MSN: 14 Hawaii Tourist Traps To Avoid

Above, resort luaus are seen as commercialized, focusing on
spectacle rather than authentic tradition. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Whether one is traveling domestically or internationally, tourist trap abound everywhere one goes. 

This is also true when going to Hawaii. With Hawaiian vacation costs rising insanely, avoiding tourist traps is one way to save some money.

That is the topic of a slideshow article at MSN.

They begin it with:

Many popular Hawaiian destinations are criticized for overcrowding, commercialization, and diminished cultural authenticity. From overdeveloped beaches and staged luaus to costly attractions and safety concerns, these spots often leave visitors underwhelmed or at risk. Understanding these pitfalls can help travelers seek more genuine and sustainable experiences across the islands.

 To read more, go here.

Some Hawaii Airfares To Go Up 250% or More

Above, dancers at a Honolulu luau. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Following the easing of restrictions of travel to Hawaii, some airlines, most notably Southwest Airlines, have been offering $39 airfares.

Naturally, airfares like this won't last long and common sense will tell you that they are not enough to sustain an airline. They are bound to go up. And, according to Beat of Hawaii, some will go up 250% or more.

According to Beat of Hawaii:

If you love the current $39 airfares being driven by Hawaii’s relative newcomer Southwest Airlines, and largely matched by bellwether Hawaiian Airlines, here’s our best suggestion:

Get them quick and enjoy them while you can. 

Your editors are taking our own advice and flying all over the state until the end of the year.

In many comments noted below, you’ve said you are grateful for the hugely reduced cost of flying interisland with both airlines. Frankly, who can complain about that?

But where is this heading? We looked around, and here’s what we can tell you. We compared the ten shortest nonstop routes that Southwest offers, both in Hawaii and on the mainland. The results are eye-opening.

To read more, go here. 

National Geographic: The Surprising History of Hawai‘i’s Hula Tradition

Above, hula dancers perform at the Big Kahuna luau in Honolulu. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Whether or not one has ever visited Hawaii, the hula dancer is one of the most familiar of Hawaiian cultural things to people.

It is surprising that hula dancing almost ended completely.

National Geographic has posted an article on the surprising history of the hula tradition.

They begin with:

How a sacred Hawaiian dance and music ritual was canceled, commercialized, and finally, revived.

With her flower crown and grass skirt, the hula girl has been synonymous with Hawaiian hospitality since cruise ships first docked in Honolulu in the 1920s. Even today, exoticized images of these traditional dancers headline on travel websites, at tiki-themed bars, and on wiggly dashboard tchotchkes.

Over the past two centuries, the cherished Hawaiian dance has moved from a sacred religious practice to a tourist attraction, along the way falling prey to cultural appropriation and near erasure.  

“People shunned the old style of hula and looked at dancers like they were heathens,” says Micah Kamohoali‘i, a kumu hula (hula teacher) and cultural ambassador on the island of Hawai‘i. “Then our hula became more of a Hollywood show. We never danced with cellophane skirts and coconut bras.”

Above, a dashboard tchotchke in my RV that I bought in Hawaii. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

 To read more, go here. 

Hawaii: Booster Shot Requirement May Be Added

Above, a luau dancer in Honolulu. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one is planning to vacation in Hawaii this year, they may have to have a booster shot to be allowed into the islands.

Travel Pulse has posted an article that Hawaii is possibly targeting a booster requirement on February 18.

They reported:

Hawaii is looking at February 18 as a possible target date for adding a booster shot as a requirement to its Safe Travels Hawaii and Safe Access Oahu programs, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi told KHON television.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige suggested as recently as a week ago that the booster would be added to the program adopted by the state to help stem the tide of COVID-19 transmission. That would also include any tourists visiting Hawaii.

To read more, go here. 

Hawaii's COVID-19 Rules Vary By Island

Above, the food lines at an Oahu luau. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Heading to Hawaii?

