Earlier this month, Hawaiʻi reopened to Japanese visitors through the state’s pre-travel program. They can now bypass the mandatory 14-day quarantine with proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 72 hours before departure. The program had only been available to travelers from the Mainland. SEE ALSO: What You Need To Know If You’re […]
Updated Nov. 20, 2020 Hawaiʻi will launch its pre-arrival testing program for trans-Pacific travelers on Oct. 15. That means, if you can provide a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of departure, you will not have to quarantine for 14 days when you arrive in the Islands. However, starting Nov. 24, trans-Pacific travelers to the Islands who
Planning a vacation is hard enough, and with COVID-19 throwing a wrench into things, making the perfect winter itinerary has never been more headache-inducing. To ease the pain, Cat and Kevin discuss some key festivals, events and holiday happenings that are either changing the way they’ll be conducting their festivities, or will be canceled altogether.
Like many visitor attractions on Oʻahu, Nuʻuanu Pali State Wayside—commonly known as the Pali Lookout—will reopen on Wednesday after being closed in March due to COVID-19. The state closed the popular lookout due to concerns about large crowds gathering there and budgetary constraints. Starting on Wednesday, the park will be open from 6 a.m. to
There’s no doubt about it: Planning a 2020 Hawaiʻi travel itinerary is like trying to herd a group of cats. While beaches, hiking trails and parks are open again to the public, many festivals, marathons, annual events, concerts and contests have decided to skip 2020 in an effort to prevent large social gatherings where outbreaks
This summer, a couple of months after the state issued the first shutdown to control the spread of COVID-19 in the Islands, our team visited Oʻahu’s most popular neighborhoods to see how the lack of visitors had affected these areas. There were no surprises: Lots of businesses were shuttered—mostly temporarily, some permanent—the beaches were empty
On Oct. 15, Hawaiʻi reopened to travel—but that doesn’t mean all your favorite attractions will be open, too. Here’s our list of 18—we know there are more!—of the top visitor attractions, from state parks to museums, across all islands, and how—or if—you’ll be able to visit them. ʻAkaka Falls State Park, Hawaiʻi Island Photo: David
Good news for anyone heading to the Islands soon: As early as Thursday, more Oʻahu businesses will be able to reopen under the mayor’s latest emergency order. The second phase—or Tier 2—of economic reopening would mean gyms, arcades, helicopter tours and short-term rentals can resume operations—albiet with some restrictions. Here’s what will change: Groups of
In two words: It’s complicated. Finding a flight to Hawaiʻi is the easy part. (In fact, many airlines are offering more routes and great deals to travel to the Islands right now.) Even finding a place to stay is more challenging, as many aren’t open yet. (See our list of what hotels are open right now.)
As the state began its first shutdown due to COVID-19 and the daily visitor count reached historic lows, most hotels across Hawaiʻi entered a long hibernation. But some only closed temporarily. A prime example: The Kāhala Hotel & Resort, which shut its doors for only one month during the pandemic. That’s how long it took
Tomorrow Hawaiʻi will launch its pre-arrival testing program for travelers to the Islands. And there’s still a lot of confusion about how it will work—and how it will be enforced. Here’s how it would work, if you’re arriving in Oʻahu at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL): You need to take a COVID-19 test from a state-approved
Updated Oct. 14, 2020 Hawaiʻi will launch its pre-arrival testing program for trans-Pacific travelers on Oct. 15. That means, if you can provide a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of departure, you will not have to quarantine for 14 days when you arrive in the Islands. And with COVID-19 testing becoming more convenient and cheaper,
