannot be undone.
Time for us all to take back our sovereignty and thrive with joy, love and community. Enjoy!
Thank you!!! And also not to mention that a lot of these people supporting the mayor to close down Kauai are people who either doesn’t need to work because they’re getting money every month or they working remotely and getting paid. So no matter what happens to Kauai’s economy, they’ll be ok. But for most of us that live here and work here, we rely tremendously on tourism. These people and the mayor do not care if the rest of the people here lose their jobs and their homes and their cars or can’t afford to pay rent or bills or go bankrupt! I don’t want to get sick either and I am very considerate of other people too so I take extra precautions. But I don’t want to starve or be homeless either! This whole shutdown needs to stop now, it is time for the mayor and his minions to regroup and come up with a better plan than slowly killing their people.
Kawakami has never been in want for anything a day in his life, being the grocery heir and all. And humans basically suck at actual empathy or compassion. Personally, I’d really like to be able to see my parents again before they die. As for Kawakami, I don’t have much respect for the man. He’s not too bright. Thank you
Quite a number of visitors who, optimistically, still have future bookings at vacation rentals in Kauai are planning to stay 2-3-4 weeks. “Island hopping” isn’t feasible any more. Some are planning longer WFH trips of 2-3 months (after all, it’s cold weather in most of the mainland). If Kawakami’s proposed 2-test program were approved and a 3-day pre-2nd test quarantine replaced the 14 (now 10) day quarantine, some of those visitors would actually be prepared to come. But without exception, the ones I have communicated with do Not want to spend quarantine of any length in a hotel room. They Would be prepared to spend their first 3 days quarantining in their vacation rental. Kauai has never articulated the reasons why quarantine is not permitted in Legal vacation rentals. At least the guests would be able to order groceries via Instacart and cook their own meals.
Aloha Margaret,
[1] Kawakami has history of siding with Anti-TVR, in particular ones outside of so-called visitor designation zones.
[2] Locking people in a hotel room gives the county “free” prison guards in the form of the hotel employees.
[3] Quarantine is supposed to suck for visitors to motivate them to not visit. If quarantine is only 3 days and is more comfortable, it’s not as effective of a deterrent.
Those are the most obvious reasons I can come up with. Maybe “because he said so” is enough?
As a Kauai resident who can’t travel to the mainland without quarantine both directions, I wonder why those on the mainland seem to think a 10 day or 14 day quarantine when coming to Kauai is somehow out of the ordinary.
I have been looking forward to returning to Seattle to visit family and friends. Washington state has similar 14-day quarantine restrictions, although I suspect that is not enforced, unlike here.
“On Nov. 13, 2020, Gov. Jay Inslee issued a travel advisory that recommends people arriving in Washington from other states or countries, including returning Washington residents, should practice self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival. These individuals should also limit their interactions to their immediate household. This recommendation does not apply to individuals who cross state or country borders for essential travel, to include work and study, critical infrastructure support and immediate medical care.” coronavirus.wa.gov/travelers-commuters
I have not looked at other states and their restrictions, but I imagine if all acted responsibly as Kauai has since this started, we’d be welcoming visitors.
We badly need the economic boost from visitors, yet we continue to have COVID-19 cases on island from visitors, returning residents, and community spread.
Please, please, please be patient, wear masks, socially distance and avoid unnecessary travel.
“I imagine if all acted responsibly as Kauai has since this started, we’d be welcoming visitors.”
Really? You need to watch/read some international (not US based) news. Germany is locking down again. The UK is locking down again. France is locking down again. The Netherlands is locking down again. These countries and more have had some of the strictest protocols, yet here it comes again. It’s a virus. It isn’t going away.
The spread of the virus is being spread by the residents of WA and not so much of the travelers coming into the state, people are just being ignorant.
This virus has an almost 99% recovery rate. Kauai needs tourist dollars to survive. The mainland doesn’t.
Have always loved the beautiful island of Kauai. Cannot understand the fear mongering incited by Kawakami. Truly feel sorry for those families effected due to the knee jerk reactions of over zealous government authorities.
