A program designed to reduce COVID-19 infections — “Safe Access Oahu” – starts today, September 13th. It marks a big change in the way visitors will have access to Oahu restaurants, museums and some attractions. Per the website detailing Safe Access Oahu, “customers must show proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result
Destinations
Pool deck at Alohilani resort Waikiki Beach – Seven Highgate Hawaii hotels will be requiring guests to have COVID-19 vaccinations starting October 15, 2021. Employees must also be vaccinated. There is no testing provision for unvaccinated guests, however, guests who are granted medical or religious exemptions and/or under the age of 12 will be exempt
– Per Hawaii News Now, anyone wishing to dine inside a Maui County restaurant must provide proof ofCOVID-19 vaccination starting September 15, 2021. Per HNN, proof of vaccine will not required for outdoor dining. Note that Maui County consists of the islands of Maui, Lanai and Molokai. More details for this plan are expected to
Mahalo to Paul Vangelakos for sharing this excellent shot with us for Aloha Friday Photos. Paul tells us that he took this photo on Kauai’s Poipu Beach at sunrise. What a wonderful scene! If you’d like to see a turtles, see our suggestions in our article: Where to see green sea turtles (honu) in Hawaii.
Though the peak of Hawaii’s exciting humpback whale season runs from January through March, some humpbacks arrive a bit earlier. How much earlier? Well, we want to hear your best guess in our 12th annual contest to predict the first humpback sighting! This year’s prize in this fun little contest is a paperback book of
If you’re going to Oahu on or after September 13, 2021, you’ll need to show proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test in order to dine at a restaurant or go into a bar, gym, museum, movie theater or similar establishments. This rule will apply to everyone ages 12 and up. This new
Mahalo to Ali Torney for sharing this nice shot with us for Aloha Friday Photos. Ali’s photo shows one of Honolulu’s most historic buildings, Ali’iolani Hale, which was built in the 1870s. Per HistoricHawaii.org, the building was commissioned by King Kamehameha V. His original plans were to make this a palace, then decided to make
On Monday, August 23rd, Hawaii’s governor held a press conference to address the state’s increase in COVID-19 cases. He states that it’s a risky time to travel right now. He is asking visitors and residents to reduce travel to Hawaii to essential business only. You can watch the replay of the press conference: The island
Mahalo to Sam Kent for sharing this beautiful scene with us for Aloha Friday Photos. Sam didn’t mention exactly where this photo was taken, but it looks like somewhere in on the eastern side of Oahu. If you look long enough at this photo, you can almost feel your feet getting wet in this gentle surf.
Sadly, the state of Hawaii is recording their highest case counts since the start of COVID-19. As you can see from the above epidemic curve chart, cases are on a sharp incline. You can review all the official data at hawaiicovid19.com/data-dashboard. According to the Star Advertiser, Hawaii hospitals are edging towards capacity. At the moment,
On Thursday, August 5th, Hawaii reported the single highest-day COVID cases since the start of this pandemic. The state recorded 655 cases. Per KHON2, Hawaii officials are considering re-instituting pre-travel testing for fully vaccinated travelers. It was just under a month ago, on July 9th, that the pre-travel testing was waived for fully vaccinated travelers.
– If you’re looking for some spacious digs for your next Hawaii vacation, there’s a half-off sale on suites at Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotal – Alana (Waikiki) and Hilton Waikoloa Village (Hawaii’s Big Island.) The deal is available on stays of four nights or more between August 8, 2021
Mahalo to Russell DeJetley for sharing this beautiful sunset shot with us for Aloha Friday Photos. Russell took this photo above Lana’i City on June 16th. The friendly town of Lana’i City is located in the highland center of the Hawaiian Island of Lana’i. Check out our tour of Lana’i City to get a better
– Please don’t make the news for what these folks did for disturbing endangered Hawaiian Monk Seals. These seals don’t come to the shoreline to be petted or for selfies. They come there to rest! If you are lucky enough to see a monk seal in Hawaii, please keep a distance of at least 50 feet
During the height of COVID-19 in 2020, Maui’s Hana Highway was open to local traffic only for many months. This policy was in place to allow emergency and healthcare traffic flow. We’re not sure what’s happened since the Hana Highway was reopened, but locals are generally not happy with visitors as we’ve seen and heard
Mahalo to Kimberly Joseph from Michigan for sharing this great rainbow show with us for Aloha Friday Photos. Kimberly took this shot behind the cottages at Turtle Bay Resort on the north shore of Oahu. What a lovely scene! Happy Aloha Friday! Total 0 Shares
* Starting today, July 8th, travelers who have been fully vaccinated in the U.S. may bypass both Hawaii’s COVID quarantine and pre-travel testing requirements. Per hawaiicovid19.com/travel/faqs/, “Beginning July 8, any traveler who is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in the United States or U.S. Territories will be eligible for the quarantine exception. This means two shots
Mahalo to Teresa Wood from North Carolina for sharing this patriotic pic for Aloha Friday Photos! Teresa took this photo while while taking a Maita’i Catamaran sunset cruise from Waikiki Beach. What a neat scene with the flag, ocean and Diamond Head. Have a great Aloha Friday and Independence Day Weekend! Total 0 Shares
Prior to COVID-19, Hawaii was bustling with exciting Independence Day events. In 2020, all the festivities came to a halt. Now, in 2021, a few celebrations are coming back, but for the most part, many of Hawaii’s traditional events are canceled due to COVID restrictions. Let’s look at the summary of what’s planned in the
Image credit: Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation We wish we had better news today for visitors, but unfortunately it’s not particularly pleasant.Just a friendly reminder, don’t shoot the messenger! As most everyone knows, we operate this site purely from a tourist’s perspective because we are tourists ourselves. We are based in beautiful North Carolina