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When is Hawaii reopening?

Will the reopening of Hawaii be pushed back again? In a word: probably. As of the writing of this article, Hawaii is set to open on October 15th. It was October 1st, but now, according to Hawaii News Now, it is October 15th.

UPDATE: As of the first week of October, the Big Island (The Island of Hawaii) does not plan to reopen on October 15th with the rest of the islands.

So, when will Hawaii reopen? I did not expect to see Hawaii reopening until the end of the year. However, we will see if this Hawaii reopening date of October 15th sticks, or if it is pushed back again.

Feel free to bookmark this link as I will be keeping this post updated as we get more news about the reopening of Hawaii.

What will Hawaii be like when it reopens?

The next question to ask is, what will Hawaii be like upon reopening? Sadly, I don’t know if it will be the same. In the months since the initial shutdown, many businesses have permanently closed their doors. In the last few weeks, many other businesses have temporarily shut down.

However, it’s hard to say if these shutdowns will be temporary or not. If Hawaii continues to be closed for weeks or months, many businesses will never reopen. I hope that I’m wrong!

Is COVID testing required to go to Hawaii?

Once Hawaii reopens, the state plans to implement a pre-testing program and eliminate the 14-day quarantine. Travelers will be required to take a certified laboratory coronavirus test 72 hours before boarding their flight to Hawaii and will need to have their results before entering the state.

Travelers of all ages must take the test and pay for it themselves. Testing will not be available at the airport upon entering Hawaii.

Should I plan a Hawaii vacation?

As a Hawaii Travel Agent, I’d love to tell you to plan a Hawaii vacation. However, with the current restrictions, and the complete lack of communication with the tourism industry, I have to say be cautious when planning your Hawaii vacation.

I personally would not plan a trip to Hawaii any time in the future without having full travel insurance. Of course, I always recommend insurance but at this time it is more important than ever. As of the writing of this blog post, the state has had months to come up with a plan and has failed miserably.

Travel insurance is the best thing to have in case your trip is delayed or for any unforeseeable circumstance.

Visitor Bubbles in Hawaii

The state of Hawaii has approved a “visitor bubble” in Kauai. A terrible idea, in my opinion, but no one asked me. It’s literally like house arrest, but on Kauai. So, better than house arrest in Kansas or something. You have to wear an ankle monitor, which should create some interesting tan lines.

If this is the only way to visit Kauai, I would strongly recommend going somewhere else until this changes. Hawaii is my favorite island, but visitor bubbles don’t sound fun to me.

how to plan a Kauai vacation

What is the best alternative to Hawaii?

If you’re looking for the best alternative to Hawaii that is open right now, I would recommend French Polynesia. Tahiti, Bora Bora, Moorea, and the rest of French Polynesia is currently welcoming tourists. IF you don’t have a passport and want a “Hawaii-like” vacation, you should probably wait for Hawaii to reopen. There is nothing else like Hawaii within the United States.

The US Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico are options, but not similar to Hawaii, in my opinion.

The best alternative to Hawaii for honeymoons?

You can check out my list of the best honeymoon destinations to get started. I also have a list of where Americans can visit right now. Fortunately, there is a lot of overlap! I would personally recommend:

Mexico
Jamaica
The Maldives
French Polynesia
Aruba
Bermuda
Costa Rica (currently slowly opening to Americans)
St. Lucia
Dominican Republic

how to plan a Hawaii honeymoon

If you are set on Hawaii, book with a Hawaii Travel Agent.

If you’re set on going to Hawaii, I can help you with that! I recommend being flexible and booking with insurance. As we’ve learned in 2020, you never know what is going to happen next.

If you do want to book a Hawaii vacation, I specialize in working with clients to create the perfect vacation for you. That means no packages; everything is personalized. Make sure to contact me or go ahead and fill out a custom travel request, and I’ll get back to you to start planning ASAP!

Dreaming of Hawaii, but not ready to travel just yet? Sign up for my newsletter! You will receive a weekly email with travel tips, Hawaii reopening news, the latest travel updates, etc. I’ll be there whenever you’re ready to plan your vacation. Sign up below. If you love these posts and want to support my blog but aren’t prepared to travel yet, you can buy me a coffee to show your support. I ❤️ coffee!