“I’m not too keen about it,” Mayor Victorino said. The protest was by two members of Kansas-based church. Maui is a healing place. In the future, Hawaii’s tourism industry will focus more on providing visitors with an authentic, unique experience that is rooted in native culture and traditions, rather than outdated Hawaii stereotypes. ALL will require you to wear a mask, as that is currently universally required by the Emergency Rules. On Valentine’s Day, the Hawaiʻi Department of Health held a press conference to announce a Japanese citizen, who recently was on Maui and Oʻahu, had tested positive for the COVID-19 novel coronavirus upon his return to Japan. Maui is more beautiful than ever. Haleakalā snow. Oahu: A variety of after-dark entertainment is available in Honolulu, including elegant wine bars, lively karaoke joints, nightclubs, rooftop lounges, and open-air bars with live music.Even better, it’s easy to go from one to the other with your squad by either walking or hopping in a taxi. Photo Credit: Sean Michael Hower. The tourism closure on Maui has been extremely challenging for local businesses. It used to be mostly for individuals. Hawaii’s “Safe Travels” testing program is constantly evolving, as more information, additional testing partners, and new options and requirements are added (sometimes varying for each island). Here’s what locals want you to know before you go.] The “Christmas Star” was the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, which had not appeared this close since 1623 when Galileo was alive. first COVID-19 related death in Maui County. In other words, it’s a great morning off, or afternoon destination. There will be some restrictions and inconvenience. But that time the glare of the sun and low altitude above the horizon made the astronomical event hard to see. Wear your mask. The philosophy here is “Spread Aloha, Not Germs.”. Photo Credit: Cammy Clark, Caleb clears vegetation from the Kalepa Gulch in the Waiheʻe Coastal Dunes and Wetlands Refuge during a project funded by the federal CARES Act. The cult describes itself as believing in Lemuria, a mythical lost continent whose contemporary followers believe Lemurian descendants may still reside within Mt. At that time, the state of Hawaii asked visitors not to come to the islands, and anyone arriving into Hawaii since then has been required to undergo a 10- to 14-day mandatory quarantine. Hall and Oates’ concert also was postponed. On March 14, Maui Now posted COVID-19: List of What’s Canceled, Closed or Postponed on Maui. Yes, we want to welcome our visitors back again! You’ll find plenty of Aloha from the rest of us. There is no right answer that everyone can agree upon. Honokowai, Kahana, Napili Homes & Cottages, North Shore and Upcountry Homes & Cottages, List Your Property on Maui Accommodations Guide. The road to Hana was closed for months during our island’s “lockdown” period, and even those of us who live here on the island (all non-Hana residents) were not allowed to go there. Yes! Maui voters wait in line Election Day 2020 at the Voting Service Center at the . The day after Christmas a brush fire broke out in Olowalu and spread quickly with high winds. By mid September, Hawaiʻi’s Safe Travel Program still had not launched. The North Carolina native had worked in Maui since 2015. (2.7.20) Photo credit: Lyle Krannichfeld & Pueo Gallery, Front Street in Old Lahaina has been a ghost town during the coronavirus pandemic. At this point, 90 people were under self-quarantine in Hawaiʻi, most identified through screening by federal officials at the Honolulu airport. But ultimately it was allowed to film, including a biking scene on the grounds of the Kula Botanical Garden. The surf competition was cancelled at the site. — Maui Now takes a look back at the year like no other, when masks became fashion items, Old Lahaina became a ghost town and Maui lost an icon, Willie K. It seems like a lifetime ago when Maui rang in the arrival of 2020 with 35-foot surf on the north shores and fireworks from the Grand Wailea and Four Seasons resorts. Two California residents who arrived with no destination on Maui were given a choice: be arrested or go home. Wildlife is flourishing. More information about the AlohaSafe Alert requirement here. . He was the fifth person to die from the disease in Hawaiʻi. ©Copyright 2020 Maui Accommodations Guide. PC: Maui Now. Planning a Maui trip during the COVID-19 pandemic? ... Makena Secret Beach at sunset in Maui, HI. Maui had a higher than usual voter turnout with 71,653 people (66.4 percent) casting ballots. ... To complicate things more, travelers coming to Kauai from Oahu, Maui … And there has always been a minority segment of the population in Hawaii that does not want tourists at all. In January, he announced his cancer diagnosis was terminal, but vowed to keep “rocking.”, “He was in positive spirits and doing okay, and he was looking forward to performing again,” a message to his fans said. In a two-week period in late October and early November, Maui Police cracked down on mask-wearing enforcement, issuing 264 citations for face mask violations (209 residents, 55 visitors). But they are required here by law. Wait until travel is safer, the