Are you thinking of traveling to Hawaii during Covid? Is it worth it? My short answer: no. The long answer: there are pros to going during Covid.
Allow me to explain…
My husband and I decided to go to Maui at the end of January 2021. With about 4 weeks to plan our trip, I looked into everything I needed to do before boarding. With covid affecting the world, I wondered if my husband and I could successfully make it to Hawaii. I heard of so many people who got tested and arrived in Hawaii, only to be turned around because they went to the wrong testing center, or didn’t have their paperwork, etc. Needless to say, I was anxious about traveling to Hawaii during the pandemic.
I hope this article helps you make a decision about traveling to Hawaii during covid. There are some really great pros, and some pretty pathetic cons. I’ll be as transparent as possible to help you figure out the answer to your question.
Please know that everything changes with the pandemic, so what I’m sharing here may not be relevant anymore at the time of you reading this. Please, please, PLEASE do your research if you plan on traveling to Hawaii during covid. Their requirements change all the time, so do your part. This article is purely to give you an idea of the situation, not to direct you on the requirements to travel to Hawaii during covid. Check out the official Hawaii covid page for accurate and up-to-date information.
Pre-Travel Hawaii Requirements for Covid
The pre-travel was probably the most stressful part because things change all the time. One day they say you need to do X, and the next day they say you need to do Y…
The day before our flights, I saw a NEW requirement to download the Aloha Safe Alert app BEFORE boarding. I felt SO relieved and stressed. If I hadn’t seen the newest requirement, would they have turned us around at the airport?
So here’s who you want to be following if you plan on going to Hawaii during Covid.
- @gohawaii on instagram
- And keep checking hawaiicovid19.com
Ok, with that said, here’s what we had to do before the trip:
- Create a Safe Travels account and upload all documents BEFORE the first flight
- Get tested within 72 hours of departure. Please note you MUST get tested at one of their approved sites, not just at your local hospital. They will only let you through if you get tested from someone on their “Trusted Testing and Travel Partners” list.
- Download and activate Aloha Safe alert app
- Have ALL paperwork on hand. I printed so many papers because the website suggested I do so. Spoiler alert: they didn’t look at ANY of these papers because I had already uploaded it ALL online… better safe than sorry I guess.
You probably read that list and thought, “Not bad.” I thought so too. However, finding the trusted testing and travel partners was harder than I thought… We finally got tested at Walgreens, but drove to a super far location because the Walgreens in our county didn’t offer testing. While that sounds stressful, before the testing itself felt more stressful… because we avoided people as much as possible. We could not risk any chance of catching covid. Isolation played a toll on my mental health.
Pre-Trip Cons:
Using the Aloha Safe Alert app felt like huge anxiety. Knowing that at any time I could receive a notification saying, “You’ve been exposed,” just stressed me out so much. It felt unfair that I might have to quarantine because I’d been around a stranger for a few seconds.
Masks: Wearing a mask at the airport and airplane took a toll on both of us. Especially for my husband, who already has a difficult time breathing without the mask, wearing a mask for almost 10 hours wore him out. We couldn’t take any breaks from mask-wearing unless we went to the bathroom… no thanks. I felt sorry for flight attendants and airport security who had to constantly remind people to completely cover their nose and mouths with the masks. It just kind of felt like a big mess.
Pre-Trip Pros:
Airplanes worked at less than half capacity. My husband and I always sat together. I could honestly say about 11-20 people sat in each flight. I feel super bad for the airline companies but they worked hard to keep the planes clean and social distance people well. We definitely had a lot of space to stretch out.
During the Trip
When we landed in Maui, the whole process turned out easier than I thought. The workers at the airport already had our information (because I uploaded it all), so they checked a few things (including our temperature) and sent us through!
It was THE BEST FEELING to walk out of the airport and into the fresh Maui air—though we still wore our masks, as required. I thought the most helpful way to give you an idea of Hawaii during covid is a pros and cons list. These are all based on my opinion though, so take it or leave it, no offense. 🙂
Pros:
Overall Maui was waaaay less busy in Hawaii than ever before: For example, we drove the road to Hana, a scenic route typically overcrowded and full of traffic. We hit absolutely NO traffic whatsoever. When we arrived in Hana and stayed at the resort there, the local who worked there told us we came at a good time. She said usually it’s a stressful drive because of the traffic and lack of parking at scenic spots.
Less lines and crowds at restaurants: We hardly waited at any restaurants to take out or have a seat. To be honest, there was still a LOT of people, but definitely not as much people like I remember Hawaii.
Cons:
Masks: Governor Ige mandated masks in Hawaii and it just sucks to wear a mask, not breathe well, and not really enjoy things as much. Most people didn’t wear masks at the beach because we all sat social distanced, but at restaurants and grocery stores, managers and workers heavily enforced mask wearing. We went on a short hike on the road to Hana and didn’t wear our masks (because there weren’t other people around), and a local lady vending at the front yelled at us. It’s not fun to get yelled at, and it’s not like we were trying to be irresponsible or rude. There just wasn’t anyone around, and she was definitely more than six feet away. There’s just silly stuff like that, which make the situation unpleasant.
Less small businesses and restaurants open: Not sure if a bunch of restaurants went out of business or what, but many of the places I planned to eat at were closed. That bummed me out a lot, because the only food places that stayed open were mediocre food places, at best. It’s always disappointing to spend $30 or more on a meal for two people and it turns out to be crappy food.
Overall, is it worth it?
After I wrote this article and sat on this question for the last month, the short answer for me is no. I don’t regret our Hawaii trip during covid, because I needed a little break from the cold and felt tired of the whole covid situation. But I don’t think I want to go through the hassle of getting tested, experiencing anxiety over new and updated requirements, wearing a mask everywhere (including airports and airplanes), feeling bummed over closed good food places and restaurants, and dealing with snappy people over mask-wearing. I don’t feel like it’s worth it to me.
I would rather go to one of the southwest states to get some sun, saving money and stress. The only pro for me was that there was less people on the island. But it just felt like everyone was on edge, worried about wearing or not wearing a mask, wanting to enjoy, yet restricted… It felt difficult to talk to people or send a smile—everything felt so constricting.
While I may not travel to Hawaii during Covid again, I can still plan my next trip. Check out some of my free resources and articles on travel!
Free Ultimate Hawaii Bucket Lists
Maui Guide: What to Do, Where to Eat, Where to Go
Everything You Need to Know about Haku Leis
Your turn!
Did you travel to Hawaii during Covid? What was your experience? Do you recommend it to others? Let us know in the comments below! 🙂
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