Hawaii Resort Bubbles

Hawaii COVID-19 'Resort Bubble' Program

What we know about Hawaii's EMQ program for quarantined visitors

Kauai has an Enhanced Movement Quarantine 'Resort Bubbles' program

'Safe Travels' has concluded as of March 26th for domestic U.S. travelers 

According to Governor Ige, the state of Hawaii will drop the current 'Safe Travels' program for domestic U.S. travelers at midnight on March 25, 2022.

That now means as of March 26th, domestic travelers to Hawaii will no longer need to fill out online forms via Safe Travels, no longer have to worry about QR codes, no longer have to provide proof of vaccination, and ultimately, there won't be any additional requirements or restrictions to fly to Hawaii on a domestic flight.

More information, including all travel advisories, and the steps for international travels can be found on our Hawaii Travel Updates page.

All of the following information is now for historical purposes only!

Visiting Hawaii in 2021 is obviously a lot different than the years prior. With 10-day quarantine travel restrictions in place for all arriving travelers since late March 2020, attempting to visiting Hawaii has been filled with challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. But there is some positive news for visitors planning to arrive while an island's quarantine period remains in effect. Kauai's Mayor announced in September 2020 an "Enhanced Movement Quarantine," or "Resort Bubble," program approved by Hawaii Gov. David Ige.

Kauai was the first county to receive Governor Ige’s approval on a resort bubble idea and is the only island currently participating with the resort bubble plan at this time; primarily due to Kauai's Mayor opting out of the pre-travel program beginning this past December 2, 2020. In our opinion, the additional Hawaii counties likely won't follow suit, and will all continue participating in the state's official pre-travel testing program from trusted partners that began in October 2020. Details on the program and a list of participating hotels are included below.

Resort Bubble Program Option on Kauai

As of April 5, 2021, Kauai has rejoined the Safe Travels program which requires a negative PCR NAAT test from a Trusted Travel Partner 72 hours prior to departure and must be uploaded into Safe Travels. In the event someone has taken the wrong test, there is an option with Resort Bubble properties.

Kauai has an Enhanced Movement Quarantine "resort bubble" (see below for participating properties) program which accepts any COVID-19 diagnostic test (antigen or PCR test) with emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This is an option for travelers who arrive with a test that is FDA approved but not approved by the State of Hawaii’s Safe Travels program. Travelers must stay on the Resort Bubble property for 72 hours or more until they take a post-travel test. If you arrive with no pre-travel test you cannot participate in the Resort Bubble program and will have to quarantine for 10 days or leave the state.

Editor's Note...

Hawaii's re-opening has honestly been an evolving process with numerous changes and ongoing updates. We recognize that this, unfortunately, causes confusion to potential travelers, and we are continuing to monitor this situation closely. We will provide additional pertinent vaccination updates here regularly, from official sources, on this page as additional information becomes available to us. We also encourage our readers to sign up for our 'Hawaii Travel Update' emails to receive pertinent information on all of the recent developments regarding travel to Hawaii, including Hawaii 'Resort Bubble' updates.

Additionally, we've created a new page dedicated to the day-by-day updates that are occurring with Hawaii's reopening process: Hawaii COVID-19 Travel News & Headlines →

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Kauai Resort Bubbles available

New 'Resort Bubble' policies for Kauai

In the Resort Bubble, travelers wear a tracking wristband and are allowed to leave their rooms to access the resort property within the bubble, as designated by their hotel. They cannot leave the designated bubble areas until completing the program and being certified by their hotel.

To qualify, travelers must:

  • Create a Safe Travels account and complete the mandatory State of Hawai‘i Travel and Health Form: https://travel.hawaii.gov/

  • Take a pre-travel test within 72 hours before the final leg of departure for your trip to Kauai and receive a negative test result. This test can be any COVID-19 diagnostic test (antigen or PCR test) with emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The lab does not need to be on the state’s Trusted Testing and Travel Partners list for use in Kauai’s resort bubble program.

  • Make a reservation at an approved Enhanced Movement Quarantine (EMQ) “resort bubble” hotel.

What Properties are "Resort Bubbles" on Kauai?

Which Hotels are participating in the program?

Know of another property that's participating in Kauai's resort bubble program? Let us know by emailing us. Our list is based on data provided by KauaiForward.com - Mahalo!

Hawaii Resort Bubbles

Hawaii Resort Bubbles

Hawaii COVID-19 Resort Bubble Quarantine Program

Hawaii 'Resort Bubble' Program Information

Voluntary Program - Not All Hotel Properties are Participating

Kauai Mayor Kawakami recently said, "We understand the need to address the economic hardship facing our tourism-based community, while also preserving the safety of our residents,"  said in a statement. "The Resort Bubble program is an added tool to reopening our economy while we learn to co-exist with this virus. It’s not a replacement or the final solution, and we will continue to keep our community updated as we make progress," the Mayor continued.

Violation of Resort Bubble Quarantine

Visitors should also remember that violation of the quarantine is a misdemeanor and punishable by a maximum fine of $5,000, or imprisonment of not more than one year, or both. Enforcement will be handled by each of Hawaii’s four counties.

Rule-breakers who break quarantine or tamper with the 'resort bubble' bracelet will immediately be flagged by hotel security and police will respond.

Stay Informed About Hawaii COVID-19 Info Receive the latest updates about Hawaii's re-opening, current restrictions, testing requirements, etc. with weekly email updates from GoUS Hawaii.



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Additional Updates

More information on this new program is forthcoming as details are finalized. We will continue to post updates on this page.

Information Disclaimer: Details and information on this page, including dates, may change on a day-by-day basis. While we will be making every effort to keep these pages relevant and up to date, the decision to travel is ultimately your own responsibility. Please travel safely and keep an eye on our Special Alerts page for more information regarding COVID-19 and re-opening in Hawaii.

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