Our Kauai Island Mayor has an Ego and should be removed from office. He seemed to care in the beginning, now he is playing God at our expense!
100%Agree His Head is getting a little to big, try look at his videos when he do the daily covid reports he look so serious like he cares so much
And it’s very obvious.
When Kauai finally opens up there may not be anything lect to visig.
6 cases and 1 hospitalization for a virus that has a 99.7% recovery rate. This is what the mayor is killing the island for?
I have 5 grandkids on Kauai that I haven’t seen in a year. This has got to stop We want to see our grandkids and they miss us. Please help…
Am I wrong, but from afar, it is beginning to appear that Kawakami’s actions are more like that of a totalitarian dictator than a democratically elected government official. Crisis have been the spawning ground of rulers like that in the past. If everyone is OK with shutting down the island’s prime economic activity, I guess that is their choice but I find it puzzling to a certain extent, especially with a vaccine now starting to be used. It’s the voter’s choice but I wonder if there will be any political repercussions in the future for someone whose popularity was gaining a lot of ground in the early days of the pandemic.
I have been traveling to Hawaii for the past 6 years, mostly for business/work, and have been to Oahu 5 times since the beginning of March. What I find illogical are the rules for the partial exemption to quarantine granted to essential workers (CISA) and/or DoD military and civilian members. Per the updated rules which started in October you can travel to Oahu and be granted a partial exemption from quarantine which means you can rent a car, drive from airport to hotel and from hotel to work site and back again without a negative test upon arrival. However once you arrive you must take a test 3-4 days after arrival, 7 days after arrival, and 14 days after arrival. So three tests within 14 days. None of these test results, assuming they are negative, allow you to fully break quarantine. Yet if you get one test, 72 hours before arrival, this trumps the CISA limited exemption and you can freely travel throughout the island without any further testing. How does this make any sense?
I love Kauai and the people but their politicians are assinine justike ours in Honolulu
These idiots have no clue and are control freaks
I don’t know why anyone would expect Kawakami to rejoin the Safe Travels program right now. Nothing has been done to make Safe Travels safer and there are clear surges on other islands post-reopening now too.
The governor needs to approve the short quarantine and post-travel test request after New Years. This will still prevent the normal short-term tourism that normally fills the island. But at that point, remote workers and other longer-term visitors will come to Kauai, which could be enough to support the local tourism-dependent businesses until tourism from vaccinated people becomes possible.
They have to burn the village in order to save the village
I have rescheduled reservations in Kauai for March, but am considering switching islands. I don’t feel welcome in Kauai. We love Maui and are anxious to experience more of Hawaii. Any suggestions for alternatives to Kauai? Have never visited the big island…
Mahalo!
Hi Susan.
Thanks for sharing. Each of the islands remains unique. So we’d suggest researching to see what suits you. It ranging from the city experience of Oahu to the most rural of Molokai. You can’t go wrong.
Aloha.
Kauai changed the travel rules one week before our trip. We decided to switch to Maui and just got back a few days ago. We were really happy we were able to still travel and get to the islands. We practiced social distancing and had all our documents and tests uploaded before boarding the plane.
Joe,
Actually, I donate time and money to Habitat for Humanity on Kauai, and the Kauai Humane Society. I feel it is a good way to give back to the island that I love so much.
Kauai might as well kiss their economy good bye thanks to the irresponsible decisions of their mayor. The tourist trade is gone for many years!
We need this on the big island.
Covid spreaders are flooding into our island.
Nobody follows quarantine rules and there’s little to no enforcement.
That’s why covid is spiking out of control and can only get worse.
Mich Roth and the Hawaii tourism Association care more about dollars than lives.
So What! With a 99% recovery rate in less than a week or so, why the fear?
Wake up Hawaii flattening the curve only prolongs the plandemic
Apparently you dont need a job to survive and feed your family but I sure do. We had s whopping 6 cases today on the Big Island..yeah spiking out of control. Eight people were listed as being in the hospital. If you feel safer in Kauai then go there.
