Are you curious what it’s like to vacation in reopened Maui? I’m here to tell you that no matter what you are feeling about travel at this moment, it’s ok. Hawaii was the first place that we traveled to on a plane after shelter in place and even I a travel advisor was curious about reopened Maui.
Before I left, I was insanely curious. I spent a ton of time chatting directly with my hotel and supplier partners about what Maui was like all the way up until I left. I even tempered my full excitement about the trip until I had uploaded the negative Covid test to the Hawaii Safe Travel website.
It really wasn’t until we passed that government check at Kahului airport where I felt the true Hawaiian spirit of relaxation. From the moment you check in with the government, you know that they are truly out to make travel to Hawaii a safe experience for locals and tourists. Travel to reopened Maui gave me a picture to what safe travel will look like until we have immunity in the world.
So what was it like?
First things, first – there are a lot of steps before you can vacation in Maui right now.
If you wanted to just pick up and go, I’m sorry to say there is a lot more steps involved to travel here! The very first step to vacationing in reopened Maui is getting through their travel program. The Hawaii Safe Travel Program allows visitors to pass the 14 day quarantine if you can provide a negative Covid test. Here’s the process:
- Fill out the Hawaii Safe Travels Form once hotel and flights are booked. This form asks basic questions about your arrival and where you will stay throughout your trip. This takes 15-20 minutes to fill out.
- Get tested 72 hours before you land is by far the most critical step! Here’s what to look out for based on my experience:
- The test must be considered valid test by the state of Hawaii. I bought a test from Quest Diagnostics that ended up not being valid after I purchased it 😅(oops). This meant that I had to find another test appointment.
- We booked through the airline directly was the easiest for us due to high volume during that time. United reached out 7 days before to ask us to schedule the test. It costs $115 per person through United for the drive through testing a few days before or $250 for a rapid test a few hours before our flight
- We scheduled our drive through appointment on Monday at 2pm to make the 72 hour requirement by Thursday. Our covid test results were ready about 18 hours after we took it and was negative!
- Fill out the health questionnaire 24 hours in advance and upload your negative test results. When you upload the test, make sure when you click back into uploads you see a green checkmark next to the test. I realized my test was pending for my first upload. If it doesn’t work the first time, re-upload it so you get a green check. No green check means you will have to quarantine!
- Download the QR code to make arrival easy
Once you get through this, then its time to take flight!
What the flight was like from SFO to Maui
We booked our flights in early November. Between when we booked and left, our flight moved several times. Airlines are consolidating flights based on how many people are flying. If you decide to go, look out for this as your booked flights may move out by a few hours or a day! This can make a huge difference in your plans. I always remind my clients one and two weeks out to double check.
Our United Flight from SFO to Maui was ~40-50% full. Most parties had their own rows on the flight and the seats were clean. Everyone on our flight was respectful of social distancing. Overall, the flight felt quite normal. The one exception is the limited food and beverage options. United is currently only offering a small water bottle and pre-packaged snacks. What this means for you: Bring your own snacks!
What the arrival process is like at Kahului Airport
Once we arrived, we were put into a long intake line that snaked throughout the airport. You’ll have to be patient as the Hawaiian government checks every party’s Covid test results. It took us about 20-40 minutes to get through the checks. After our test results were approved, we were handed a document with health information on how the island is handling Covid. They have hefty fines for people who break any Covid provisions – expect a $5,000 fine if you are caught not wearing a mask!
Hawaii doesn’t play about keeping people safe, which made us feel very safe traveling there. We were really impressed!
From there, it was smooth smooth sailing. We picked up our rental from Enterprise (a beautiful red Jeep) and started enjoying our trip around reopened Maui.
So what can you do in the reopened Maui?
I serve a variety of clients. Some like to relax, others like to be active. That’s why during this trip, I mixed activity with relaxation. Obviously traveling during a pandemic changes what you can and can’t do on a trip. Here’s my run down about what is open and not open on Maui right now as far as activities:
Restaurants
- We mostly ate outside, but restaurants are doing a great job at keeping capacity small for indoor if you feel comfortable enough. This is an ever-changing situation though, so be sure to watch local regulations!
