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Sustainable Travel guide and itineraries for the Big Island of Hawaii

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COVID-19 and your trip to Hawai‘i

By Love Big Island | updated

The unprecedented challenge of COVID-19 keeps disrupting many parts of our society and it looks like 2022 will continue the trend set in the past years: rising and waning restrictions needed to control the number of hospitalizations and safe lives. For now, however, travel restrictions are minimal.

Hawaiʻi Safe Travels Program and indoor mask mandate ended March 25, 2022

Passengers arriving from the mainland will not be required to create a Safe Travels account, show their COVID-19 vaccination status, or take a pre-travel test when traveling to the Hawaiian Islands.

Passengers arriving to Hawaii on direct international flights must still adhere to federal U.S. entry requirements. However, as of June 12 2022, the CDC will no longer require air passengers traveling from a foreign country to the United States to show a negative COVID-19 viral test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before they board their flight (more info).

Hawaii’s statewide indoor mask mandate was also discontinued at the end of March 25th. Take care however, that masks won’t entirely go away in Hawaii. They will likely still be required at all airports, and private businesses are free to enforce their own mask mandates.

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With spring underway and the Omicron wave waning, we hope to have a relatively restriction-free spring and summer. However, it still makes sense to seriously consider how COVID-19 could impact your upcoming trip to Hawai‘i (if you are in the lucky position of planning one).

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The information on this page is primarily meant for people with concerns about traveling to Hawaiʻi. While we cannot give you definitive answers, we can provide you with up-to-date information about the current status of the Coronavirus in Hawai‘i, and discuss some potential impacts on your vacation plans.

The Safe Travels Application (ended)

The Safe Travels Hawai‘i program ended March 25, 2022. Mahalo to all of the travelers who participated in the Safe Travels Hawai‘i program for the past two years.

As of now, there are no COVID-related requirements for arriving domestic passengers. Travelers arriving in Hawai‘i directly from international airports must still comply with U.S. federal requirements; consult with your airline.

Quarantine Restrictions for Hawaiʻi (ended June 12, 2022)

Beginning March 26, 2022, there will be no COVID-related requirements for arriving domestic passengers.

Starting Jun 12. 2022, the CDC will no longer require air passengers traveling from a foreign country to the United States to show a negative COVID-19 viral test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before they board their flight. This means that as of this date there will be no COVID-related requirements for arriving international passengers.

Specific Restrictions for Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, and Hawaiʻi Island

To keep their residents and visitors as safe as possible our islands all have different challenges to deal with when trying to control the spread of COVID-19. For visitors this means that they may still be bound by some more local restrictions about where they can go and what they can do.

Below we keep an up-to-date list of measures and emergency orders on a per-island basis, and link you to the most relevant official resources.

O‘ahu local Restrictions

There are no COVID-specific local restrictions for Oʻahu. You can see all proclamations and special rules for O‘ahu here.

O‘ahu Reopening Strategy: the Safe Oʻahu Response Plan

Safe O‘ahu Response Plan, including Safe Access O‘ahu program, ended March 6, 2022.

Maui Local Restrictions

There are no COVID-specific local restrictions for Maui.

Big Island Local Restrictions

There are no COVID-specific local restrictions for the Big Island. The County of Hawaii Mayor’s COVID rules and restrictions have been lifted. Please continue to exercise caution and stay home if you are sick, get tested, and wear a mask if necessary.

Kauaʻi Local Restrictions

There are no COVID-specific local restrictions for Kauaʻi.

When are you required to wear a mask?

Indoors

The statewide indoor mask mandate ended at 11:59 p.m. on March 25, 2022.

However, the Hawaii State Department of Health still recommends elders, people who are immuno-compromised and at high risk of serious illness to keep wearing masks for their protection. The DOH also recommends indoor masks in crowded settings and public areas.

No shirt, no shoes, no mask, no service?

Local businesses are still within their rights to require their customers to wear a mask, so make sure to bring one for “just in case” if you go exploring.

Outdoors

Individuals are not required to wear face coverings outdoors.

Featured image by eddygaleotti via depositphotos

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