Where To Travel Now: Hawaii – Forbes

Hawaii is welcoming travelers.

While daydreaming of the soft sand, warm ocean breezes and inviting waters of Hawaii, you have to do extra planning before making your way to the recently reopened paradise.

First, adults have to sign up for the states Safe Travels online program, which monitors visitors to the islands. Then, within 72 hours before flight departure (if you have connecting flights, the timing has to be 72 hours from the last leg), you have to take a nucleic acid amplification test from a list of approved testing and travel partners. You can choose to skip the pre-flight coronavirus test, but this will require that you quarantine for 14 days. If youve taken the first test, after landing at Honolulu International Airport, you will undergo a secondary screening.

When you are ready and safe to travel, you can rest a little easier knowing that Hawaii has a good record thus far in terms of the coronavirus. As of November 14, the state has the lowest rate of confirmed COVID-19 cases nationally (51.5 cases per 100,000 people) and the second-lowest death rate (0.2 deaths per 100,000 people), according to Hawaiis Department of Health. Of course, you should consult the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before any trips and take any necessary precautions.

Forbes Travel Guide offers tips on what to expect on several islands and how to make the most of your much-needed Hawaiian getaway.

Make a break for the Big Island.

Keep your charger handy. As part of the Safe Travels program, youll need your cell phone throughout the pre-arrival process to upload information and to share a QR code that proves your negative test results at the airport, with ground transportation and at hotels. In addition, youll have to do daily check-ins for two weeks.

The Hawaiian style de jour is not just the aloha shirt a mask is the required clothing throughout the islands. The state mandates that everyone wears a face covering their nose and mouth in public, and businesses are to refuse entry to anyone without a mask.

Check into The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach.

Oahu

Hawaiis most populated island is ready for visitors. Many of its best attractions, including the USS Arizona, Iolani Palace, Kualoa Ranch, Waimea Valley, the Bishop Museum and the Honolulu Museum of Art, are open.

While hotels likeHalekulaniandFour Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olinaare taking this time to close and renovate (they will reopen in summer 2021 and March 11, 2021, respectively), there are plenty of excellent choices for places to stay.The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beachs soothing suites with kitchens lend themselves to extended stays, and they have been in demand since the hotel reopened. For the first time, its exclusive Sushi Sho is offering takeout. You no longer have to land a hard-to-get reservation at the intimate 16-seat restaurant to enjoy its nuanced cuisine all you have to do is place an order a day in advance.

Trump International Hotel Waikiki, which marked its 10th anniversary in 2019, is wooing couples with its wedding packages. Exchange I do on Waikiki Beach or go for a more intimate ceremony with select family and friends on a terrace overlooking the famed strip of sand, all while letting the hotel wedding planner take care of all of your needs, from the photographer to the permit.

Get your own floor at Espacio.

In September 2019,Espaciodebuted across from Kuhio Beach with nine luxurious suites, each receiving its own dedicated floor. Although the hotel wont reopen until February 2021, its Japanese-French fine-dining restaurant Mugen is creating takeaway meals, from a weekly rotating bento box to an elaborate seven-course meal with cocktail pairings.

For another boutique hotel option, try the sleek, bathed-in-white enclaveThe Modern Honolulu by Diamond Resorts. Book at least three consecutive nights Sunday to Thursday through January and youll receive a complimentary night (use the reservation code MIDWKSTAY).

Stay in one of the newly updated accommodations.

Big Island

On Hawaiis most rugged and largest island, visit Wailuku River State Park to see water gushing from the 80-foot Rainbow Falls or Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, home to two of the worlds most active volcanoes.

The islands longstanding luxury icon,Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, emerges from lockdown December 1 with a fresh look. The ongoing refurbishments include an overhaul of the rooms, a new six-bedroom oceanfront bungalow constructed next to Kumukea Beach, and the resorts top three villas are to double in space with second-story additions. New amenities are being added, including a culinary academy and a 3,000-square-foot golf instruction and practice facility.

While Four Seasons Hualalai offers four alfresco restaurants, it will introduce social-distancing-friendly private dining experiences on the beach and in remote resort areas, along with new room service menus for meals on guest room lanais.

The newMauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collectiondebuted in January and was only open for seven weeks when the pandemic forced its closure. But it opened back up November 15 and now you can take advantage of its Kainalu Ocean Adventures & Activities, where youll pair up with professional athletes for adventures in paddling, diving and more. Later this month, Gwyneth Paltrows Goop will open a permanent store in the hotel. It will be the modern lifestyle brands first Hawaii shop.