- Make a reservation – so critical if you plan to eat out! There are some places where you can put your name in, but many are taking reservation. This applies if you are interested in Mama’s Fish House, Hali’imaile General Store, Ka’ana Kitchen or Star Noodle (I’ll be doing a food review soon!)
- Many of the most prized eats and food trucks are closed due to the pandemic (looking at you the Mill House & trucks on the way to Hana). If there is something you must eat at, know that it may be closed
- Charge your phone you’ll be using it to look up menus via QR codes at almost all restaurants 📱
Socially Distant Activities
- Outdoor hikes for Road to Hana, Iao Valley, Nakalele Blowhole, & Olivine pools are all open. I’ll be doing a post about all of these activities soon!
- Sunrise reservations for Haleakalā National Park sunrise are released 7 days in advance versus the standard two weeks. It is super limited and they do sell out within 2 minutes. Book this ahead of time!
- For activities like scuba diving and snorkeling, keep in mind providers aren’t running every single day of the week. We dove one day with Lahiana Divers. They are running a modified schedule. The crew is amazing and doing a great job at enforcing social distancing throughout the dive. I’ll be doing a whole other post on scuba diving with them!
What it’s like to stay on a resort in reopened Maui
Part of why I love being a travel advisor is because I get to visit properties and the people who create them to get a sense of what is a best fit for my clients! I not only stayed at 2 resorts, but also toured several others to see what it’s like. Look out for a future post on each hotel!
Sunset magic 
Main Pool 
The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa is a getaway in paradise next to a golf course and set on 40 acres on Ka’anapali Beach. It features 5 pools, 6 restaurants, a spa, a luau, penguins, and swans!
Everything at the resort was open, but most activities and restaurants required a reservation beforehand. What activities are there? They offer penguin feeding, snorkeling, and various classes like yoga and stand up paddle board. You just need to reserve online. It’s also important to note that you must also reserve housekeeping. They are minimizing this for your safety!
The only exception is the pool and beach. You do not need a reservation to for a pool side lounge chair. It was incredibly easy to find a sanitized lounge chair because every chair has a small sign that signals if it has been sanitized. The staff was constantly sanitizing and cleaning pool beds that were all 6 feet apart.
Staying at Wailea Andaz Maui At Wailea Resort
Lobby 
Pool near ocean 
Three days into our trip, we switched over to the Wailea to stay at Andaz Maui. This area is fantastic if you want something a bit quieter & upscale than the resorts at Ka’anapali and want to be slightly closer to upcountry (Road to Hana or Paia. It’s just 26 minutes from the airport.
I truly can’t say enough about our stay at Andaz Maui. The property is amazing and is my new favorite. Andaz Maui sits on 15 acres of beachfront property on Wailea. They are known for their local flair of farm to table food and activities. It never felt crowded. This is perfect for adults, couples & honeymooners who want to do activities like snorkeling, lei making, cocktail making, canoe tours, and more. There is amazing reef right off the shore. Plus, the Andaz team even sets up a socially distant beach lounge for every Andaz guest.
Travel to reopened Maui is a peek into the future of travel
I am more confident than ever that destinations are ready for the future of safe travel. Reopend Maui proved to me that it is possible to travel safely. It takes a mix of destination, resort, local, and tourist responsibility to make this happen.
It has also shown me that it’s more important than ever to talk to a person about the experience. Why else is it good to book with a travel advisor? Not only do you have the inside scoop of what travel is like, you also have someone to talk to in case anything goes wrong. Plus by booking with me, you can get extra perks! Perks may include $100 resort credit, free breakfast for 2 (~$100 per day value), room upgrades, and early check-in/check out. These amenities are available for most hotels.
Was this helpful? I would love to hear from you about how you feel about travel to Hawaii after this post.
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