Reopened Hawaii Travel Experience

Above, a view of Diamond Head from Waikiki Beach. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

COVID-19 seems to be in the "second wave" mode on the U.S. mainland as well as in other countries around the world. But, the state of Hawaii, who had one of the strictest regulations during the past several months, is welcoming visitors back.

However, there are some hurdles visitors have to overcome before being able to enjoy a beach or a luau.

The Points Guy has an article on what to expect when planning and making a trip to Hawaii.

It begins with:

 Located more than 2,000 miles off the coast of California, Hawaii is an idyllic beach destination that — in a normal year — attracts more than 10 million visitors.

But many people had their vacations to the Aloha State put on hold as the islands, and the world, battled the novel coronavirus pandemic.

With 2020 thankfully coming to an end and a promising vaccine on the horizon, Hawaii has begun the process of carefully reopening to vacationers.

To give you a better idea of what it’s like to travel right now, I flew to Hawaii as a guest of Hawaiian Airlines and the Hawaii Visitors and Conventions Bureau. This was my first-ever trip to the island state, so I didn’t know exactly what to expect — especially during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Would I feel safe during my flights there and back? Would the resorts have open amenities? Will tourists even feel welcome?

At the end of my four-night stay in paradise, I was pleasantly surprised both by the new safety protocols, as well as the overall vibe in Hawaii. It was quickly easy to understand why Hawaii has so many repeat visitors. And, while the system isn’t perfect, I was able to enjoy my trip with few concerns.

If you’re considering a trip to Hawaii next year, here’s what you can expect.

To read the full article, go here.