quarantine is no longer necessary, and we can wholeheartedly welcome you to our islands without any restrictions. $149.32 per adult. THE UPSIDE: For our natural environment, the seven-month tourism shutdown was like a much-needed vacation and time of renewal. The premise of the show is several couples agree to live with a group of singles of the opposite sex, in order to test the strength of their relationships. . COVID-19 exposure app (or other Google-Apple exposure notification (GAEN) system) to their mobile phones. We know that some people have been anxiously waiting to be able to visit Hawaii, and as of October 15th that is now possible without a quarantine if they follow the requirements for a negative COVID test prior to their flight. Come when you are ready. Photo Credit: Chuck Bergson, The return of humpback whales at the end of the year are usually a big draw for tourists, but the ongoing pandemic continues to keep visitors numbers low. We want to do a better job of sharing that. (Unfortunately, that happens all too often now.) On April 6, the Hawai‘i Department of Health confirmed the first COVID-19 related death in Maui County. But they don’t speak for the majority. Most natural attractions (like Haleakala National Park) and hiking trails are open. But help was on the way. “There’s been so much hardship because of the pandemic,” Ulu Nahooikaika of Olawalu said after loading several bags of fresh produce, organic spaghetti and other items at the Feed My Sheep Maui location in Lahaina. Shasta. But, to be perfectly honest, we’re also nervous about it. If you are visiting Maui during COVID, check back on these sites often as the information is updated on a regular basis: Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau (GoHawaii.com) You can call 1-800-GOHAWAII for additional questions on travel to Hawaii, Hawaii State Department of Health (HawaiiCovid19.com/travel) This site includes the list of the Trusted Partners where you must get your pre-travel COVID test, Maui County Website  For COVID info specific to Maui. is maui open to visitors? We expect that the tourism numbers will rebuild slowly, so in the first few months of our reopening you’ll find that there is less traffic than before and beaches are not as crowded. This doesn’t mean we don’t want tourists. Aloha and A Hui Hou! Our island borders have made it possible for us to contain and control the virus extremely well, but those borders also place us in a position of tremendous risk if the virus takes hold and spreads like wildfire across the island. “I lost my job as an entertainment performer. Have I mentioned that already? Maui has seen its positive test results double during the past two weeks and has closed one of its popular beaches at Makena State Park. The Aloha Spirit is alive and well here on Maui, and we’re ready to welcome you back whenever you’re ready to return. But some love and hanky panky was not allowed. And in return, you will be rewarded with astounding beauty and serenity and wide-open spaces and fresh sea air . Maui Leadership Should Care More About Residents than Tourists It’s very telling that our leadership here in Maui County is not concerned with resident well-being as … COVID-19: List of What’s Canceled, Closed or Postponed on Maui. “That booster has been orbiting around the Earth, but its orbit has been decaying and eventually decayed enough to get slowed down by the atmosphere and reentered in over the Pacific,” O’Mear said in a Zoom interview with Maui Now’s Wendy Osher. Ige issued a mandatory 14-day quarantine for everyone arriving in Hawaiʻi. The best time to visit Miami is between March and May. Please don’t argue about the rules with hotel staff or cuss out the waitress or store clerk. However, on October 15, 2020 Hawaii reopened to visitors with pre-travel COVID testing required. and that would be catastrophic. We take the quarantine very seriously here. PC: NOAA/NWS/CPHC. Quarantined travelers are not allowed to rent a car, go grocery shopping, go to the beach or hotel pool or do anything outside of their room, except in the case of medical emergency. As the protests in Kauaʻi escalated, the group decided to head to Maui for its safety. For permission to use excerpts or photos from our site, please contact the publisher. The Maui election results included yes to a Maui County charter amendment to create a new agriculture department. People who will be enriched by their visit.” You will see changes in Maui’s tourism industry in coming years, and hopefully they will make your experience even better than before. There will be some inconvenience. You might run into a few Maui residents who are not welcoming towards you, although I certainly hope that doesn’t happen. Maui County updated its emergency rules and ordered people to stay at home and work from home, effective March 25 to April 30. And see additional clarification on mask rules for Maui by looking at Rule 5 of Maui County’s most recent Public Health Emergency Rules.) The popular Hawaiian entertainer Uncle Willie K, born Willie Kahaialiʻi of Lahaina, was diagnosed with small cell carcinoma lung cancer in January of 2018. Photo Credit: Cammy Clark, Travelers arriving from Los Angeles stand in