Before going it may behoove you to check what COVID-19 rules are at the places on the itinerary. Rules for visitors vary by county and island.

The following will be a big help in one's research before going.

Travel Weekly posted:

Just prior to Thanksgiving, Gov. David Ige announced that starting Dec. 1 all statewide restrictions on social gatherings, gyms, bars and restaurants would be lifted. Additionally, the state is no longer requiring county governments to obtain state approval prior to enacting emergency rules, allowing mayors more flexibility to adjust emergency regulations.

However, a statewide indoor mask mandate and Hawaii's SafeTravels Program remain in effect. SafeTravels requires out-of-state travelers to provide proof of Covid-19 vaccination or a negative test no more than 72 hours prior to entering Hawaii or submit to a 10-day quarantine. 

"Hawaii continues to have amongst the lowest rates of infection and fatalities in the nation due to the Covid-19 pandemic," Ige said. "As we have seen an improvement and stabilization of the virus activity in our community, it really is a good time to pivot state coordination back to the counties."

Hawaii's current rate of 10 Covid-19 cases per day per 100,000 people is the third-lowest in the U.S., and 72% of the total population is fully vaccinated.

In conjunction with the governor's announcement, the county mayors have all eased Covid-19 rules, but the regulations within each county all differ in some way, and travelers to the Islands, especially those planning any type of event, should be sure to consult the specific restrictions for the county they are visiting.

Here's an up-to-date look at the regulations in place across the state and its four counties.  

To read what the regulations are, go here. 

Hawaii Loosens International Tourist Requirements

Above, performers at a Honolulu luau. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In four more days, the state of Hawaii will be welcoming international tourists

But, there will be some required things to do before one can board a flight to the islands.

According to CTV News (Canada):

The U.S. state of Hawaii will accept all vaccinated international travellers under new federal requirements that are set to come into effect Nov. 8.

A statement Tuesday from Hawaii Gov. David Ige says non-U.S. citizens travelling directly to the state from an international destination must show both a vaccination record and negative COVID-19 test result – either a NAAT (nucleic acid amplification test) or antigen – within three days of boarding a flight.

Airlines will screen passengers prior to their departure. Foreign passengers who fail to meet both requirements will not be allowed to board their flight.

However, the state will not apply any other requirements for passengers flying directly into Hawaii from an international destination.

Similar rules will apply for U.S. citizens flying to Hawaii internationally.

 To read more, go here.

Hawaii Sets Target Date to Allow Vaccinated Travelers Without A Pre-Test

Above, tourists in luau food lines. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Compared to other states, Hawaii has been one of the more restrictive ones when it comes to COVID-19 and tourism.

Currently, the state requires pre-tests of tourists, even if they are vaccinated. But all that may be changing fairly soon. (Hint: Independence Day.)

According to an article in Forbes:

If you’re considering travel to Hawaii at the moment, you’re probably busy sorting through the requirements one needs to avoid quarantine, including a pre-arrival test for trans-Pacific travelers and then additional pre-tests for interisland travel.

Currently, even those who are vaccinated are subject to these regulations.

The state of Hawaii also still has a mask mandate in place, which applies to all people, even those who are vaccinated, despite the new CDC recommendations that eased its previous guidance.

But, good news may be on the way.

 To read more, go here.

Hawaii Not Ready To Open Up To Vaccinated People

Above, don't expect to dig into a luau roasted pig just yet. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you have been fully vaccinated (both shots) for COVID-19, you can go take a vacation to Hawaii, right?

Not so fast! Hawaii's governor isn't ready to open the state to those who have been vaccinated.

According to USA Today: 

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii's governor has said he is cautious about loosening air travel restrictions for people who have received a coronavirus vaccine, while stressing that new virus variants are not widespread in the state.

Democratic Gov. David Ige said Monday that researchers are still unclear about whether the vaccine hampers virus transmission.

“Until the science (tells) us that those who are vaccinated cannot carry the virus and, I think most important, do not transmit it to other people, I think it would be irresponsible to say that those vaccinated can travel about freely,” Ige said.