Take in the scenery from your lanai.

Maui

Experience blissful beaches and unforgettable scenery in the Valley Isle. Haleakala National Park is open (though some areas are closed) and taking reservations to see the sunrise from one of the best vantage points on the island, the summit. And cruising the 52-mile road to Hana on Mauis northeastern shore is the ultimate social-distancing activity.

Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, which reopens November 20, and the other Four Seasons hotels across the state collaborated with PS at LAX to provide private experiences for those flying on commercial flights. Book certain hotel suites and youll receive your own suite in the private terminal, which has its own TSA and customs clearance, and a luxury car will shuttle you to your aircraft. The Maui hotel also will provide 24/7 onsite physicians who can administer rapid antigen COVID-19 tests that guarantee results within 15 minutes.

Dont miss the Four Seasons Virtual Classroom, a complimentary service where kids will be supervised as they work so that parents can catch a break at the stunning pool.

Make time for the pool.

Speaking of which, youll want to spend all of your time atThe Ritz-Carlton, Kapaluas renovated three-tier pool with new in-water seating and a sun shelf. In a nod to Makaluapuna Point, a sacred outcrop fronting the property, the 10,000-square-foot pools cascading waterfalls are surrounded by lava rock. If youre on a workation, use the Ka Lumi Ao Learning Lab with individual workstations and socially spaced homework areas. Students can study on their own or with a tutor who covers everything from counting numbers to nuclear physics.

NeighboringMontage Kapalua Bayhas its own remote learning program. Montage Academy offers students in-person activities beyond their virtual curriculum, like physical education (beach clean-ups and coastal hikes) and science (discovering local flora and fauna). In December, adults can partake in the Work & Play package, which includes all office essentials (from monitor to mouse) and select gym equipment delivered to your room.

While the pandemic brought a halt to many luaus, Montage found a way to adapt. It curated an in-room experience that tells the story of the people of Polynesia through food (the family-style feast includes poke, prawns, local fish and more), dance and music from local artists.

Get close to the ocean.

The latest enhancements atWailea Beach Resort Marriott, Mauiinclude the Oceanfront Sundeck Collection 22 ground-floor rooms with extended decks and well-appointed outdoor living spaces steps from the water and a new adult pool bar named Sunsets (check out Its 5 Oclock Somewhere, a frozen mai tai crawl at each of the resorts five pools). It also will unveil Waileas only butler service in 2021.

In addition, the hotel invested $2 million to build a solar farm. The energy generated by the farm is estimated to reduce the use of oil by 1,086 barrels annually and reduce its island carbon footprint, which equals approximately 7,753 palm trees and 612 acres of tropical rain forest.

AtGrand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, let one of the wellness ambassadors create a remote office or book a gym pod for you. They also can assist with your childs virtual schooling, arranging for desks, supplies and a tutor.

Find seclusion in Lanai.

Lanai

For a secluded and luxurious Hawaiian getaway, venture to Lanai. The states smallest inhabited island used to be a pineapple plantation, but now its main attractions are its two Four Seasons resorts, which reopen November 20.

If you want a traditional beachfront escape, head toFour Seasons Resort Lanai. But theres much to do outside of the water. Embark on hotel adventures, including an archery and shooting range session; hiking, biking or riding a 44 Jeep to explore the diverse terrain; playing a round at the Jack Nicklaus Signature Manele Golf Course; or taking a guided sunrise hike to Puupehe (or Sweetheart Rock), one of Lanais landmarks.

The adults-onlySensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resortis a wellness destination. Ensconced in flourishing gardens, the new upcountry 96-room property boasts outdoor facilities like a 24-hour gym, movement studios and yoga spaces. A sensei guide will help you form healthier habits for personal growth, fulfillment and well-being.

Start your wellness journey here.

To help preserve the islands, the Hawaii Tourism Authority recently launched the MlamaHawaii (mlamameans to take care of something) initiative. Hotel partners like Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea will offer special packages that include a volunteer opportunity on property or with a local non-profit. Most of the offers are available through 2021 and include a free extra night when participating in the designated volunteer activity.

Each hotel offers its own promotion and volunteer project, but the latter could include planting native trees or participating in beach clean-ups.

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Where To Travel Now: Hawaii - Forbes