line to be processed through the new Safe Travels Program. But by February, there was a hint that 2020 would not be a normal year, and it was not because snow fell on Haleakalā. More information about the AlohaSafe Alert requirement, Which path to take? We are just hoping everyone will be respectful and follow the rules to protect our community, because if Maui experiences a large spike in the virus we may have to close down again . To continue to keep cases as low as possible, the County has just issued new rules to limit the size of gatherings and further limit occupancy and closing times at bars and restaurants. And Hall and Oates had just announced a March 29 date to play at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center. The environment has refreshed itself. To date, there is no exemption for travelers who have been vaccinated. Valley Isle Seafood’s last Facebook post said: “I wish RIP meant Return If Possible.” Jini’s Fijian Curry in Wailuku closed in July after seven years in business. And Josh Curi, owner of Da Babooze Bar in Wailuku, said: “We are literally hanging on by our fingertips.”, Pamela Tumpap, president and executive board member of the Maui Chamber of Commerced said:  “We once thought the direct and indirect trickle down from the visitor industry was about 75 percent. Hawaiian music icon Willie K died after a long battle with lung cancer. But through it all, Maui’s beauty has continued to provide hope — as has the aloha of the people who call this island home. “Essential businesses will also still be able to continue.” But at this time it was good luck finding hand sanitizer or toilet paper. On Maui, we truly ARE all in this together, and we wear masks as an act of aloha to protect others on our island. We value our visitors — they keep our economy strong and healthy, and it’s a pleasure to see people enjoying the beauty of Maui. In August, with the mandatory quarantine still in full swing, Maui County confirms filming of Temptation Island, a reality television show that is not about social distancing, will begin at the Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort. Also in June, the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations detected $15.8 million of potentially fraudulent claims paid out as of June 24. They didn’t make the rules; they are just trying to abide by the requirements that will allow their business to stay open. At the time, few knew how big a concern. But our residents are committed to keeping our community safe by wearing masks, social distancing, and following other recommended guidelines. Here’s what to expect if you’ll be visiting Maui during the COVID era. Within a week, the action would be even more dramatic. Failure to do so will result in a mandatory 10-day quarantine (even if you have done the pre-travel test). Please view at your own discretion. He passed away in his home in Wailuku, surrounded by his ʻohana. But all did not go according to plan and the program was delayed several times while many businesses and unemployed individuals struggled to survive. That means social distancing, handwashing/sanitizing, and mask-wearing are standard procedures here. Traffic was virtually non-existent on the road to Hāna. Victorino and I offer our deepest condolences to this individual’s family and know that our community will also offer support and love during this difficult time.”. Tourism came to a crashing halt. Flowers are blooming. As a remote island state, we are unique in our concerns, needs, and approach to COVID-19. We will make you feel very welcome. “So as it does, it falls into the atmosphere, it starts to break apart and heat up, and so it makes a nice twinkly light show as it falls apart. While the pandemic is out of control in much of the country, Maui’s COVID-19 cases have remained relatively low at 1,086 (958 on Maui, 106 on Lānaʻi and 22 on Molokaʻi), even with the reopening of tourism on Oct. 15 with the Safe Travel Program. So, these past months have not been easy for us. . The quarantine had played a large role in keeping COVID-19 cases relatively low in Maui County. In January, the two “big” stories were a protest/counter protest over transgender inclusion in front of Maui High School that was started by two members of the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church – and a Kīhei man who took his kids up on a dare and stood in line for 16 hours to be first in line for the grand opening of a popular Philippines fast-food restaurant Jollibee, “Home of the Famous Chickenjoy.”. In spite of the inconvenience created by this global pandemic, we can assure you that you will have a wonderful time on Maui, and there will be many people here working to make sure your visit is extraordinary. But as the numbers have grown, we have seen tourism overrun our communities and infrastructure. And while COVID-19 deaths have spiked, too, Maui has not had one COVID-19 related death since September. Our local government officials have been criticized for (a) waiting too long to reopen the tourism industry and (b) reopening the tourism industry too soon. The seams of our island community were stretched to the breaking point.
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