Ige’s comments contradicted Lt. Gov. Josh Green, who said last week that changes could be in store for Hawaii’s Safe Travels program for people who show they have been vaccinated.

The program requires visitors and returning residents to receive coronavirus tests before arrival to avoid a mandatory 10-day quarantine.

To read more, go here. 

Hawaii Travel Could Return To 2019 Levels By Year's End

Above, performers at a Honolulu luau. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This is probably a case of wishful thinking or being overly optimistic.

Hawaii economists think that tourism to the state could return to 2019 levels by the end of the year.

According to West Hawaii Today:

State economists believe travel to the state could nearly return to 2019 levels by the end of this year, but a complete recovery will take more than three years.

At a Monday meeting of the Hawaii Senate Ways and Means Committee, Eugene Tian, economic research administrator for the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, and Carl Bonham, executive director of the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, described the economic challenges facing the state in 2021 after nearly a year of the pandemic.

While fallout from the COVID-19 outbreak slashed the total number of visitor arrivals to the state in 2020 to only 27% of 2019’s total, Bonham said an optimistic projection for the state’s economic recovery could see tourism numbers return to 80% of 2019’s total by the end of this year.

Bonham added that a more pessimistic projection would see visitor numbers only increase to 50% of 2019 levels, but said he was more inclined to believe recovery will be on the higher end of that scale.

To read more, go here. 

Hawaii Extends Out-Of-State Visitor Quarantine Another Month

Above, dancers at a Honolulu luau. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you were planning for an idyllic vacation to Hawaii just after August 1, those plans have to be tossed out the window.

USA Today reported:

Hawaii is delaying its plan to allow out-of-state visitors to the return to the vacation hot spot by a month due to an increase in coronavirus cases in the state and on the mainland U.S. 

In late June, the governor's office announced that travelers could visit Hawaii beginning Aug. 1, no quarantine required, by presenting a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of boarding. Without one, passengers arriving from the mainland would have to strictly quarantine for 14 days, a policy in place since March that has scared away most tourists and decimated Hawaii's tourism industry. The surge in cases on the U.S. mainland has made it harder for people in many states to get tested. 

Hawaii Gov. David Ige said at a news conference late Monday that the program won't begin until Sept. 1, a decision he said was not taken lightly. 

To read more, go here. 

Hawaii Trip Planning Things To Know

Above, a Honolulu luau show. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Everyone should visit Hawaii at least once in their lives.

There are many things to see and do in Hawaii and The Travel has a list of 10 things to know while planning a trip.

They begin with:

Bright blue water, nice weather, greenery all around you, and delicious local food. These are the things that come to mind when you imagine taking a week-long vacation to Hawaii. 

Whether you've been before or are excited to make your very first trip, it's always good to get some advice on the most convenient area to stay, the restaurants that serve the best food, and how to fill the days that you're not lying on the beach (although you'll be doing a lot of that, too). 

Here is a travel guide to Hawaii and 10 things to know while planning your trip.

To read more go here. 

Hawaii Responsible Tourism Tips

Above, Hawaiian dancers performing at a luau in Honolulu. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Thanks to more airlines providing air service to Hawaii, the cost of round-trip flights have been dropping due to the increased competition.

Canada's Travelweek News has some tips in their "Hawaiian Responsible Tourism" collection of videos. These tips will be useful to first-time visitors or for those who have been there previously.

They begin with:

Hawaii’s cultural experts discuss how important it is to change your mindset while visiting the Hawaiian Islands. You must think about it from a Hawaiian perspective, and come with an open mind and open heart. By learning about our unique culture and traditions, you’ll be better able to appreciate Hawaii. 

There is so much natural beauty to discover in Hawaii, and with the right information, you can ensure that you are experiencing the islands in the best way possible. Land safety experts share their tips on weather preparedness, land access, and trail protocol so that you stay safe and minimize your impact on the trails.

To see more, go here.