Mahalo – very similar to what I just wrote.
Living on Kauai, we’d love to have visitors (or be able to safely visit the mainland), but it seems that few understand how limited our medical facilities and personnel are. Kauai has 120 hospital beds, 9 of those ICU beds, so we could be overwhelmed in the blink of an eye.
Economically we need a return of visitors, but not at the cost of our kupuna.
I support our Mayor Kawakami 100%. the sooner we protect our Island, the sooner we can get back to business.our lives matter!
Thank you for the continuing updates. They are extremely helpful. I am sad to say that all of these “changes & rules” just push my trips off way into 2021 and I am unsure if there will be places to stay and restaurants to visit. “Will the last one leaving Kauai please turn out the lights.”
Regards
If the Governor overturns Kaua’i’s mandatory quarantine, I advocate citizen initiative to repel all attempts to introduce trans-pacific travelers from exiting Lihu’e airport.
We kept the Superferry from introducing contaminates and environmental threats to our ‘Āina, now we may need action to ward off invasion of the Pandemic if the non-resident State Governor pursues economics over lives.
Why is Kauai so intent on destroying the tourism industry on the island. The mayor and other supporters of this draconian move should not receive any pay or support from any entity.
I’m always interested in reading the outrage in the notes on this site.
For those who don’t live on the island, you seem very concerned about the economy and the residents who live here.
Question: Have any of you send money to the food banks on other social service organizations on Kauai to help? I would guess not. Your selfishness is unbelievable.
I have! Maui food bank You’re welcome!
Wrong island, but otherwise well done
We have been here since October and took a SW flight that only had 20 passengers! We are here to enjoy the beach and get a different view while working remote. We took our covid test through a trusted partner and the results came through the night before we landed on Oahu. We are renting a long-term stay condo in Waikiki and have only been welcomed by the locals. It’ll be sad to leave in March. The businesses in Waikiki were hit very hard as you can see it physically, doors are boarded. I’m not sure when you’ll be able to see the hustle and bustle of the normal tourist numbers but it’s definitely not anytime soon. Whether you want tourists or no tourists, people all over the world is having some of the hardest times financially. Whether you have the 14 or 10 day quarantine…people are just not traveling due to financial hardships and the fear of getting sick obviously. I’ve read a lot of comments that the locals are not welcoming. I find that to be very untrue in so many ways, so far while here so many have been extremely friendly and grateful for any business. Keep your spirits positive. We are all bored at times and thoroughly enjoy reading the heated comments on these articles but don’t forget to think before you add a comment that your future self would regret. Nobody owns mother nature even Hawaii. We are all humans on this Earth trying to live, love and enjoy the best possible life before we die. Don’t forget that.
Mahalo, it was a rough few months before unemployment kicked in, and my family was a direct recipient of your kindness and generosity. Six months of forced unemployment, now our visitors are trickling back in, and I’ll be starting to work in few weeks! There has to be a balance between staying safe and staying shut down. Thankfully, Maui seems to reaching it
At Monkeypod Jam, we have at least 30-40 mainland customers who sponsor weekly produce boxes for Kauai residents affected by the lack of tourism. I am very thankful for those mainland donors. A 6 week subscription runs $150. Not small coin. Many sponsor each session and some sponsor multiple boxes. This is extremely gracious especially when there are those in need in their own community. They have chosen to help Kauai. I think that is very special and speaks to the kind of people who visit our island.
You guess Wrong…..
I second that.
Joe,
Actually, I donate time and money to Habitat for Humanity on Kauai, and the Kauai Humane Society. I feel it is a good way to give back to the island that I love so much.
I have to Kings Chapel in Eleele and the Salvation Army in Hanapepe
Are you serious? why should we give money to Kauai Foodbsnk when the economy could survive with Safe Travels?
You are totally wrong, the association I belong to ( most members of which do not live on the island including myself) has contributed upwards of $300K to Hawaii Community Foundation. I am certain I contributed more than you.
You seem to be judging others without knowing